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RESOURCES

  • WHY NAPA VALLEY?

  • DISCOVER SONOMA WINE COUNTRY

  • SELECT LODGING PARTNERS

  • EVENT CALENDARS

  • VIDEOS & READING

  • TOUR GUIDE TIPS BOOKLET / MAPS

SONOMA & NAPA VALLEY

Sonoma and Napa Valley are two of the most renowned and celebrated wine regions in the world. Knight Tours & Travel, with thirty years in the region, offers travelers a selection of resources to help you experience the best of these scenic and diverse destinations. From personalized wine tours with private tastings to ideal lodging, exquisite dining, local artisan galleries, events and activities, our tour and event planning services ensure that you get the most out of your visit.

We will provide you with a personalized experience, tailored to your individual needs, whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, educational wine-tasting tour, first time overview and more, Knight Tours & Travels has something for everyone. We also specialize in special events and outings for business groups. We are your certified TripAdvisor Destination Experts in Napa Valley and Sonoma. Contact us.

Grapes

WHY NAPA VALLEY ?

"It's expensive!" - A qualified tour service can build a visit that fits your budget.

"It's overwhelming!" - A qualified tour service is your key to the best choices.

 

Napa Valley is now California's #1 vacation destination!

Offering the BEST of:

  • World-class wine - Winning the 1976 Judgement of Paris & gold medals worldwide

  • Hospitality - Lodging choices and expert hospitality

  • Cuisine - Variety & quality, Culinary Institute of America, Michelin stars, cooking classes

  • Geography - Convenient, compact size, scenic roads, everything within a short drive

  • Easy access - Inbound flights as close a 30-minutes away (Sonoma County STS), or 1-hour via convenient Sacramento International (SMF) or Oakland (OAK).

  • Gorgeous scenery - Green and beautiful, only 1-hour from San Francisco

  • Artisanship - Craftsmen, builders, designers, artists, writers, architects, photographers, chefs, farmers - and artisans making of the world's finest wine

  • Recreation - Hot air balloons, bicycling, hiking, fishing, gliders, golf, tennis

  • Health & Wellness - Top spas, natural thermal springs, body care

  • Peace & Spirit Places - Ask for our list and locator map

  • Walkable quaint towns - Indoor markets, original shops, sidewalk cafes, galleries, antiques, farmers markets

  • Community-spirit - Civic-minded, welcoming people who care for the Valley

  • Year-round events - Harvest festivals, film festival, music festivals, open art studios, concerts, Napa Valley Marathon & 10Ks, vintage cars, parades, bike rides, porch-fest, farmers markets, Wine Train, museums

  • Environmentalism - Valley-wide Ag preserve, hillside protections, Napa Land Trust, Napa River restoration and protection, organic farming, ecology-minded people, solar-powered wineries, smart growth, sustainable tourism

  • Philanthropy - Many charities and non-profits, community support services, Napa Valley Vintners charity auctions

  • Visitor services - Professional guides, event planners, winery programs, transportation options, concierges

  • Photographer's dream - Scenery, people scenes, light, farm life, quaint towns, architecture, gardens

  • Weather - Mild year-round, Mediterranean climate, indoor-outdoor people-friendly spaces

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DISCOVER SONOMA - DIVERSE, SCENIC, CONVENIENT

Much larger than Napa Valley, Sonoma County lies between Napa and the Pacific Ocean. A diverse wine region, it consists of several distinct appellations - home to 400 small, welcoming wineries, famous brand wineries, world class wines, fine dining, scenic geography, superior hospitality and a laid-back atmosphere.

 

Sonoma Valley - anchored by the historic Sonoma Town Square with dozens of unique wineries along the scenic landscape. 

Alexander Valley - home of Coppola Wine Center, rolling vineyards, top cabernet, surrounded by mountain scenery

 

Dry Creek Valley - microcosm of Napa, home of zinfandel and petite family-owned wineries

 

Russian River Valley - world-class pinot noir, redwoods, funky towns, charming wineries with great views

 

Healdsburg Square - Delightful hub of the three valleys. Walkable, galleries, excellent cuisine, lodging options, redwood shaded town square with music and events.

