Travel in county Napa

TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) recently released its 2018 Travel Trends Report, naming the most popular travel experiences, tours, and activities booked by its users last year. The data points to a shift toward non-traditional and experiential activities as travelers look to expand their options.

The first time is a point, the second time is a line, and by the third time it’s a pattern. Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (HWFE) is back on Thursday, May 16 for a 4-day celebration. It’s here in Sonoma County, amidst the clinking of wine glasses and laid back luxury that first-time visitors will question why they didn’t find this place and event sooner. Having had the distinct pleasure of attending this Healdsburg wine and food event since its inception, I've witnessed its evolution firsthand. From its humble beginnings to its current status as a must-visit for any serious food and wine aficionado, each year has built upon the last, refining and expanding the experience in ways both subtle and significant.

Rife with pristine beaches and sprawling sand dunes, Nantucket has served as one of the Bay State’s foremost tourist destinations for well over a century—and to sweeten the deal, this scenic island also comes complete with a thriving food scene for visitors to enjoy. Seafood reigns supreme around the island, with no shortage of classic Massachusetts dishes up for grabs spanning from lobster rolls to New England clam chowder, while high-end wines can be encountered all throughout the island’s many restaurants. Yet for those who want to experience the region’s prowess at both drinking and dining in one fell swoop, there’s no better event than the annual Nantucket Wine & Food Festival.

Napa Valley has long been a mecca for wine lovers. Who doesn’t fantasize about sipping wine while overlooking a vineyard? But wine country vacations are getting expensive: tasting room fees have risen sharply since 2019, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2023 Direct to Consumer report. With premium tasting experiences often costing an average of $128 per person per winery, a weekend getaway can quickly add up. And long gone are the days of traversing Highway 29 and popping into places on a whim; reservations, a practice that gained traction during the pandemic, remain firmly in place.

Launched in London more than 20 years ago, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards has become one of the most important ratings in the rarefied world of top tier fine dining (though not without some criticism and controversy). But regardless what people think of the process behind selection, there’s no doubt that some of the big winners over the years have in fact been some of the world’s very best, places like Spain’s El Bulli, England’s The Fate Duck, Italy’s Osteria Francescana, Denmark’s Noma and in the U.S. notables have included Napa Valley’s French Laundry and New York City’s Eleven Madison Park.

Being a mom is all too often a thankless job and one day a year is surely not adequate to express to your mater just how much she means to you. Nevertheless, Mother’s Day is the one occasion on the calendar on which everyone is supposed to deeply and genuinely express to Mom her importance in their life, so it’s worth making the most of it.

Anyone who appreciates fine wine is spoiled for choice in California.

Napa Valley is synonymous with luxury. Posh hotels, chef-driven restaurants and extravagant tasting fees cemented that reputation decades ago.

Sit on a bench in Stanley Park long enough and you’ll hear a symphony of languages spoken. Stroll down the streets of Gastown and be ready to encounter a fusion of cuisines from dozens of cultures. Take a closer look at British Columbia’s biggest city and there also lies a vineyard of international connection. No event encapsulates this global unity through the art of winemaking quite like the Vancouver International Wine Festival. From the rolling hills of Sonoma and Napa Valley to the coastlines of New Zealand, the world of wine is as diverse as the cultures and climatic zones that nurture its vines. This unrivaled celebration of oenophilia is a testament to the worldwide beauty found in each and every glass.

California recently branded itself as the “Ultimate Playground.” That was a pivot away from “Dream Big,” the branding it used for over a decade. 

Napa Valley’s largest resort completes renovations and expansion to offer.

With a dynamic career spanning over two decades in the hospitality industry, Randy Morales brings a wealth of experience, a passion for service excellence, and a proven track record of leadership to his new role.

Lovers of luxury and wellness, get ready: Six Senses is headed to the Lowcountry.

If you’re a foodie or an oenophile, Napa Valley is a vacation to treasure. The region is home to some of the world’s most delicious wines. The gastronomy is constantly leveling up to keep pace with the champagne and caviar tastes of Napa’s world travelers who vacation to Napa for curated experiences, fine wine and incredible food. Caviar is a staple for wine lovers, and there’s a new twist on fine dining—rather, fine snacking—at the Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection in Napa.

An accordion rests in the foyer of the 1926 bungalow. A short walk from the Napa Valley Wine Train—a tourist draw that beckons travelers to career through the California wine country’s vineyards by boxcar—the comfortable confines of Jeff Durham and Joey Wolosz’s single story home welcome travelers to a different kind of journey through wine country.

Forget crossing bridges to get across the Bay – San Francisco locals are notorious for not wanting to leave the city.

Following the announcement of this year’s Forbes Travel Guide Star Award-winning hotels, spas, restaurants and cruise ships, there is much to celebrate.

The Grand Canyon, the Napa Valley, New Orleans — the United States' biggest draws need little in the way of introduction, having long captured imaginations across the globe. But in some ways, big isn't always best, at least where carbon footprints are concerned — and there are ways to take in the country's greatest hits without the correspondingly great environmental cost. From kayaking the Everglades to going electric in Washington, DC, here's how you can tread lightly while still enjoying the very best of the US.

We’re living in a leap year, which means one extra day to factor into upcoming vacation plans. With a little planning, you can put that day to use and still save money, thanks to a host of late winter and early spring sales now in full effect. Through President’s Day, leap day, and beyond, you’ll find last-minute flight deals, once-in-a-lifetime tour itineraries, and all sorts of sunny destinations to escape to while we wait out winter.

Imagine two of the greatest chefs in the world, say Eric Ripert and José Andrés, strolling along the beach smoking cigars. Then imagine them swimming beside celebrity chef Kirsten Kish, as Kwame Onwuachi sails past on a catamaran, the glistening Caribbean Sea as the backdrop.

Jolyon Bulley became IHG’s CEO of the Americas in July 2023. He has big shoes to fill — his predecessor, Elie Maalouf, ascended to group CEO.

If you didn’t know Idaho produces great wine, take a look at who’s been winning top honors in the Pacific Northwest. An Idaho vintage has won the Cascadia International Wine Competition for the last three years, a testament to the state’s efforts to restore its pre-Prohibition legacy as the earliest center of wine production.