Riding the Napa Valley Wine Train is all about the journey. Combine that journey with fine wines, gourmet food and a hotel stay and you have a pampering mini-vacation. Choose from one- or two-night packages for your getaway. Make the drive to Napa or choose to let others do the navigating while you enjoy the scenery. Your other big decision is whether to spend all of your vacation on terra firma or take to the skies for a view of Napa's vineyards from a different perspective.

Napa Valley Wine Train – Pure Luxury

With a nod to Europe’s famed Orient Express, the Napa Valley Wine Train pampers its guests with gourmet foods and local wines while traveling through Napa’s wine country. The track dates back to 1864 and at one time was part of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Now it is privately owned, traversed by a train made up of luxuriously restored vintage Pullman Cars from the early 20th century. The journey covers 36 miles round-trip and takes roughly three hours. Napa Valley Wine Train has teamed up with various hotels and vendors to provide mini-vacation packages. The train also has a Go Loco package designed for railroad buffs. Ride in the luxurious railcar and enjoy lunch or dinner one way, then climb into the locomotive’s cab and ride back with the engineer and conductor.

Hilton Garden Inn Overnight Train Tours

Hilton Garden Inn is a moderately priced property in the heart of downtown Napa. The Napa Valley Wine Train offers three overnight vacations in conjunction with this property. The “Wine, Dine and Dream” package combines the lunch train ride with wine tours. The “Hilton Romance on Rails” package includes the dinner train, available from mid-November through the end of March. The “Hilton Weekday Escape” runs from March through May and gives discounted rates on tours Monday through Thursday. Breakfast is also included. The “Taste of the Valley Pass” is included with all options, allowing discounted wine tasting at participating wineries.

San Francisco to Napa Valley Overnight

If you’d rather not drive to Napa and can leave from San Francisco, the “I Left My Car in San Francisco” package is an option. The tour includes a one-hour ferry ride from the Embarcadero to Vallejo and a shuttle to the train station in Napa. Stay at the Napa River Inn, a historic property that opened in 1901. It sits on a prime riverfront location and is next to the shops and restaurants of the Napa Mill. The boutique hotel has 66 rooms decorated in period Victorian style, some with river views, fireplaces and balconies. In-room breakfast is included for the length of your stay. Rent a bicycle and explore the area or take advantage of the "Downtown Wine Tasting Cards" allowing discounted wine tastings at 12 different Napa tasting venues.

Napa by Rail and Hot Air Balloon

Combine the luxury of staying at the Westin Verasa Napa with a hot air balloon ride and a wine tasting tour on the Napa Valley Wine Train. This two-night package puts you in the hands of Balloons Above the Valley for a sky-high ride above the vineyards of Napa, St. Helena and perhaps beyond. The other part of your vacation is a lunchtime winery tour aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train. Part of the tour is on a motor coach to participating wineries. One-night stays are allowed but then you must decide whether to soar among the clouds or ride the rails to discover what Napa has to offer. It’s a difficult choice for some. Besides, one more night of pampering at the Westin couldn't hurt.

About the Author

Monica Wachman is a former editor and writer for FishersTravelSOS, EasyRez.com and Bonsai Ireland. She has an AA degree in travel from Career Com Technical and is an avid RV buff and gardener. In 2014, she published "Mouschie and the Big White Box" about an RV trip across North America.

Photo Credits

  • Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
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