With Spring just around the corner, the itch to get outdoors is growing stronger day by day. It's easy to imagine how the grapevines must be feeling 'round about now... ready to burst forth and get busy bathing their buds in that sunshine.
Napa offers SO many great attractions the year round, but two of their outstanding events happen in March and April every year.
The first, Taste of Yountville, has been occurring annually for the past 20 years. With more excellent restaurants per capita than just about anywhere else on the planet, tiny Yountville really has something to offer... and boast about.
Better yet, each Taste Ticket costs only a buck ($1) and you can count on participants like Bouchon and Bardessono's Lucy being ever so present.
Yountville will host the 20th Annual Taste of Yountville weekend celebration March 14-16, 2013 to showcase the town's finest food, wine and arts. Taste of Yountville will culminate in a town-wide block party on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Admission is free, tasting tickets will be $1 each. In addition to Saturday's signature block party event, the Taste of Yountville weekend will play host to several special events throughout Yountville.
For more information click here or call the Yountville Chamber of Commerce
Arts In April
Relative newcomer as far as events go... is Arts in April, Napa. Started in 2011, this will be its 3rd year running. Best yet is that the event unfolds over the course of the month... so no matter which weekend in April you get yourselves up to Napa, you will find highlighted art shows and exhibits to accompany those great Napa Valley Wines.
April 1 - 30, 2013
Visit Website
And be sure to check the Special Events Calendar (like for bASH in St. Helena April 13th!!) to help you plan your trip itinerary....
A celebration of the elemental connection between wine and the arts, this month-long program satisfies cultural cravings with an exploration of winery art installations, pop-up exhibitions and tastings. Introduced in April 2011, Arts in April offers special access and packages to enjoy The Napa Valley Collection, making it the perfect time to get a dose of Napa Valley culture with your Cabernet.
The NapaLife Insider's Guide to Napa Valley
More than a guidebook, this newest Napa Valley Travel Book is written by Insider Paul Franson, a Napa resident for coming on 20 years now. What's great is that he orients his book to the Digital Age. So, gone are the addresses and pet-friendly, smoking/non-smoking icons in minuscule type...
Instead - since you can look up those other things on your SmartPhone, of course - what Franson gives you is honest, down home opinions of the best of what there is to find in Napa.
He's big on the local favorites, too, so you won't get just the tourist recommendations or places TouristAdvisors have reviewed and recommended...
In fact, as far as Travel Guides go, Franson seems to have hit this one out of the ballpark. It's like talking to a friend who has lived in Napa for a couple decades and getting the DL on good eats, good deals, good hikes and bike rides, where the celebs hang out, and even a bit of history as to who owns which winery and for how long and with whom?...
At any rate, you just might be tempted to pitch your tent until harvest time... Now that's not such a bad idea is it? Too bad that Ag Preserve is so vigilant, eh?!
You can order
NapaLife Insider's Guide to Napa Valley guidebook directly from his website:
NapaLife.com