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SELECT LODGING PARTNERS

Knight Tours offers a wide range of lodging options to suit every need. Our carefully chosen partners are based on our personal knowledge of each property and its management style. We prioritize key factors like proximity to town, wineries, character and charm, personalized style, quality of accommodation, privacy, service excellence, and value. By booking through us, you can rest assured that you will get a great deal as well as a superior lodging experience.

We look forward to helping you find the perfect lodgings for your stay. Contact us.

OUR LODGING PARTNERS

CITY OF NAPA:

Napa River Inn (our pick) - $$$ / Napa Riverfront, heart of town, historic, low-key elegance

Archer Hotel - $$$ / modern, hip, rooftop lounge, steakhouse, walk to shops, dining

Napa Valley Marriott - $$ / spacious, convenient, large spa, spacious lobby, courtyard, bar/bistro, solid reputation

Westin Verasa - $$ / On Napa River, Oxbow Public Market, Michelin-star restaurant, comfy lobby and river terrace

Inn on Randolph - $$$ / understated elegance, tastefully renovated, peaceful,  classic B&B in old town, steps from City center

Cedar Gables Inn - $$ / Historic, 1800s brown shingle with leaded glass, one block from town, Prohibition-era speakeasy downstairs, from another era

Milliken Creek Inn - $$$ / Hidden gem, private getaway, riverside lawn, a small Four Sisters property on Silverado Trail, edge of town

Napa Winery Inn (value choice) - $ / Convenient, fresh and bright, pool, restaurants next door, easy access to Hwy 29

 

YOUNTVILLE:

The Estate / Hotel Villagio & Vintage House - $$$$ / 22-acre resort-style elegance, heart of the Village, excellent spa, pools, best breakfast buffet, bar, steps from tasting rooms, dining, mid-Valley location for wineries

Hotel Yountville - $$$ / End of Village, classy atmosphere, elegant lobby

Maison Fleurie (our pick) $$+ / Old world feel in heart of Village, privacy, stone buildings

North Block Hotel - $$$ / Contempo Italian-style boutique hotel with courtyard and restaurant, in Yountville's lively north end.

 

RUTHERFORD:

Rancho Caymus Inn - $$+ / Central Valley location, away from town, privacy

Auberge du Soleil - $$$$ / Exceptional hillside resort, understated elegance, Relais & Chateaux, Michelin-star dining

 

SAINT HELENA:

Wydown Hotel - $$ / Heart of town on Main Street, renovated 1800s building

Harvest Inn - $$$ / Parklike setting with unique brick and timber lodge-style property, on-site restaurant, with fireplace in each room.

Wine Country Inn - $$$ / Privacy, vineyard setting, comfortable lobby, breakfast buffet, outside town, spacious rooms

Southbridge Napa Valley (our pick) - $$ / Privacy, on Main Street, next to restaurants, excellent spa and health club on property

El Bonita (value hotel) - $ / Tasteful retro-style, bright and pleasant motor-lodge on the edge of town

 

CALISTOGA:

Indian Springs Resort - $$ / Thermal pools, spa, bungalows, forties so-cal feel, unique.

Solage Resort - $$$$ / an Auberge resort, Mercedes loaner cars, pool/spa, restaurant/bar, classy, discreet elegance

Bergson Inn - $$$ / Beautifully appointed inn on edge of town, bright & cheeful with quaint sitting lobby and patios

Mount View Hotel (our pick) - $$ / Classic, older hotel in heart of downtown

Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa - $ / Tastefully re-invented and renovated, retro-feel, nice restaurant on site.

Dr. Wilkinson's Resort - $ / Multi-million dollar renovation of this Calistoga classic on main street. Bright, fresh, with on-site bistro, spa and mud baths.

UpValley Inn (value hotel) - $ / Renovated and upgraded former Comfort Inn, great value in Napa Valley, excellent location at top of Silverado Trail

 

SONOMA VALLEY:

Faimont Sonoma Mission Inn - $$$$ / Quiet elegance and seclusion, grand villa-like lobby

El Dorado Hotel - $$ / On Sonoma Town Square, restaurant on site, 1800s building

Sonoma Inn (our pick) - $$$ / quaint Four Sisters property just off the Square

MacArthur Place - Class and privacy on Broadway, restaurant on-site.                                                                               Kenwood Inn - $$$ / Romantic, Italian-style villa in center of Sonoma Valley

 

HEALDSBURG / Northern Sonoma:

