This is Just a Test: Archive

We stayed at The Cottages of Napa Valley and were totally blown away. I highly recommend this place. The rooms are so precious and cozy, the grounds are perfectly maintained and the staff is amazingly friendly and helpful. They were happy to make dinner reservations and winery recommendations (which was key - narrowing down the search for wineries was a daunting task!).

When we weren’t enjoying the Cottages, we were out drinking wine, of course! With so many scenic spots, it was really hard to choose a handful of wineries to visit during our stay. Some of the standouts included Anderson’s Conn Valley, Hendry Vineyards, and Schweiger. All three were beautiful and informative. The tours were intimate and fun with great guides who really knew their stuff. It didn’t hurt that the wines were excellent as well!

The food in the Napa area was incredible. Some of our favorites - Ad Hoc (if you can’t fit French Laundry into the budget, and we couldn’t, this is a great runner up), Bottega and Mustard’s. Another obsession - Gott’s Roadside. We made it there for lunch three times during our trip. That damn burger is the stuff of dreams and their fish tacos are amazeballs.

So, what did we do to work off all of the yummy food and wine? Hiking! There were some amazing spots to hike and run and we definitely took advantage every day. With morning temps in the high 50’s, it was perfect weather for a workout.

Every afternoon we came back to our outdoor fireplace. It was so nice to be able to spend some time at our cottage. We had a small kitchen and we opted to cook in a few nights during our stay.

Sidenote - I think Pat was under the assumption that there was some sort of silent competition with our neighbors - he had to have the biggest fire (not surprising). At one point someone actually asked if he had been a boy scout…but whatevs.

Another standout in Napa Valley - the mountain roads! If you are not one who gets carsick, go exploring. The views around the Silverado Trail are incredible, but the driving is not for the faint of heart.

A few more pics -