We love where we live. As a world-famous destination, it’s easy to appreciate all the incredible experiences and opportunities waiting right outside our doorstep! Now we want to share them with you – from insider tips and must-dos to under the radar finds and where the locals love. This is a local’s guide to St. Helena.
Follow along on the new map of St. Helena to see just how close you are to it all.
The Station: You’ll see locals and visitors alike stopping into this laidback, gourmet stop. It’s also owned by the same people who dish out the BEST at Gott’s Roadside! From house-made pastries, sandwiches, salads, and other provisions, you’ll want to swing by for breakfast or lunch. A current favorite that hits.the.spot is their Cowboy Turkey Wrap – oven roasted turkey, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, greens, crispy shallots(this is key), shishito pepper relish, and chipotle aioli in an organic flour tortilla. Perfect post wine tasting or to throw in your bag to eat between stops. Feeling like you need a refresher, don’t skip their fresh pressed juice!
V. Sattui: The Disneyland for adults that we all know and love is not only a quintessential Napa Valley stop (you knew that already), but their deli can’t be missed. Stop in to peruse the 200 kinds of cheese from around the world, along with a great selection of meats, pasta salads, and sandwiches. From a picnic on the grounds (charcuterie and cheese perfectly curated, how dreamy) to grabbing a few for your room later, we love sending visitors to this wonderland.
This time of year is when the temperatures in the valley start to climb. If you’re looking for somewhere to cool off and relax, Health Spa Napa Valley offers day passes with access to their resort style pool, poolside food and drink menu, and VIP chaise lounge with towel service.
Although its focus is on their seasonally-driven, rustic American menu, Goose & Gander on the southern end of town also serves some of the artistically assembled cocktails that you’ll find in the valley. We love to swing by with the intent of staying for a golden hour drink and are almost always enticed to stay for a long dinner. The best place to enjoy everything? On their lush outdoor patio, under the string lights.
You’ve heard of Taco Tuesday, but what about Fried Chicken Tuesday? One of the (many) specialties at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch is their fried chicken, perfectly crispy on the outside and still juicy and tender on the inside. Slide into a booth or grab a table outside on their expansive property and make sure to include all the right sides (mashed potatoes, biscuits, etc) and indulge in this perfectly done southern classic.
The Saint Wine Lounge in downtown St. Helena is one of the best spots for relaxing with your friends with a glass of wine in hand, especially on the nights that they have live music. They also have a “happy hour” on Thursday nights – $5 off any glass of wine from 3-7. Savings on quality wine, yes, please!
Gary’s Wine and Marketplace obviously has an incredible selection of wine, but did you know that they also have a very impressive selection of spirits? While it feels like it could easily be ‘wine all the time’ we channel our inner mixologist with their help quite often, with our own craft cocktails made with Napa Valley spirits.
There aren’t many wineries that allow you to picnic on their property with your own food, but St. Helena has one family owned winery that does! Make a reservation for bottle service at Pestoni Family Winery, pack in your treats, and enjoy a bottle of their Estate Cabernet while playing cornhole in their charming picnic area.
Shop locally for home decor and accessories from Vintage Home on Main Street St. Helena. Style your home in true St. Helena fashion, from throw pillows, to kitchenware, to locally made soaps. Don’t forget to stop by during Christmastime to see their extensive – and we mean extensive – selection of Christmas ornaments.
Be in the know, be St.Helena. We can’t wait to see you in St. Helena this year!