Napa is the largest town in the Napa Valley, about an hour's drive north of San Francisco. The valley floor is carpeted with vineyards between the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges, and most visitors come to taste wine, eat well, and not much else. There are over 400 wineries in the valley, ranging from vast industrial operations to small family estates; the smaller ones are generally more rewarding to visit. The Silverado Trail on the east side of the valley is the more pleasant driving route through the wine country.
Beyond the wineries, the Napa Valley Wine Train is a pleasant way to see the scenery — restored 1915 Pullman dining cars running 36 miles up the valley to St. Helena and back. Hot air balloon rides at dawn are popular and genuinely impressive when the valley is clear. The town of Napa itself, at the valley's southern end, has improved considerably as a destination in recent years, with good restaurants, the Oxbow Public Market food hall, and a revitalized riverfront downtown.
The valley's wine towns each have a distinct character. Yountville is home to French Laundry and a concentration of exceptional restaurants. St. Helena is the most picturesque. Calistoga at the northern end has geothermal hot springs and a more relaxed pace, near attractions like Old Faithful Geyser, the Petrified Forest, and the recreated-Tuscan Castello di Amorosa.