Season guide · Napa Valley · United States
Napa Valley in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Inglenook, Napa Valley · Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Bud break, green hills and mild weather; spring is quieter than summer and autumn, with good-value midweek stays. Expect highs up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 15 rainy days across March–May. April–May are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 5°C (41°F) to 26°C (79°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 15
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
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Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 19°C (66°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 8 | 11.8 h | 2/5 |
| April | 22°C (72°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 5 | 13.1 h | 3/5 |
| May | 26°C (79°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 2 | 14.2 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 22°C (72°F) against a yearly 23°C (73°F), and 15 of the year's roughly 55 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- May: BottleRock Napa Valley music festival (usually Memorial Day weekend)
Make the most of the weather
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Experience · Downtown Napa
Napa Valley Wine Train
Restored early 20th-century Pullman cars run a roughly 58 km round trip between Napa and St Helena while passengers eat lunch or dinner, with some packages adding winery stops.
- Time needed
- 3–6 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Couples
- Food
- Views
Architecture · Carneros
Domaine Carneros
Go in the afternoon for terrace light and pair it with a stop at the di Rosa art collection nearby.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Views
- Architecture
- Food
Nature · Calistoga
Old Faithful Geyser of California
A privately owned geyser just outside Calistoga that erupts regularly, sending a column of hot water into the air.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Historic site · St Helena
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Visit at the weekend, when there may be milling demonstrations, and walk the history trail to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Yountville
Hot-air balloon flight
Balloon companies launch around sunrise from near Yountville and Napa, drifting over vineyards and hills for about an hour in calm morning air.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours with transfers
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Day trips in spring
- Sonoma (About 30 minutes by car) — Sonoma's historic plaza, Mission San Francisco Solano, the last of California's 21 missions to be founded, and a relaxed tasting scene.
- San Francisco (About 1.5 hours by car, or bus and ferry) — The Golden Gate Bridge, the Ferry Building, cable cars and Chinatown are a day trip away.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Napa Valley?
Yes: April–May are among the best months. Bud break, green hills and mild weather; spring is quieter than summer and autumn, with good-value midweek stays.
+What is the weather like in Napa Valley in spring?
Highs of up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 15 rainy days over the season.