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    Home » Travel

    The Perfect Napa Valley Girl's Getaway

    Published: Aug 1, 2014 · Modified: Mar 3, 2016 by Jennifer · This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    26 shares

    Many people travel to the state of California for many different reasons. Families with young children often like to head down there to do Disney, some like to do the Hollywood scene, some will head down there and let their heart lead them, and others like to visit the beautiful wineries of Napa Valley, which is what I recently did. The perfect Napa Valley Girl's Getaway ended up being just what my friends and I needed to reconnect, blow off some steam and have fun together after not seeing each other all year.

    Napa Valley isn't just about romance - while there are plenty of couples every where you go, there are also families and many girlfriends out just having fun. We even spotted a bachelorette party or two!

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    The Perfect Napa Valley Girl's Getaway

    Pick a Central Location

    Our base of operations was the Andaz Napa Valley, which had a great location right in the middle of downtown. Just a few blocks from the farmer's market, the famous Model Bakery, plenty of great bars, restaurants and tasting rooms (here's a list of top 12 wineries), we never had a problem grabbing an Uber when we wanted to go farther away for dinner. Yountville and St Helena were both about a 20-30 minute drive, so make sure that if you are staying in downtown Napa Valley, you have an Uber account set up and plenty of money to spend on fare. I didn't see a taxi cab the entire time I was in Napa Valley, but there were Uber drives all over the place.

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    The History Lesson is Complimentary

    The orchards of the Napa Valley are breathtaking, there's no doubt. The wines created from the grapes that are grown in Napa Valley have an incredible history, and not only are the winery employees happy to tell you all about the history behind their wineries, but tour guides, Uber drives and just about everyone  you come across are all excited to tell you about the history of Napa Valley in general, sharing tidbits of old-world gossip along the way. We learned about everything from how vineyards began, to the hippy communes supporting them, how vineyards changed hands over and over again, which winemaker left which winery to start their own, etc, etc. It was quite interesting!

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    Each winery has a different tale to tell as far as their history, but they all have one thing in common: agriculture. Each winery we visited was able to tell us which was their best year, how much rain fell in certain years, which fire lent a smokey flavor to which year of wine - it was all very fascinating!

    The Views Are AMAZING

    Napa Valley is a beautiful place to visit. Not only is the scenery gorgeous, but the wineries, hotels, boutiques and restaurants put a lot of effort into making everything sophisticated yet charming.

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    My favorite photos of Napa Valley were taken at Repris Winery, which is actually pretty close to Sonoma. This winery began in the 60s as a hippy commune and has turned into the one of the most unique wineries in the area.

    Their wines are not sold to the public or to restaurants and stores - you have to be a wine club member or purchase from their winery directly during your visit. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND VISITING. While the wine is expensive (well, at least for me) at $55+ a bottle, the experience is worth it. Repris Winery only accepts a few appointments a day, and let's just say that the experience is worth it.

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    After spending an afternoon being led around the winery on a Jeep with one of the winery guides, I ended up buying four bottles of wine. I almost bought an advance but decided against it. How much wine can I possibly drink?!

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    It's a Dry Heat, Y'all

    If you are coming from a humid climate like I was, you will want to bring along eye drops and nasal spray as well. It is very, very dry in Napa Valley, and while I am not complaining because that dry heat was a nice reprieve from our balmy Miami summer, the dryness got to be a little uncomfortable.

    The Food is AMAZING

    I had no idea what a foodie mecca the Napa Valley region was until I arrived and we began visiting the local eateries.  There are so many famous chefs in the area, even Iron Chefs! My personal favorites were Bottega in Yountville, which is run by Chef Michael Chiarello and Cole's Chop House in Napa Valley. Neither are cheap, but the food is delicious and totally worth the splurge!

    I also recommend grabbing a pastry or cookie - or a delicious slice of pizza - at Model Bakery, mojitos in the Merchanile Social Bar in the Andaz Napa Valley lobby, or even the brunch restaurant in the Andaz Napa Valley lobby. It was the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had!

    A Napa Valley Girls Weekend Getaway #Lumia1020

    I recommend downloading the OpenTable app for your smartphone so that you can arrange reservations for the local establishments. It is much easier than calling, waiting on hold, etc. Just don't forget to cancel a reservation if your plans change! OpenTable is available for pretty much every device, from iPhones to iPads to Windows Phones to Kindles!

    Download UBER and Save $30 on Your First Ride!

    Uber is a must for Napa Valley, as it is so easy to get a ride. You pull up the app on your smartphone (it is available for iOS, Windows Phones) and request a car to pick you up. It's similar to using a taxi cab, except that it's completely cashless - you just register your credit card on file and never have to worry about having cash on you. The tip is also included in the price! You can choose which type of car you want: a black car, SUV, etc, and price depends on where they are picking you up and where they are dropping you off. There are never any surprises when the ride is over. You can even split fares between your friends if they have the Uber app.

    If you haven't used Uber before, I would love for you to register using my Uber invitation so that I can receive a credit when you use the service for the first time! You will get $30 off your first ride!! You could end up getting your first ride for free!

    Have you ever been to Napa Valley? What was your favorite place?

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    26 shares

    About Jennifer

    Jennifer, AKA "The Rebel Chick," is a 40-something Gen Xer who strives to help her readers live their best lives possible with easy recipes, travel inspiration and lifestyle tips!

    Comments

    1. Kelsey Apley says

      August 01, 2014 at 6:40 pm

      What a wonderful getaway!! You look amazing in that dress! I would love to go and visit and have a getaway day like this!

    2. Ty says

      August 02, 2014 at 1:47 am

      First of all, you look amazing! And, I just absolutely love that view. We're thinking about going next month when my husband's on vacay, we shall see.

    3. Theresa @ Faith and Family Reviews says

      August 02, 2014 at 10:47 pm

      What gorgeous views! Your dresses are cute too!

    4. Tammy Litke (@threedifferent) says

      August 03, 2014 at 5:29 pm

      I haven't been before, it looks beautiful. I'm making my way through the wineries and vineyards here in Texas though, and it's a fun deal that's for sure!

    5. Kathleen says

      August 03, 2014 at 7:02 pm

      I would love to have a girl's getaway there. I think learning the history of the area would be my favorite part.

    6. Colleen says

      August 03, 2014 at 10:09 pm

      I've never been but it looks so beautiful looks like you had a great time.

    7. Angela says

      August 04, 2014 at 6:19 pm

      It sounds like a great getaway. I'd love to go there with a couple of girlfriends some time.

    8. HilLesha says

      August 07, 2014 at 12:53 am

      I have never been to Napa Valley, nor have I ever been to California, but I'd love to visit someday!

    9. Hilary P says

      March 22, 2016 at 10:37 pm

      I won a trip to Napa in 2010 from Woman's Day Magazine. I stayed at the Westin Verasa and it was amazing! I swam everyday in the pool, enjoyed a wine-paired dinner in their highly rated French restaurant, and had a blast on the wine train. The two night stay begs for a return visit. It was wonderful. The air is like velvet, the food sooo sooo good, and of course the wine doesn't stop flowing. Also, the Westin Verasa bathroom was huge, gorgeous and probably the best shower I have ever had!

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    Hi, I'm Jennifer! I'm a Miami native and I love sharing easy dinner recipes, baking recipes, travel ideas and general Miami Lifestyle fun! Follow along for inspiration on how to make the most of your life!

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