Coastal Traveler - Summer 2007 - (Page 50)

coastalnapa valley Napa Valley By Ashley Harrell The Napa Valley of the past mostly catered to moneyed oenophiles, but a new breed of Napa Valley tourist has arrived. They’re hitting the coffee shops, like Java Hut on the Silverado Trail. They’re catching flicks at the Century Cinedome Napa (707 257.7700, 825 Pearl Street) and making appointments at Edwin V. Glassar Rare Books (707 258.6281) on Hunt Street. While the older crowd winds down at Cole’s Chophouse on Main Street, the younger grabs takeout from Napa’s taco trucks, picks up beers from Downtown Joe’s, and goes back to Wine Valley on South Coombs Street, a comparably cheap ($100-$170) comfortable hotel. St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville and Yountville After a night at the Victorian-style Hotel St. Helena ($80), eat breakfast at the Model Bakery on Main Street in St. Helena. Two must-see wineries are Frog’s Leap (800 959.4704, 8815 Conn Creek Road) in Rutherford and Robert Sinskey Vineyards (800 869.2030, 6320 Silverado Trail), known for its progressive biodynamic farming techniques. Peju on St. Helena Highway in Rutherford looks like a Disneyland operation with its marble fountains, but inside there is a must-see “yodelmeister.” Over at Mumm in Napa, music lovers enjoy wine created by Carlos Santana. The local dining hotspot, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen on Railroad Avenue, is owned by the proprietor of the renowned Mustards Grill. The Milliken Creek Inn (on the Silverado Trail) is a comfy and luxurious hotel on the bank of the Napa River. Kick it in Calistoga Calistoga got its start in 1859 when the Mormon missionary and entrepreneur Sam Brannan heard about its natural hot springs. The old hotels and shops along Lincoln Avenue have preserved the town’s Old West quality. While many visitors flock to the Calistoga Inn, a turn-of-the-century hotel, eco-tourists prefer a $65 cabin on Triple S-Ranch, which borders a petrified forest. Also popular is the Napa County Fairgrounds (707 942.5111, 1435 Oak Street). Pitch your tent or park your RV for $10-$20 a night, and wake up to a view of Mount St. Helena. In the morning head for the Palisades on Lincoln Avenue, a deli in a former railroad station where you can get some organic brew. You’ll need it to power you up the Oat Hill Mine Trail on mountain bike, available for rent at the Calistoga Bikeshop on Gerrard Street. For more wildlife, head across Tubbs Lane to Chateau Montelena’s elegant Asian gardens. Then make for Sterling Vineyards on Dunaweal Lane. A gondola will take you to this mountaintop winery, where you learn about the winemaking process. To finish a day, become human sushi. You can be covered in a mineral rich seaweed gel then rolled in a thermal blanket for $100 at the Mount View Hotel and Spa on Lincoln Avenue. Where to Stay Triple S-Ranch 4600 Mountain Home Rd., Calistoga Napa County Fairgrounds 1435 Oak St, Calistoga • 707.942.5111 Hotel St. Helena 1309 Main St, St Helena • 707.963.4388 Where to Eat Model Bakery 1357 Main St, St Helena • 707.963.8192 Where to Play Mount View Hotel and Spa 1457 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga • 707.942.5789 50 coastaltraveler summer

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Coastal Traveler - Summer 2007

Coastal Contents Coastal Connoisseur Coastal Surfer Coastal Review Coastal Rider Coastal Map Coastal Maifesto Sausalito - Tiburon Mill Valley Muir Beach Stinson Beach Bolinas Olema San Geronimo - Nicasio Fairfax Inverness - Inverness Park Point Reyes Station Point Reyes Station and Dillon Beach Sebastopol Petaluma Sonoma Coast Healdsburg Mendocino - Redwood Coast Lake County Napa Santa Cruz Monterey Carmel-by-the-Sea Big Sur

Coastal Traveler - Summer 2007

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