Things to Do in Napa Valley: Experience a Different Side of Wine Country
Last Updated on March 30, 2026 by Lauren Belzer Sanford
There’s a certain kind of traveler who arrives in Napa Valley with a tasting itinerary in hand, reservations stacked back to back, and a designated driver already confirmed. I love that traveler. I am often that traveler. But Napa Valley has a lot going on beyond your glass of Cabernet.
After years of visiting the valley, I’ve come to understand that it has a whole other life beyond the wineries. Whether you’re pairing one wine-free afternoon into a bigger trip, traveling with someone who doesn’t drink, or simply looking to slow down and see the valley from a different angle, there is genuinely so much to do here. These are my top recommendations for non-wine things to do in Napa Valley, from the utterly bucket-list to the simply perfect.
Planning where to stay? I’ve got a full guide to the best hotels in Napa Valley — and a running list of my favorite wineries (when you’re ready to make your way back to the tasting room).
Wander Downtown Napa
Downtown Napa deserves more credit than it typically gets. The city has genuinely transformed over the past few years into a walkable stretch of boutique shops, art galleries, and some of the best restaurants in the valley — many of which have nothing to prove to the wineries and tasting rooms nearby. Spend an afternoon strolling the riverfront, popping into small, independent boutiques, and working your way toward the Oxbow Public Market, a food hall near the river anchored by local vendors selling everything from hand-pressed olive oils to artisan chocolates to fresh oysters. It’s a wonderful place to graze, pick up some souvenirs, and sit on the sunny outdoor deck.
The Napa Art Walk is also found throughout downtown — a rotating collection of large-scale sculptures placed around the city streets. It’s free, self-guided, and a genuinely lovely way to explore the blocks between lunch and dinner.
Spend a Morning (or Afternoon) at the Oxbow Public Market
Worth its own mention beyond the Downtown Napa section: if you are any kind of food person, the Oxbow Public Market deserves at least an hour, probably two. Local options in the Oxbow rotate and evolve, but you’ll reliably find specialty coffee, fresh oysters, charcuterie and cheese, handmade chocolates, an olive oil bar, and a rotating grouping of vendors that reflect the best of Northern California’s food and wine culture. It’s an ideal first stop on a Napa morning — grab a coffee, pick up a few things, settle in on the deck — before the rest of the day begins. But it’s also a great stop for lunch between tastings or on a tasting-free afternoon. Just be prepared that the closer to lunch and later into the day is when the Oxbow starts getting more crowded!
Make a Stop at Oakville Grocery
A Napa Valley must, Oakville Grocery has been a wine country staple since 1881, and a stop here feels as essential as any tasting room on the itinerary. The little market sits right along Highway 29 in Oakville and is stocked with an excellent selection of local wines, artisan cheeses, charcuterie, and a bunch of gourmet goodies. It’s a perfect spot to put together a picnic, grab lunch on the go, or simply wander the shelves and pick up a few things to bring home.
And if you take nothing else away from this post: buy the mustard. It’s expensive, yes, but it is genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever put on a sandwich — and I’ve been restocking it ever since my first jar.
Visit the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
If wine is the soul of Napa Valley, food is a very close second, and the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has made itself very much at home here, with not one but two campuses in the valley. The downtown Napa location, CIA at Copia, is the more accessible of the two: a bright, modern space offering hands-on cooking classes, demonstrations, and a well-stocked kitchen shop. Classes run from pasta technique to pastry to regional cuisines from around the world, and the building itself is worth a wander even if you’re just stopping in for the shop. It’s also home to The Grove restaurant.
Up in St. Helena, the Greystone campus is the more dramatic of the two — a stunning 19th-century stone building set among the vineyards on Highway 29. It’s the original California campus and home to The Gatehouse, where the setting alone is worth the drive north. Whether you end up at one or both, the CIA is a genuinely wonderful reminder that Napa’s culinary culture runs just as deep as its wine culture.
And if you want to explore something outside of the CIA, there are plenty of cooking classes and culinary experiences offered throughout the valley. Be sure to check out Viator to see what’s available during your visit.
