Napa Valley, located north of San Francisco, is one of the premier wine regions in the world.
There are world-class resorts and spas where you sip the world-class wine and dine al fresco on a bounty of artisanal and homemade gastronomical indulgences.
We camped which is very ‘un-Napa-ish’. So you see Spike in the photo above? No. He stayed either in the tent or the car, which is very ‘un-Spike-sish’ – but it so happened we camped in a field of burrs (spiky seedpods) which covered the dog and tangled impossibly in his fluffy white fur. It took us hours to painstakingly remove them. Certainly not the best camping spot in this world-class destination!
Many wineries have outside picnic areas where you can sit with your dog and enjoy wines, cheese and bread, and other delights. There are also many dog-friendly hikes in the area to complete a magnificent day in a spectacular setting – as long as you can keep the dog out of the burrs.
Thoughts and Things
Napa has more than just wine. There are many beautiful drives and hikes among the Redwoods and lakes that characterize Northern California forests. There are many comprehensive guides to the Napa Valley and we definitely recommend a trip here. If you are a Robert Louis Stevenson fan, the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park is the place where the famous author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped spent his honeymoon in 1880. Although nothing remains of Stevenson’s cabin, the site is identified on the trail to the summit of Mt. St Helena which is a hiking option in the area.