Calistoga sits at the northern end of the Napa Valley, at the foot of Mount St. Helena. It is a small town — about 5,000 people — with a main street lined with tasting rooms, old storefronts, and a pace noticeably slower than the valley's more polished towns to the south.
The town was founded in the 1860s by Sam Brannan, California's first millionaire, who saw the commercial potential in the area's natural hot springs and geysers. That geothermal character still defines the place. Mud baths and mineral spring soaks are the signature Calistoga experience — several spas along Lincoln Avenue offer them, ranging from no-frills to upscale. Dr. Wilkinson's Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs, operating since 1952, is the classic choice.
The Old Faithful Geyser of California erupts roughly every 30 minutes, sending a column of hot water about 18 metres into the air. It is one of only a handful of geysers in the world with a reasonably predictable schedule. Northwest of town, the Petrified Forest preserves ancient redwoods turned to stone by volcanic ash millions of years ago.
Beyond the geothermal attractions, Calistoga is a good base for exploring the upper Napa Valley. Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, a short drive south, has hiking trails through dense stands of coast redwood and Douglas fir — a welcome contrast to the open vineyards that dominate the valley floor. For wine, Chateau Montelena — famous for winning the 1976 Judgment of Paris — sits just north of town, and Castello di Amorosa, a full-scale medieval castle and winery, is a few kilometres south on Highway 29. Hikers willing to work for a view should head to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park on Mount St. Helena.