Healdsburg Hotel (our pick) - $$$ / Understated elegance on The Square, steakhouse, pleasant lobby

The Madrona - $$$ / Romantic country resort in Dry Creek Valley

Healdsburg Inn on The Plaza - $$ / Quiet boutique inn on The Square has a Paris feel

 

UNIQUE ACCOMMODATIONS:  

Poetry Inn - $$$$ / Ultra-luxe six rooms on hillside near Yountville

Vineyard farmhouses - inquire

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TOUR GUIDE TIPS BOOKLET / MAPS

NOTE: One item from the three below, will be complimentary from Knight Tours, when you book with us. Also, available for purchase. Please use the CONTACT form the request any of the following items and we will provide a purchase link:​

  1. Laminated folding color visitor map, Napa Valley & Sonoma wineries, AVAs & roads. Opens to 12"x25" Alphabetical winery info. Highly-recommended! - $15

  2. Handsome color 3-D topographic map of Napa Valley & appellations (10"x16" molded plastic), by Napa Valley Vintners - $25

  3. "Tour Guide Tips - Your Best Napa Valley Visit" (22-pages w attractive cover) by Stan Knight - $5 PDF via email / $20 printed staple-bound copy by mail.

Contents:

RECOMMENDED READING - - 2

PRE-TRIP PLANNING - - 2

TOUR GUIDES, TRAVEL PLANNERS - - 2

LODGING - - - 3

AIRPORTS - - 3           

GETTING AROUND - - 4

TRAVEL WITH KIDS & UNDER 21 - - 4

DINING / CULINARY / CASUAL - - 4

NON-WINE THINGS TO DO - -5

OLIVE OIL - - 5

HISTORIC SITES - - 6

SPORTS / ACTIVITIES - - 6

ATTIRE - - 7

ABOUT WINERIES - - 8

SELECTED WINERIES / CATEGORIES - - 8

WINERY ARCHITECTURE & STYLE - - 10

WINERIES IN CONTEXT - - 11                       

ABOUT WINE TASTING - - 13

COMMON TERMINOOGY - - 14

NOTES ON NAPA VALLEY HISTORY - - 15

SUMMARY - - 17

BIO - WINE COUNTRY AMBASSADOR - - 18

MAP - - 19

NAPA VALLEY VARIETALS - - 20

HUMOR - - 22

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SELECT LODGING PARTNERS

City of Napa: Napa River Inn, Archer Hotel, Napa Valley Marriott, Inn on Randolph
Yountville: The Estate: Villagio/Vintage House, Hotel Yountville, Maison Fleurie
Rutherford: Rancho Caymus Inn, Auberge du Soleil
Saint Helena: Wydown Hotel, Harvest Inn, Wine Country Inn, El Bonita
Calistoga: Calistoga Motor Lodge, Indian Springs Resort, Solage Resort, Bergson Inn
Unique Accommodations: Vineyard farmhouses, Select AirBnBs

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MORE INFORMATION

"Why We Travel" by Rick Steves (You Tube)

RESOURCES - On Amazon or Ask Us  (READING)

  • "Why You Like the Wines You Like," by Tim Hanni MS

  • "Decanted - A Winemakers Journey" DVD with Napa Valley legends

  • "Romantic Napa Valley," by Autumn Milhouse

  • "From Napa With Love," by Alexis Traina

  • "A Vineyard in Napa," Shafer Vineyards and the story of Napa Valley, by Doug Shafer

  • "A Glass Full of Miracles." by Miljenko "Mike" Grgich

  • MAPS:

  • 3-D Color Map of Napa Valley & Appellations, (10"x14"), Napa Valley Vintners

  • Map of Sonoma Valley Wineries

  • Map of the Wine Road - Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River

WE CAN RECOMMEND PLACES FOR:

Fine Dining & Casual Dining
Body Wellness - Sound Immersion, Massage, Thermal Baths, Spas
Recreation - Tennis, Golf, Bicycling, Hiking, Bowling
Culinary classes & experiences
Music 
Art Galleries
Cigars
Hot Air Balloons
Silverado PGA Golf Courses, Chardonnay, Eagle Vines, Vintners 9-hole
Scenic Drives
Redwoods
Peaceful Places
Wine Blending Classes
Special Winery Events & Harvest Parties

       

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