Getting here and getting around

 

✈️ Arranging your travel

Unless you live in the Bay area it is likely that you will be traveling here via plane.  There are a few options when it comes to airports you can fly into (commercial and private) with pros and cons for each.  Drive times to Napa are listed next to each with some rate of variability depending on where you’re headed in the valley.

COMMERCIAL Air travel

  • Sacramento ( ~ 60-90 min drive)

    • Pros:

      • Smaller than SFO and often less crowded

      • Traffic to Napa is often a little lighter than from SFO or Oakland

    • Cons:

      • Fewer direct flights

  • SFO ( ~ 90min - 3hr drive*)

    • Pros:

      • Very large international airport with tons of direct flights, dining options, etc.

      • Tons of direct flights from all over the world

      • Very clean and modern, easy to navigate

      • You can opt to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and through Sonoma for a more scenic route

    • Cons:

      • Though the distance is about the same to Sacramento, the bay area traffic can be hellish especially if you’re driving in the morning (6am-10am) or late afternoon (3pm - 6pm). Plan accordingly.

      • **That drive time really can vary that much. It’s 90min on a good day and barring no complications.

  • Santa Rosa (45min-1hr)

    • Pros:

      • Super-small airport with only one terminal

      • Much shorter drive than SFO/Sac, especially if you’re staying up-valley.

    • Cons:

      • Not a ton of direct flights (nothing international)

      • No food options, limited car rental options

  • Concord Airport (45min-1hr)

    • If you’re able to catch a flight from Burbank, JSX (formerly known as JetSuiteX) might be a great option. The airport is private but passengers can purchase seats on JSX for an “almost private” experience. This means arrival 20-30min ahead of departure, expedited security, close parking, and you can even bring wine on board! A great way to travel but very limited in terms of connecting hubs.

PRIVATE air travel

  • Napa Airport

  • Concord Airport

🚗 Getting Around

This is undoubtedly the trickiest part of your trip, but it’s not without solutions.

Rideshare:

  • To/From the Airport

    • Uber and Lyft will take you from any of the above airports to Napa Valley (usually around $100-$150 pre tip). Getting back can be a little trickier especially if you’re up-valley in towns like Calistoga or even St. Helena and looking for a ride in the super early hours. You can schedule a pickup which I’ve had great luck with but I wouldn’t risk just trying to get one last min as there is not a surplus of cars available in the area.

  • To Wineries and Restaurants

    • Lately it seems rideshare has been better but it’s by no means perfect. If you’re heading anywhere up in the mountains or off the beaten path I do not recommend using Uber or Lyft. You might get there, but getting back is problematic. Many of these areas have spotty service and with limited cars available many don’t want to make the trek up the mountain. If you’re staying on Highway 29, the Silverado trail, and/or anywhere Yountville and south you’ll probably be ok. Late nights and early mornings are also a challenge and as a former sommelier in St. Helena I can tell you that we had to drive a number of guests back to their hotel when they couldn’t secure a ride.

Hired Drivers and Tour Companies

Car Rental:

  • There are plenty of cars at SFO but the rental services in Napa Valley are awful. They tend to never have any decent cars and you legitimately might get stuck with a truck or van.

  • If you’re going to rent a car it hopefully goes without saying that you should have a designated driver when going to wine tastings and restaurants. Getting around is very easy, but drunk driving is monitored closely.