NVL things to do
TOUR de NAPA A Town-by-Town Guide to Biking in Napa Valley
BY MARISA MCCANN
Photo courtesy of Clif Family Winery
N
apa Valley is strewn with quaint towns, vineyard vistas, and natural wonders that tempt both leisurely bikers and hardcore cyclists. Sightseers on two wheels are rewarded with front row access to the best of Napa’s world-class wine and food scene as well some of wine country’s hidden gems. Whether exploring downtown Napa and Yountville, riding through vineyards in St. Helena, or cruising the backcountry roads of Calistoga, the region offers endless routes, from intermediate to advanced, to satisfy any level of biking adventure.
NAPA Napa is the perfect home base for those looking for a relaxed ride with plenty of pitstops along the way. Downtown Napa, a bustling area full of celebrity-chef restaurants, laid-back tasting rooms, boutique shops, and intimate cafés, is entirely accessible via bike. Right across the river on 22
NAPAVALLEYLIFE.COM
First Street is the Oxbow Public Market, a lively marketplace and food lovers’ paradise where one can slurp fresh oysters, sample local wine and beer, and peruse artisan chocolates made with luxury ingredients like Cabernet and Port wine. Oxbow is the perfect starting point to fuel up before a day of biking and wine tasting. Those looking to work up more of a sweat can hop on the Napa Valley Vine Trail, a paved bike route that starts in south Napa at Kennedy Park and extends 12.5 miles north to Yountville. Eventually, the Vine Trail will become a 47-mile biking route connecting the Napa River wetlands in Vallejo to Calistoga’s Hot Springs. But, for now, the trail offers a manageable and safe journey parallel to HWY 29.
YOUNTVILLE The entire town of Yountville is cruiseable by bike, with easy access to some of the region’s most coveted dining,
shopping, and cultural destinations. For the most important meal of the day, head to Southside, a California and Latin-inspired café and coffee bar featuring breakfast dishes like Chilaquiles and avocado toast with roasted pepitas. Enjoy breakfast in the Stewart Cellars courtyard directly behind Southside and pair it alongside a flight of their current release Napa and Sonoma wines (reservation required). After a morning of biking and imbibing, why not stay for lunch? A couple of excellent options include grabbing a bucket of fried chicken from Ad Hoc Addendum to relax and eat in their outdoor garden or pre-ordering a boxed picnic lunch from Velo Deli at the Ranch Market and enjoying it in the famous French Laundry culinary gardens. Every bike tour of Yountville should conclude with a stop at the JCB Tasting Salon for a one-of-a-kind experience and splashes of both French and Napa sparkling wines.
