Couples Retreat: Napa
Napa, California Travel Itinerary & Guide
3 Days in Napa, California
Escape the hustle and bustle with a romantic getaway to Napa, California.
Day 1:
Meritage Resort & Spa
The Meritage Resort and Spa is a beautiful high-end property located just a quick 15-minutes from downtown Napa offering a bit of seclusion but also convenience. On a winter day (like when we visited in early February), you’re greeted with a roaring fire in the fireplace that offers a cozy yet luxurious vibe. The staff at the front desk are accommodating and welcoming. If possible, check to see if there is a room on the second floor with a balcony in the main building, these are some of the best rooms. Some of the main highlights that Meritage offers are upscale rooms with amenities, a luxurious swimming pool and lounging area including a fire pit and jacuzzi, an evening van service to downtown Napa, two bars (one is just a casual hotel bar while the other is a sports bar with a 6-lane bowling alley and shuffleboard).
Meritage Spa
After checking in and admiring the beauty of the property and the room, we made our way to Meritage’s Spa which is located in the property’s cave underneath their vineyards. (Yes, you read that right!) We made reservations in advance (be sure to do so for any treatments that you are planning on doing) for the “Couple’s Escape”. This treatment is perfect for couples looking for a romantic spa experience as it includes a “soothing and replenishing soak in our signature candlelit couple’s suite. Full-body massage using an organic aromatherapy body oil of your choice continues the relaxation with a glass of bubbly and chocolates served tub side.” The treatment is 75 minutes with 25-minutes dedicated to the soak treatment and 50-minutes for the massage. We loved this experience, and I would recommend it again. Show up around 30-minutes early to take advantage of the saunas and hot tubs. (Please note that the saunas and hot tubs are separated for males and females, so for male/female couples the only time you’ll get together is in the couple’s massage room or the relaxation room (which has very comfortable couches, blankets, and teas). We decided to go on Friday afternoon, which was a great choice, as the spa was virtually empty, so it felt like we had it to ourselves.
Dinner at Morimoto
After being in bliss, take the shuttle to downtown Napa which will drop you off a very short distance from Morimoto a high-end Japanese fusion and sushi restaurant. Make a reservation in advance as this place is extremely popular. We decided to sit at the sushi bar which was enjoyable to see the sushi chefs making their art. We ordered the Gyoza as a starter, which is a bit of a twist on your traditional Gyoza as it includes a foam and an encasing (from the pictures, it tastes way better than it looks). Our next starter was the Kakuni, a 10-hour cooked pork belly, that was just mouth-watering. The rest of our meal was sushi-focused with the 94 sushi which was a variety of nigiri (fish over rice) and two sliced up rolls. The fish was excellent quality, and the platter was a great and filling sampling of different types of sushi. We also ordered the soft shell crab roll. This roll was fantastic, and I would recommend it as a must! We couldn’t leave Morimoto’s without trying the famous Fiery salty caramel chocolate tart…and yes this is the flaming chocolate ball you see in all the photos! Be sure to get your cameras ready because watching the lit rum melt the chocolate ball into a delicious mess is fun to watch.
Day 2:
Breakfast at Jax Diner
Jax Diner is an intimate breakfast and brunch restaurant located in downtown Napa with wholesome breakfast food and a full-service bar. We arrived on a Saturday, in offseason, around 10:00 am and there was already a 30-minute wait. By the time we sat down, the wait for other people was quoted around 45-minutes. The seating is very limited so offer to sit at the bar as well. While you wait for your drink, there is a lounge to the right side of the restaurant where you can order drinks, like their delicious Bloody Mary (had a great kick to it), a mimosa, or one of their specialty drinks. (Don’t be like us who didn’t realize there was a lounge and sat outside in the cold the entire time.) There was a bit of a wait for our food as a 12-top ordered before us, but the waitress gave us a warning and a taste of one of their new specialty drinks while we waited. I ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken with loaded tots which was terrific, and perfect for helping soak up all the wine that was about to be consumed. (It is heavy though, so be prepared!) My partner ordered the pork belly, which was good but it was a little bit bland. We also ordered tots to split, which were delicious.
