Those of you who have read my articles before know how crazy I am about the Napa Valley. It is absolutely GORGEOUS!

And that takes nothing away from the other wine growing regions of California, they are great too. I just happen to really like the Napa Valley and its wines. Over 3 million people come to the valley each year to savor wine, relax and get away.

So, after an intense day or two of tours and tastings, what do you do?

If you pack too much into your trip, you may want to just sit back and relax a bit and do something other than just more wine tasting.

Well, the Napa Valley has you well taken care of!

Hiking trails, museums, art galleries, discount outlet malls, golf, tennis, horse back riding, historic buildings, historic state parks, spas, ballooning and much more.

Take an afternoon and visit historic Robert Louis Stevenson state park.

Do a round of golf at Kennedy Golf Course (one of several courses).

See the history of the Napa Valley at the Napa Valley Museum.

In Calistoga you can visit the Calistoga Geyser and relax in a delightful hot geyser spring spa.

Don't want to travel all the way to Calistoga from Napa? There are several excellent spas in Napa, Yountville and St. Helena.

Or, you can combine a bit of wine tasting with art. Visit the Hess Collection to see their art gallery and savor their fine wine.

Artesa is "the jewel of the Napa Valley", sitting high on a hill, looking out over the Carneros region towards San Francisco, just 10
minutes from downtown Napa and feels like you are miles away. Here's a secret - after your tasting, walk out on the back porch and
see gorgeous vistas of rolling hills. On a clear day you can see almost all the way to San Francisco. Artesa is built into the top
of a hill. It has wonderful fountains. It really is a jewel.

Cuvaison is another winery with art.

Looking for spectacular architecture? Visit Chateau Montelena, Darioush or Niebaum Coppola.

Copia - The American Center For Wine Foods and the Arts is an educational look into the history and culture of art, food and wine.

There is just so much you can do that you don't need to spend all of your time doing tours and tastings.

The single most important thing to remember? Relax and enjoy your stay. There is lots to do in Napa and it will still be here when you come back for another visit.

Article by Steve Sands. If you're planning a tour of Napa Valley wine country, pick up
Steve's guide at: http://bestnapavalleywinetours.com/

About the Author

Steve Sands has lived in the Napa Valley over 10 years, owning and operating 2 bed and breakfast inns and helping hundreds of guests plan and enjoy their wine tour/tasting vacation.

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The Naked Vine: Wine advice for the rest of us.: Wine School! (Class #3 --

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