Explore Yountville on Foot
I have a soft spot for Yountville that borders on obsessive. It is, objectively, a tiny town — less than a mile long, with a population that barely breaks a thousand — and yet it manages to be one of the loveliest, most walkable, perfectly curated places not just in Napa Valley, but quite possibly in all of California. The streets are lined with trees, galleries, storefronts, tasting rooms, and some of the most renowned restaurants in the valley. While it is touristy and therefore can get busy, Bouchon Bakery is a must-stop at least once, for a morning croissant or an afternoon macaron (or both). And the stretch of restaurants along Washington Street, including the legendary French Laundry, makes Yountville its own destination entirely.
It’s also the kind of town where you park the car once and don’t need it again. Whether you’re staying at a nearby property, in for a long lunch, or spending an afternoon in and out of storefronts, Yountville moves at exactly the right pace.
Book an Olive Oil Tasting
Aside from wine, Napa Valley is also serious olive oil country, and Round Pond Estate — which produces both wine and estate-pressed olive oil — is one of the best places in the valley to do a proper oil tasting. You’ll tour the working mill, learn about the harvest and pressing process, and sample multiple varieties of freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil alongside a flight of flavored oils and vinegars. A perfect way to enjoy wine and olive oil, but also a great way to include a non-drinker or designated driver in the experience!
Go for a Gondola Ride on the Napa River
Napa Valley or Italy? Did you know that Downtown Napa has a fleet of Venetian-style gondolas that take you along the Napa River, guided by actual gondoliers who have no problem serenading you if you ask? Now you do. It’s romantic, a little silly, and completely charming — especially in the evening when the waterfront lights up. Most rides include a complimentary bottle of wine, but the experience itself is more about spending time on the river. Worth booking in advance, particularly on weekends, if this type of activity is enticing to you!
Take a Hot Air Balloon Over the Valley
I’ll be honest — heights are not exactly my thing, so this is one I’m still working up the courage to actually do myself. But if the balloons drifting over the valley at sunrise are that beautiful from the ground, I can only imagine what the view looks like from inside the basket. Those who have done it describe it as one of those experiences that’s hard to put into words: the valley spread out below you, the light still golden and soft, rows of vines stretching toward the mountains in every direction. It consistently tops the list of most memorable things people do in Napa — and from where I stand (firmly on the ground), I believe it. And will muster up the guts to do it one day.
Experiences typically run about an hour in the air, but plan on a three-to-four-hour commitment, including check-in, inflation, landing, and the optional breakfast that many companies offer afterward. Small-group options keep the basket intimate — some cap at just 12 guests — which makes it a lovely way to spend a morning with a significant other or a small group of friends. There are several operators to choose from, directly or booking through Viator, and it’s worth comparing dates and group sizes to find the right fit.
Indulge in a Spa Day
A wine country trip and a spa day are a natural pairing, and Napa Valley does not disappoint on that front. Several of the valley’s top hotels have world-class spas worth booking even if you’re not a guest — Auberge du Soleil and Carneros Resort are two that come up consistently among the best in the valley.
For something more unique, head north to Calistoga, where the town’s geothermal hot springs have made mud baths a local tradition for years and years. Calistoga Spa Hot Springs offers mineral pools alongside its treatments.
Dine Well — Very Well
You could spend an entire trip to Napa without setting foot in a tasting room and still enjoy your time extraordinarily well. The valley is home to a concentration of Michelin-starred and James Beard-recognized restaurants that would rival any major food city in the country. The French Laundry, Thomas Keller’s legendary three-Michelin-star restaurant experience in Yountville, remains one of the most coveted reservations in the world, so book months ahead if this is on your list (it’s on mine for a future trip, for sure). For something special but slightly more accessible, Bear at Stanly Ranch has become one of my personal favorites in the valley. For a casual but deeply satisfying lunch, Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena (and another location in Napa alongside the Oxbow) is a Napa Valley staple.
For a full breakdown of where to eat in the valley, my Napa Valley restaurants post covers the best spots across town, price point, and occasion, in my personal, tried-and-true opinion!
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go
Hot air balloon rides book up quickly, especially on weekends and during harvest season (September–October). If this is a priority, reserve it before you finalize the rest of your itinerary. Calistoga spa treatments also fill fast on weekends. And if you’re visiting in the fall, harvest season brings the valley to life in a very special way — wine-wise and just in general.
If you’re still building out the full picture of your trip, start with where to stay — my guide to the best hotels in Napa Valley covers everything from splurge-worthy resort stays to the coziest boutique finds in the valley.