Markham
Markham is one of Napa’s first wineries and features really great wine.
Rutherford Hill
With well-crafted wine, a beautiful property and views of Napa Valley Rutherford Hill is easily one of our favorite wineries. Rutherford Hill also has a wine cave, which they offer daily tours for an additional price. I’d recommend making a reservation in advance as it can be quite popular.
Black Stallion
A bit more of a casual property but on a beautiful day, their outdoor patio and bar are fantastic. Even on a cold day or rainy day, we still enjoyed sitting by the fireplace and enjoying their wine.
Dinner at Oenotri
With a menu that evolves daily depending on seasonal ingredients from their local farm, a romantic atmosphere, and fantastic staff members Oenotri is a must on your visit to Napa. It’s located in downtown as well, so you can take the shuttle from the Meritage and be dropped off right in front of the restaurant. I would highly recommend making a reservation as this is a trendy spot. The menu might be altered on your visit but we ordered the prosciutto pizza, the lasagna with roasted king trumpet mushrooms, spinach, Parmigiano, and besciamella and to add a little meat to the meal we also had the pan roasted stone valley farm pork chop with faro, romesco, hazelnuts, rainbow carrots and broccolini. Everything was wonderful. My favorite was the prosciutto pizza that had crema, Parmigiano-Reggiano, red onion, spinach, rainbow chard, and roasted garlic. It is probably one of the best pizzas I have ever had. This place is a must-visit on your trip to Napa.
Day 3:
Hot Air Balloon Ride with Balloons Above the Valley
Riding in a hot air balloon has been a bucket list item that I was very excited to be able to check off the list! Especially, as we were nervous, the weather wouldn’t cooperate because it was raining and windy the day before. We met at the Oxbow Market at 6:45 am where we were greeted with coffee and pastries while we completed are liability forms. We also elected to do the brunch combination, so they had us place our order then. After about 15-20 minutes we drove out to a winery where they were setting up the balloons. Tina was our coordinator and driver, who gave us a great walkthrough and was beyond friendly and helpful. (Since there was room she even joined us in the sky and helped me with my fear of heights.) It was a bit cold so I would recommend bringing layers, as it does get a little warmer once you are up in the air. They got the balloons set up and told us where/when to get in. There is no door on the hot air balloon basket, so you have to climb in using foot holes. Within minutes we were ascending into the sky with beautiful views of Napa. Bob, our pilot, gave us great information about Napa, the hot air balloon, and all the sites that we were seeing below. I felt extremely safe onboard. After around 45 minutes we touched back down with a smooth landing and were then taken back to the Oxbow Market for a champagne brunch. It was a great experience that I would strongly recommend. If you have somewhere you planned on eating at the Oxbow Market, you could skip the packaged brunch and explore on your own. Bring a little cash to tip your pilot and coordinator.
Starmont Winery
This is one of my favorite wineries in Napa because it is so different from the stingy stuck up wineries that plague the Napa Valley. With great and unique wines, such a friendly and welcoming staff in the tasting room, and great modern architecture this is a great stop. Also, the tasting is only $25 which is a deal for Napa.
Gots Roadside
For some reason all weekend we were craving onion rings, so we had to get our fix by stopping at Gots Roadside on our way out of Napa. This famous burger, sandwich (and well more since they have tacos and salads) shop is a local favorite. Pro tip: if you want to skip the line you can order online ahead of time. We had the California Burger (minus the egg), Bacon Cheeseburger, fries, onion rings, and a cookies and cream shake. The bacon cheeseburger was our favorite, although everything was delicious. Absolutely get a shake you won’t regret it!
Tips and Tricks:
- We’ve also visited a few other wineries in Napa that are very prestigious and popular but we actually found them to be the most disappointing experiences. This includes Beringer, which has a beautiful property, but an over-priced tasting and not so friendly staff. The other one we would recommend avoiding is Chimney Rock. We were very excited to visit this property, but the staff was extremely rude and unwelcoming, especially for a $50 tasting. There is nothing that appealing about the property either.
- For most wineries, it’s helpful to have a reservation. If you are wine tasting, be sure to have a designated driver or use a ride share service like Uber to ensure that you do not drink and drive.