Month guide · Napa Valley · United States
Napa Valley in January
What January is really like in Napa Valley: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Yountville village, Napa Valley · Photo: California Health and Human Services Agency, Public domain
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Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 14°C (57°F), lows of 3°C (37°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 9.8 hours of daylight. Cool and rainy, with the year's lowest prices and quiet tasting rooms.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 14°C (57°F) / 3°C (37°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 9.8 hours
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Plan a trip to Napa Valley
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Weather in January
January is the 11th-warmest month in Napa Valley: days average 14°C (57°F) against a yearly average high of 23°C (73°F), and nights fall to about 3°C (37°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with December (14°C (57°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs climb to around 17°C (63°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:24
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 17:12
- Daylight
- About 9.8 hours
Winter (December–February). Cool, rainy and quiet, with the lowest prices, cosy tasting rooms and mustard flowers between the vines.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is September at 5) and 1 for hotel prices (highest in September). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Mustard bloom in the vineyards (usually January to March)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Market · Downtown Napa
Oxbow Public Market
Go at lunchtime on a weekday to avoid queues, and pick up picnic supplies before heading up the valley.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Shopping
Castle · Calistoga
Castello di Amorosa
A winery built as a medieval Tuscan-style castle, with towers, a drawbridge, a great hall with painted frescoes, barrel cellars and a torture chamber.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
- Kids
Architecture · St Helena
Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Book a cooking demonstration or a meal at the campus restaurant to see inside the historic building.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Food
- Rainy day
- History
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Experience · Calistoga
Calistoga mud baths and hot springs
Calistoga has been a spa town since Sam Brannan founded it in the 1860s.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 14°C (57°F), lows near 3°C (37°F) and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Napa Valley?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Napa Valley in other months
Questions travellers ask
+What time does the sun set in Napa Valley in January?
At about 17:12 local time in mid-January, with sunrise at about 07:24: roughly 9.8 hours of daylight.
+How warm is Napa Valley in January?
Average highs are around 14°C (57°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Napa Valley in January?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.