Have you ever seen the movie, Parent Trap? The Linsey Lohan version where she and her twin sister (also played by Lohan) each live separate lives with one of their two parents. The mother and one of the sisters live in England where she works as a high end fashion designer for women’s wedding dresses. The father and the other sister live in Northern California on a large vineyard with grape vines that seem to go on for miles. When I was a kid watching I thought “that must be Napa Valley, wine country!”
This year my wonderful wife, Loryn, had a truly significant birthday. Not to say that any of her birthdays are minimal, but hitting that quarter century mark is a big one for a lot of young adults. Every 25 years there is a little more strategy, a little more thoughtfulness that goes into the planning of how that specific birthday should be celebrated. This was my first and only chance at celebrating 25 years of her life. I had done some decent gifts in the past but knew the bar would need to be raised, not because Loryn would require bigger and better presents each year but I really wanted this to be special since it was the quarter century mark and her first in San Francisco.
After much deliberation I decided a new experience would best fit this birthday celebration. Something brought me back to that 90’s classic Parent Trap, and after a little research I found that I was right! Not only was part of the movie filmed in Napa valley, its less than a two hour drive from our home in Dublin. I informed Loryn of her gift to be and the joy and excitement across her face was enough to let me know she was overjoyed with my decision. The week was over and we hit the road.
For our trip we found it best suited our budget to stay just outside Napa Valley in Middletown. We booked the perfect Airbnb for the weekend, that just happened to be walking distance from our new favorite breakfast spot, Beulah Kitchen. It also seemed to be the only place serving breakfast for at least a couple miles but that doesn’t take away from how delicious it was! The restaurant vibe fit perfectly with that of Middletown, modest, laid back and very inviting. We were glad this was the only breakfast game in town. After devouring our French toast and bacon we elected to ask our server where we could find a good hiking location in the area. She delighted in our inquiry, and told us to try Oat Hill Mining Trail.
Oak Hill Mining Trail is about a 12.5 mile hike out and back and gets pretty intense around mile 2. A warm fall day made for a great workout on the mountain and we agreed that a little time after we saw the 3rd mile marker was probably a good time to turn around. Before turning back we came across some incredibly picturesque scenery displaying rows upon rows of grape vineyards. The views at this point were some of the best we got to experience for the entire trip. We snapped a couple photos near the peak of our hike then made our trek back. Probably hiking a little farther than what would have been sufficient, we had to make a quick turnaround, showering of course and changing, to make our dinner reservations.
With a number of tasteful options in Napa, it’s difficult coming to a decision on where to spend your evenings. Unfortunately we did not give ourselves time to deliberate much, but some of the best choices are made when you eliminate overthinking. After scrolling through Yelp for a bit we settled on Goose & Gander. A couple blocks down a side road off main streets sits the quaint restaurant behind two beautifully large (oak) trees.
Once seated we were able to fully embrace the vibe. Hanging lights overhead, walls covered in vines set the perimeter, of large bungalow style restaurant. Retro 20’s themed inside set a very laid back mood. Perfect for a glass of wine, or two. Loryn order the steak, the best I have ever tasted, while I tried duck for the first time and was overwhelmed at how tender and tasteful the meal was. With our dinner we paired exquisite red wines, recommendations of our server. Our dinner concluded with an incredible dessert dish topped with a birthday candle. Needless to say, we were completely elated with our choice.
When traveling to Napa without a recommendation where to dine out, try not to get too wrapped up in making the right decision. Because essentially there is none. With that being said, I think it’s practically impossible to make a wrong choice with the plethora of exceptional options worth experiencing.
With so much Napa Valley offers, one way to see as much as possible there is the Napa Wine Train. The wine train travels through the Northern California vineyards, stopping at different wine tastings all whilst serving gourmet style food and drink throughout the tour. There are day trips and extended stay deals available through various resorts who have partnered with the company. This is a unique, very convenient way to see a lot of Napa Valley and experience the delicious wine, food, and scenery at the same time! This is something my wife and I will look to try for ourselves very soon.
Napa Valley is incredible experience that I recommend to all adventurers with the opportunity. I’m glad that Loryn’s 25th birthday inspired such an amazing trip.
Stokes Broadcast 