With kids · Napa Valley · United States
Napa Valley with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Pictured: Napa Valley Wine Train, Napa Valley · Photo: Drew Jacksich from San Jose, California Republic, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Napa Valley is adult-focused, but families can enjoy the geyser, a castle winery, bike rides on the Vine Trail, hot-spring pools and the food hall. Check each winery's policy on children before booking. Top picks: Old Faithful Geyser of California, Castello di Amorosa and Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park. Families usually base themselves in Downtown Napa.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Downtown Napa
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- September–October
Plan a trip to Napa Valley
Compare flights, places to stay and rental cars, then book with the provider you choose.
Best things to do with kids
Nature · Calistoga
1.Old Faithful Geyser of California
A privately owned geyser just outside Calistoga that erupts regularly, sending a column of hot water into the air. The grounds have a small garden and a petting area with goats.
Ask at the entrance about the expected time of the next eruption so you do not miss it.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Castle · Calistoga
2.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. Tours explore the castle and finish with tastings of Italian-style wines.
Book a guided tour to see the lower cellars, which are not part of a basic tasting visit.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Tours and tastings are by reservation; weekends book up early.
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
- Kids
Historic site · St Helena
3.Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
A water-powered mill built in 1846 with a large wooden waterwheel, among the oldest of its kind in California. A short trail connects it with Bothe-Napa Valley State Park and its redwood groves.
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
Market · Downtown Napa
4.Oxbow Public Market
A food hall on the Napa River with stalls for oysters, tacos, cheese, spices, coffee, bakeries and wine bars. It is a relaxed place for a casual lunch between tastings and a good stop for picnic supplies.
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
Experience · Downtown Napa
5.Napa Valley Vine Trail
A paved walking and cycling path that runs from Napa's Kennedy Park through downtown to Yountville, passing vineyards along the way, with further sections being built up-valley. It is a good way to visit Yountville and its tasting rooms without driving.
Rent a bike in downtown Napa, ride to Yountville for lunch, and come back in the afternoon before the valley breeze picks up.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Active
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
Rainy-day ideas
- Oxbow Public Market — Go at lunchtime on a weekday to avoid queues, and pick up picnic supplies before heading up the valley.
- Castello di Amorosa — Book a guided tour to see the lower cellars, which are not part of a basic tasting visit.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers, nightlife and budget
Downtown Napa
The city of Napa at the southern end of the valley has a walkable downtown along the Napa River, with dozens of tasting rooms, restaurants on First and Main Streets, the Oxbow Public Market food hall and the Uptown Theatre for concerts. It is the departure point for the Wine Train and has more mid-range hotels than the up-valley towns.
- Good
- Walk to tasting rooms and restaurants; Widest range of hotel prices; Livelier evenings
- Watch out
- Less rural feel; Drive or ride to reach most wineries
- Nearby
- Oxbow Public Market, Napa Valley Wine Train station, Napa River, Carneros
Family travel tips
- Many wineries do not allow under-21s at tastings; others welcome families and offer grape juice.
- Calistoga resorts with mineral pools are popular with families.
- Combine a short winery visit with outdoor time at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.
- Bring sun protection and water in summer, when up-valley afternoons are hot.
Day trips for families
- 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.
- Lake Berryessa (About 45 minutes by car) — A large reservoir in the hills east of the valley for boating, kayaking, swimming and picnics, with the 'Glory Hole' spillway that drains water after very wet winters.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September–October. September–October are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Napa Valley good for kids?
Napa Valley is adult-focused, but families can enjoy the geyser, a castle winery, bike rides on the Vine Trail, hot-spring pools and the food hall. Check each winery's policy on children before booking.
+What can kids do in Napa Valley?
Old Faithful Geyser of California, Castello di Amorosa, Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, Oxbow Public Market and Napa Valley Vine Trail.
+Where should families stay in Napa Valley?
Downtown Napa: Riverfront tasting rooms, Oxbow Public Market and the valley's widest choice of hotels.