Napa Valley Off the Beaten Path: Wine Country Without the Crowds

Napa Valley attracts millions of visitors each year, and for good reason — the wine is world-class, the scenery is stunning, and the food scene rivals any major city. But most guests stick to the same handful of tasting rooms along Highway 29, missing the quieter side of wine country that locals have been keeping to themselves for decades.

Head to the Howell Mountain appellation, where small family-owned wineries produce bold Cabernet Sauvignons at elevations above the fog line — many by appointment only, with tastings that feel more like sitting in someone’s living room than visiting a corporate tasting bar. In Calistoga, skip the resort spas and visit the natural hot springs that first put this town on the map over a century ago. For lunch, drive the Silverado Trail to the tiny town of Yountville — home to more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere in America, but also to a brilliant taco truck that the winemakers themselves line up at every afternoon.

As the sun sets, take the winding road up to the top of Mount Veeder, where a handful of remote vineyards offer panoramic views of the entire valley below — no tour buses, no crowds, just vines and silence. Napa’s magic isn’t in the big names — it’s in the dirt roads that lead to places you’ll never find on a brochure.