by Cynthia Cruz
| June, 25, 2023
If you’re looking for an easy weekend getaway, surely Napa has popped up at the top of your list. Just a short drive from the bustling Bay Area, Napa Valley, with its picturesque rolling hills and vineyards, world-renowned wineries, exceptional restaurants, and a wide a variety of activities to choose from, the beautiful valley has everything you need to immerse yourself in all the pleasures of life.
WHERE TO STAY
During our last visit, we stayed at the Harvest Inn (1 Main St, St Helena), a luxury boutique hotel in St. Helena. Tudor-style in architecture and landscaped with beautiful roses, lawns, terraces, brick archways and bridges, all nestled in a grove of ancient redwood trees and bordered by an expansive vineyard – walking through the property is a little like strolling through an English garden. So hidden is this little gem that 
you may bypass it as you drive along the busy street. So, although the hotel is located on the main highway, you’d never know it; the location actually makes the hotel convenient as it is just minutes from some of Napa Valley’s most popular wineries and attractions.
Our Vineyard View Suite offered an expansive view of the vineyard and guests can sit outside on the balcony with a glass of wine and watch the sun set splendidly behind the vines. The rooms are spacious with a big brick wood-burning fireplace with plenty of wood to burn on cool nights. On this trip, we traveled with our dogs, and the hotel provided comfy beds and treats for our pups – so don’t stress if your dog-sitter isn’t available, bring the dogs with you because they will be warmly welcomed.
The hotel has all of the amenities you would expect from a full-fledged resort: two swimming pools – including one adults-only pool – a hot tub, fitness center, a full-service spa, and their excellent on-site restaurant, Harvest Table which offers farm-to-table cuisine. You could easily spend your entire getaway without ever having to leave the hotel grounds where you will be well-fed and have plenty of things to do.
WHERE TO EAT
One of the best things about the Harvest Inn is their on-site restaurant, Harvest Table, an intimate dining space anchored by a big fireplace inside the cozy dining room, and outside, a covered patio with views of the garden.
Executive Chef Jeff Libunao is in the kitchen cooking up a menu crafted around what is fresh and in season. . For dinner one night he prepared an array of Mediterranean-inspired dishes, including an impressive mezze platter laden with garlic hummus and creamy labneh served with the fresh vegetables and grilled naan, followed by tender meatballs of veal, lamb, and pork swimming in a savory tomato sauce, grilled artichoke hearts flavored with lemon and garlic, pasta with the freshest asparagus and baby peas, and a juicy pork chop brined in a flavorful apple-citrus marinade.
There are so many well-regarded restaurants in Napa, but we were very content to dine at Harvest Inn.
WHAT TO DO
There are many activities to do in the Napa Valley: biking or hiking along some of the area’s beautiful trails, wine tasting at the many beautiful wineries, or being pampered with a spa treatment. If you decide that the most relaxing thing to do is nothing, well, that might be hard to do. Even if you stay on the hotel’s grounds, it may be hard to resist the goings-on at the Harvest Inn.
The Harvest Inn has events that are held regularly including their ever-popular One Main Cigar Dinners held every third Thursday from March to November (check the website for the specific dates). These cigar dinners offer an evening filled with live music, gourmet food, fine wine, and cigars. This event is very popular, especially with the locals, so get your tickets ahead of time!
The hotel also offers a Yoga and Mindful Meditation event on Saturday mornings from May to November which is complimentary for hotel guests. There is also an All-day Wellness Retreat which integrates yoga, meditation, and journaling and includes delicious food prepared by Harvest Table and then culminates with wine tasting. The upcoming wellness retreat is scheduled for September 10th. Again, check online for upcoming dates for this quarterly event. 
The most unique and rather exclusive event held by the Harvest Inn is the annual Napa Valley 750, cleverly named for the 750ml of wine held in a single wine bottle, as well as the number of miles covered during the event. This 4-day road rally includes accommodations at the Harvest Inn, plus gourmet meals and fabulous wines from some of the best restaurants and wineries in the area. The specially curated routes are carefully mapped out months ahead of time to ensure that the most beautiful vistas can best be enjoyed by the participants as they drive the routes in their beautiful vintage automobiles. One hundred percent of the proceeds goes to the St. Helena Hospital Foundation and the event has raised over $200,000 over the four years that the event has been held. Though the Napa Valley 750 is quite exclusive, if you have a vintage car that you’d like to drive through the scenic valley, enjoy amazing food and wine, and meet some of the most down-to-earth, fun-loving people you might ever meet (including a famous racecar driver), all while giving generously to the St. Helena Hospital Foundation, you can call the hotel and make an inquiry.
As always, Napa never disappoints. It’s the perfect destination for a getaway and the Harvest Inn is the perfect place to stay.
