Visit Calistoga
If you are planning a summer trip to Napa Valley for a weekend of wine tasting and summer activities, there is no better homebase than the charming town of Calistoga. Located just 10 minutes away from our Historic Stone Cellar, Calistoga has a population of just over 5,000 people. Despite its small size, Calistoga has it all, including many of Napa Valley’s best restaurants and wine tasting rooms, stunning luxury hotels, quaint boutiques and of course, the famed spas, and mud baths that first made Calistoga a must-visit destination.
Outdoor Summer Activities in Napa Valley
For those who wish to mix wellness and outdoor fun with their wine country weekend, Napa is full of fantastic hiking trails, including a hike through the 3-million-year-old Petrified Forest where you can walk among giant petrified redwoods, or the Oat Hill Mine Trail, an 8.3 mile hike that follows the old stagecoach route between Calistoga and Pope Valley. For those who love to walk or bike, there is also the Napa Valley Vine Trail. Established by a community-based non-profit, the Vine Trail Coalition is building 47 scenic miles of level, paved, family-friendly Class I trails that will ultimately stretch from Calistoga to the Vallejo Ferry. While not yet fully complete, the Vine Trail already includes an 8.2-mile trail between Calistoga and St. Helena, 7.5 miles between Vallejo and American Canyon, and 12 miles from Napa to Yountville. Another fun destination is the Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, which is home to a water-powered mill that was built in 1846 that settlers used to grind their corn and wheat.
World-class Wellness and Hot Spring Heaven
If relaxation and rejuvenation are more your speed, check out the many mud baths and hot springs in and around Calistoga, including Golden Haven, which is famous for its mineral water hot springs, Calistoga Spa Hot Springs, which features four mineral pools for a relaxing spa experience as well as full immersion mud baths, and the Spa at Indian Springs, where they mine volcanic ash from their own property and mix it with mineral waters from their geysers to create a classic mud bath treatment.
The Sounds of Summer – Festivals and Live Music
While Napa Valley offers unforgettable sights and experiences, summers are also filled with the sounds of great musicians at an array of music festivals. These include Napa Valley’s world-renowned BottleRock festival in May, Festival Napa Valley in July, which was named one of the Top 5 Best Music Festivals by USA Today readers, and the Blue Note Jazz Festival in August. In addition to these larger festivals, from June through August Calistoga hosts Calistoga Concerts in the Park where you can bring your own wine and picnic dinners. Another great destination for music, food, and wine is the First Thursdays series from June through October held in the Oxbow Commons in downtown Napa. Featuring live music, food trucks, specialty food vendors, and activities like lawn games, this is a great family-friendly event.
Summer Winery Events at Markham Vineyards
Here at Markham, we also embrace the joy and beauty of summer with our own lineup of great winery events including our Third Thursdays at Markham Vineyards, where we combine some of the most delectable street food in the Bay Area with acclaimed local musicians and delicious wines. Once a month throughout the summer, you may also join us for a Blue Boots Brunch. Named for the blue cowboy boots our Winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls often wears during harvest and for our acclaimed Blue Boots Red Blend, our Blue Boots Brunches bring a taste of country to wine country, with country music, line-dancing lessons, a delicious brunch, and great wine.
Beyond its outdoor splendor, gorgeous vineyards, tasting rooms and festivals, Napa offers everything from local dining hotspots to Michelin-starred restaurants, charming bed and breakfasts to luxury hotels, and amazing boutique shops and galleries. Summer in Calistoga and Napa Valley offers a world of discovery for any traveler. We hope to see you soon!