Napa Valley is widely regarded as one of the best places to visit for bachelor or bachelorette parties, large work functions, and romantic getaways.
If you’re planning a trip to California wine country, when is the best time to visit Napa Valley?
California has amazing weather all year round, and Napa Valley also has amazing seasonal changes like budding flowers in the spring and red, yellow, and brown in the fall. The best time for events in the Valley area is harvest season, from August to November. If you’re looking for a deal, winter months like December through March are great times to visit.
Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places in America, so there really isn’t a bad time to visit depending on personal preference.
We’ll take you through the best weather, events, and cheapest times to visit Napa Valley, giving you the options to fit any vacation plan.
When does Napa Valley have good weather?
It seems like a silly question to ask when an area in California has good weather, but there are some times that are better than others in Napa Valley.
Though California is known to have consistently sunny weather, Napa Valley goes through beautiful seasonal changes.
In one of the most vibrant farming areas in the country, Napa Valley in early spring is easily the most beautiful. Throughout the vineyards and orchids are beautiful wild yellow mustard flowers.
The fruit trees, including plum, apricot, and apple, start to bloom, too, with whites, pinks, and reds.
Though the area does see some rain at this time, it actually adds beautiful puffy clouds to the mountainous horizon.
Another great time is during fall, between mid-August through October, in what locals call crush season.
This is harvest time (more on that later), and the temperatures start to drop to the 60s and 70s.
By November, the Valley is covered in yellow, red, and brown foliage that offers some spectacular views.
When is Napa Valley’s busiest season?
Harvest season, known as crush season by the locals, starts in early August and goes throughout November.
This is one of the best times to visit the countryside, as there are so many events in the wineries and farms around the Valley.
Events centered around the harvesting of grapes include:
- Harvest Parties
- Grape stomps
- Harvest dinners
- Wine tastings
Get your hands dirty in the harvesting by picking grapes off the vines, and if you want to dive deeper into the Napa traditions, why just get your hands dirty?
Grape stomping is a fun event that lets you squish grapes in a barrel with your feet, the way winemakers juiced the grapes before machinery.
These events end with plenty of rich local wine and harvest-inspired food.
Harvest season is the busiest time to visit Napa Valley, with an influx of excited visitors and busy winemakers and vineyard workers rushing throughout the area.
The fun events make visiting this area worth it, though it’s important to know this will also be the most expensive and crowded time of year.
Hotels, events, wineries, and restaurants are sold out pretty quickly during crush season.
You should start looking to book things up to six months in advance, especially if you’re looking for decent prices.
When are other good times to visit Napa Valley?
Outside of crush season, there are still so many amazing times to visit Napa Valley in less hectic times. Though grapes are seasonal, you can open a bottle of wine any time of year!
Wine tastings happen throughout the entire year, so if you’re traveling through the area, don’t hesitate to stop by the local wineries!
March to May is another amazing time to enjoy Napa Valley without the crowds and high hotel rates.
Though there are fewer events at this time, there are plenty of fun activities like the Napa Valley Marathon, CabFest, and Bottle Rock music festival sprinkled throughout the months.
The weather can be chilly in the morning and evening, so be sure to bring layers!
November is also a great time to visit Napa Valley.
Post-harvest, the area will be a bit sleepier, the beautiful fall colors will be in full view, and hotel rates will be much cheaper.
There are also a few fun events you can attend.
Napa Valley Film Festival takes place for five days in November, and there are also harvesting events surrounding olive oil, Napa’s second famous liquid.
When is the cheapest time to visit Napa Valley?
California isn’t known to be particularly cheap, but there are times throughout the year when you can find discount hotel rates and deals with the local wineries.
Always keep an eye out on hotel prices, though, as there are plenty of one-weekend events throughout the year that can jump the prices up.
Generally speaking, the cheapest time is in the winter between December to March, as long as you avoid the major holidays.
Not only can you find the most inexpensive hotel rates, but there are also deals like the Winter in the Wineries Passport which includes tastings at 15 wineries, discounts at Calistoga hotels, shops, and spas all for $60.
Fall is also a great time to visit while the area is quiet, with generally cheaper rates at hotels.
Conclusion
Whether you like the hustle and bustle of crush season or the sleepy colors of late fall, Napa Valley offers amazing experiences to fit the vacation needs of the pickiest travelers.
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