The harvest begins, the sunshine remains and the rain is nowhere to be seen. Key Events: Festival Napa Valley, Napa Porch Fest, Napa County Fair August Many of the traditional agriculture events go down this month, including the Napa County Fair. Sunshine and live music continue to draw all the tourists, but now those daytime temps are creeping into the 80s and even the 90s. Helena Summer Concert Series, Calistoga Concerts in the Park July Crowds and high prices are a bit much, but those who book in advance and know what they’re getting into will do just fine. Summer is here, and it brings incredibly sunny weather and a delightful array of outdoor concerts. While the springtime greenery is out in full force, crowds are not, particularly on weekdays. In other words, definitely pack that umbrella. Temperatures continue rising in May, but considerably more rain begins to fall. Prices and visitation begin creeping up, particularly during popular events like the Napa Marathon and Bud Break Festival. With spring comes breaking buds, greening and yellowing hillsides and more sunny days, with temperatures mostly hanging out in the 50s. Key Events: Napa Beer Mile, Napa Valley Restaurant Week March The destination makes for a super romantic (if busy) Valentine’s Day, and tastings are otherwise easy to come by. Temperatures are on the rise and the rain tapers off a bit and yet the crowds are still absent, making February a pretty lovely month in Napa Valley. Key Events: Napa Lighted Art Festival, Napa Valley Restaurant Week, Napa Truffle Festival February Rainfall is on the high side while daytime temperatures hover in the 50s, dropping at night. Oak barrel winemaking is in decline worldwide: here some rustic barrels are stacked at a vineyard © Dori Dumrong / Shutterstock Januaryĭuring the cheapest time of year to visit Napa Valley, things are pretty quiet, with the exception of a couple of food festivals to liven things up. Note that clear and sunny summer days also tend to lure untold numbers of oenophiles and festival-goers. With the grape smashings, harvest dinners and fabulous balls, though, expect crowds and high prices and book hotels, restaurants and tastings accordingly (months in advance!). When the harvest season rolls around in August, grapes fly off the wines and Napa Valley comes fully alive. High Season: August to October Best time to visit vineyards Soak up these uncrowded and lovely days with hikes and bike rides, but don’t be surprised by a bit of rain, particularly in May. Long dormant vines pop with new shoots and days begin to lengthen, with highs in the 60s and 70s when the sun is out, and lows dropping into the 40s in the mornings and evenings. Shoulder Season: March to May Best time to explore the outdoorsĪs the winter frost drips away, Napa Valley goes into full bloom and greenery abounds. Food festivals go off in January and dazzling yellow mustard flowers paint the hillsides early in the year. Because monsoons are frequent and temperatures dip into the 50s, 40s and even the 30s, hotel prices are at their low point (which is still pretty high in California’s most chichi wine country, and of course excludes the holidays). If you’ve ever dreamed of having a Napa winery all to yourself, and all the tastings you can swallow, wintertime is your jam. Interior of the Michelin-starred French restaurant Bistro Jeanty in Yountville © Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock Low Season: November to February
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