Soak in Thermal Hot Springs
If there’s one word that should be associated with Calistoga, it’s relaxation, and thanks to the area’s numerous mineral pools and spas, it’s easy to make R&R a top priority when visiting. More than just a stress reliever, Calistoga’s hot springs are known for their many therapeutic benefits, including easing sore muscles, relieving arthritis pain, promoting healthy circulation, and calming skin conditions, while mineral-rich mud baths and massage treatments purify toxins to leave you feeling totally blissed out.
When you’re ready to experience the rejuvenating benefits of the area’s mineral waters, you’ve got options. Many of the hotels and inns in and around Calistoga offer access to their own on-site mineral pools, including Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort, Calistoga Spa Hot Springs, Solage, and Golden Haven Hot Springs Spa & Resort, making it easy to experience Calistoga’s hot springs at your leisure. Or, you can check out the historic, Olympic-sized mineral pool at Indian Springs Resort. While hotel guests get free access to the pool, Indian Springs does offer limited day passes for a fee, available when booking a spa treatment.
Visit a Geyser
Just a few minutes outside of town is Old Faithful Geyser, where one can witness the spectacular sight of water shooting up into the air every 30 to 40 minutes. While the main attraction is the regular eruption of this famed geyser, naturally, a visit offers a more well-rounded experience than one might expect, thanks to picnic grounds with bocce courts and cabanas, a garden area featuring native plants and grasses, an on-site geology museum, and an animal farm, where you’ll find goats, sheep, and llamas. Llamas and pygmy goats and geysers, oh my! It all adds up to a memorable afternoon in Calistoga.
Go On a Hike For Sweeping Views of the Area
When the great outdoors are calling, Calistoga’s Palisade Trail is the spot to go. Though the 10-mile round trip, 2,000-foot climb hike is challenging, experienced hikers will be rewarded with beautiful natural scenery and some of the most spectacular views in all of Napa Valley. Just don’t forget to bring your water, as it can get hot in the sun. For a shortened version, opt to hike along the lower Oat Hill Mine Road, a four-and-a-half-mile round trip trek that provides equally wonderful scenery along the way.
Explore An Ancient Forest
If a unique outdoor experience with the family is what you seek, don’t miss a visit to Calistoga’s Petrified Forest. This preserved ancient forest is a sight to see, featuring a majestic display of fossilized redwood trees—the result of being buried in lava over 3 million years ago. Walk along the trails on your own to explore this ancient phenomenon, or opt for a guided tour for a deeper understanding of how this forest came to be.
Sip & Shop in Downtown Calistoga
It’s easy to get wrapped up in Calistoga’s natural surroundings, but it’d be a shame to not spend some time exploring downtown Calistoga. Calistoga has lots of boutique shops and tasting rooms all within walking distance, which makes it easy to sip and stroll all afternoon.
Plan to peruse the assortment of artisanal goods for the home and garden at Blackbird, shop for antique goods and vintage posters at Rags to Riches, and check out Calistoga Pottery for their selection of handmade pottery. Also downtown is Copperfield’s Books, featuring a wide range of books from local and international authors, Flourish Chocolate, offering one-of-a-kind chocolate creations, and Monastery Books and Gifts (yes, actually located inside a Christian Monastery for women) for a selection of spiritual books, homemade goodies, olive oils, teas, and honey. You’ll also find a variety of art galleries and clothing shops around town that are worth popping into.
When you’re ready to whet your palate with some locally made wine, Calistoga’s tasting rooms offer something for everyone. Located in a vintage 1930s gas station, Tank Garage Winery charms with its hip vibe and limited-edition blends and natural wines, while nearby T-Vine Winery offers a friendly ambiance and single-vineyard wines from some of the last remaining old-vine vineyards in California. Around the corner on Lincoln Avenue, CAMi Art + Wine blends contemporary art with wine, and a few doors down, Olabisi features limited production wines from a husband-and-wife-duo.
Visit a Nearby Winery
You could easily stay in town to taste great wine, hopping from tasting room to tasting room, but it’s certainly worth jumping in the car and driving a few miles to explore some of the surrounding wineries.
Just five minutes from downtown Calistoga, Tamber Bey Vineyards is unique in that it’s located at a working equestrian facility, and every part of the wine tasting experience reflects the owners’ love of horses and wine. Tour the winemaking facility, which was once a covered riding arena, before sampling wine in the courtyard of the original barn, where you can sip wine while admiring the horses. Be sure to add a picnic lunch or savory cookie pairing to really round out the experience.
At Brian Arden, the best way to experience the great wine and hospitality of this super small, family-owned winery is to book the Chef’s Experience Tasting. You’ll not only get to tour the winery’s picturesque grounds, featuring a culinary garden, chickens, and estate vineyard, but you’ll also be treated to a seated wine and food pairing experience featuring five seasonally-inspired courses.
Another smaller, hidden-gem winery is Canard, which only recently reopened its 25-acre property to visitors. From their sustainably-grown, dry-farmed grapes, owners Rich and Carolyn Czapleski carefully produce nine single vineyard wines to showcase the complexity of their estate’s terroir. Don’t miss the Estate Zinfandel, sourced from the property’s nearly 140-year-old Zinfandel vines.
Finally, serious Cabernet fans won’t want to miss a visit to Larkmead Vineyards, one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Napa Valley. This tranquil winery offers a personalized tasting experience tailored to each group’s preferences, along with an idyllic Wine Country setting looking out at the vines.
Savor Gourmet Fare
Whether you’re hungry for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Calistoga’s restaurants and cafés offer a perfect mix of casual ambiance and good food.
For gourmet coffee and a scrumptious pastry or breakfast sandwich, stop by Sam’s General Store, located in the original cottage of Calistoga’s legendary founder, Samuel Brannan. Or, grab a selection of goods to curate your own picnic lunch later in the day. The long-standing Cafe Sarafornia is another top spot for the breakfast/lunch crowd, where a menu of comforting classics is offered all day from this quaint, casual spot. While the southwestern-inspired breakfast and lunch offerings at House of Better are a delight, it’s worth dining here for the unique homemade pies alone. Green chili apple pie, anyone?
One of the most popular restaurants in town for dinner is Evangeline, a French bistro “with a Creole soul” in downtown Calistoga. The covered outdoor patio makes for a lovely setting to enjoy the restaurant’s French bistro classics and creole-inspired dishes. Down the road Sam’s Social Club is another worthy dining choice, where California focused-cuisine highlights fresh, local ingredients in a playful, creative way.
Go Rogue Sampling Beer
We know, we know… you probably didn’t come to Napa Valley to try beer. But the Calistoga Inn, Restaurant & Brewery is a great pit-stop for a brewski. Its Napa Valley Brewing Company was actually the first brewery that opened up post-Prohibition. Today, the brewery puts as much love and care into making their Pacific Pale Ale and Blitzen IPA as if they were fine Cabernets. Sit in their Beer Garden—one of the best outdoor spaces in UpValley—and don’t forget to order up some grub from the Calistoga Inn Restaurant.
