Season guide · Napa Valley · United States
Napa Valley in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Napa Valley · Photo: Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cool, rainy and quiet, with the lowest prices, cosy tasting rooms and mustard flowers between the vines. Expect highs up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 28 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 3°C (37°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 28
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
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Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 14°C (57°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 10 | 9.8 h | 1/5 |
| February | 17°C (63°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 9 | 10.7 h | 2/5 |
| December | 14°C (57°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 9 | 9.5 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 15°C (59°F) against a yearly 23°C (73°F), and 28 of the year's roughly 55 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Mustard bloom in the vineyards (usually January to March)
- February: Valentine's Day weekend events at wineries and restaurants
- December: Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade (usually early December)
Good choices for winter
Castle · Calistoga
Castello di Amorosa
Book a guided tour to see the lower cellars, which are not part of a basic tasting visit.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
- Kids
Architecture · St Helena
Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
The Greystone Cellars building, completed in 1889, was once among the largest stone wineries in the world and now houses the West Coast campus of the Culinary Institute of America.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Food
- Rainy day
- History
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Experience · Calistoga
Calistoga mud baths and hot springs
Book a mid-afternoon treatment after a morning of tastings, and drink plenty of water; the hot mud and minerals are dehydrating.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Couples
- Rainy day
Gallery · Carneros
di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art
A large collection of Northern California art displayed in galleries and outdoor sculpture grounds on a lakeside property in Carneros, built by collector Rene di Rosa.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
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
Day trips in winter
- Point Reyes National Seashore (About 1 hour 45 minutes by car) — A wild coastal peninsula with the Point Reyes Lighthouse, elephant seals, tule elk and long beaches.
- Muir Woods (About 1.5 hours by car) — Old-growth coast redwoods line boardwalk trails in a canyon just north of San Francisco, with Mount Tamalpais and Muir Beach nearby.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Napa Valley?
It is a trade-off: Cool, rainy and quiet, with the lowest prices, cosy tasting rooms and mustard flowers between the vines. The best months overall are April–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Napa Valley in winter?
Highs of up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 28 rainy days over the season.