It is difficult to combine the terms “cheap” and “Napa Valley.” Up until now. Though it doesn’t have to be, the nation’s most famous wine area may be extremely costly. A genuinely frugal trip to Napa can be achieved with careful planning. These pointers will help you achieve it.
Book a Cheap Flight First
Start with an inexpensive flight before deciding on a date and a place to stay! Finding cheap travel anywhere, especially in Napa, starts with waiting for a good flight and scheduling everything else around those dates. Unsure about the airport to fly into? There are five separate airports in California within around an hour’s drive from the city of Napa.
An hour and a half drive south is San Francisco Airport (SFO), however, traffic into and out of SFO can be somewhat chaotic. If at all possible, avoid flying into and out of SFO. Oakland (OAK) will have slightly less traffic than SFO and is a few miles closer to Napa City. Although it’s a little further south, San Jose (SJC) is still another Bay Area choice.
Go there during the off-season
The best advice we can give to minimize costs when visiting Napa? Save money on travel and accommodations by going off-season. Escape traveling between June and August to escape the crowds and save money. Peak summer is a popular season to visit.
Visiting during the harvest season, which runs from August to October, can also be costly. From November through May, visit Napa for the best deals (and more personalized service at wineries!). You’ll save a tonne of money even though it might not be the “best” time to visit Napa. And that’s worth it for a lot of travelers.
Reduce Your Accommodation Costs
You can stay within your budget during the off-season by booking one of these cozy cottages or inexpensive Airbnbs. However, using hotel points is the key to a truly budget-friendly vacation. If you have the necessary hotel points, you can score some amazing deals in wine country. The always worthwhile World of Hyatt Points is a shining star in and around Napa.
Consider the four-star Andaz Napa, which is just minutes from wineries in the heart of the city. Weekend rates can exceed $400 per night, but reservations can be made for as little as 25,000 World of Hyatt points. You could also stay at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country in nearby Sonoma. Only 15,000 World of Hyatt points each night make it an excellent offer.
Think Wisely About Your Ride
The most economical way to see Napa Valley is by rental car, while private drivers or buses seem luxurious and bike excursions or the train can be exciting. To get the most out of your rental car, drive around the valley once you’ve driven the hour to and from the airport. You can visit the vineyards that are highest on your list because each day in your group will have a designated driver.
Do you intend to rent a car? To reserve the most affordable rental automobile, use our advice. Also, check out Turo if you haven’t already! Similar to Airbnb for automobiles, it’s a simple and cost-effective option to rent the vehicle of your choice.
Arrange Your Schedule by Area
Napa Valley is a group of several regions known as appellations. Napa Valley may be reached in about an hour by car, traffic-free, from Calistoga in the north to Los Carneros in the south.
Plan to visit wineries that are close to one another, focus on one appellation every day, and factor in the time required for the journey while creating your itinerary to avoid spending more than half of the day behind the wheel. Start your preparations with a look at this map of Napa Valley.
Spend Less on Dining
In Napa Valley, dining doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive. Make the most of your hotel’s complimentary breakfast if you’re staying there to energize yourself for the day. If not, swing by a grocery shop and grab some simple breakfast and snack items for your visit. Build your own cheese and cracker plate to go with your newly discovered favorite bottle of wine!
Downtown Napa has several more reasonably priced dining options, even though the eateries near the wineries might be somewhat pricey. For a reasonably priced lunch option, I heartily suggest Oxbow Public Market. Everyone in your group can choose what they want from the wide variety of shops and restaurants in this outdoor market.
Select Reasonably Priced Wine Tastings & Tours
Tours and wine tastings don’t have to be pricey! Are you planning a vacation to some of your favorite vineyards, or are you wanting to explore some new ones? Find out the costs for tastings and tours at the wineries that most interest you by doing some prior research on them.
A sample of four to seven wines or more may be had at many wineries for a fair $20 to $30 per person. Some wineries, like Sutter Home, do, however, provide free samples and/or tours. Take a stroll through the Sutter Home rose garden, sample some food, and see the mansion!
Taste & Pleasure Napa
Limit your daily schedule to two or three tastings or tours if you want to enjoy your time in Napa. You won’t have to hurry to the next tasting or tour because you will have plenty of time to unwind and enjoy them.
Additionally, a lot of wineries have gorgeous patios that make for the ideal place to spend an afternoon drinking wine! One of my favorite locations was Napa Cellars, where you could sample four wines for about $30 and then enjoy the vineyard from an Adirondack chair outside among the twinkling lights and trees. A round of cornhole, anyone?