It has been said that the scenery in the Napa Valley is so amazing it’s ridiculous. Mountains and rolling hills covered with graceful, pastoral vineyards define the area. Calistoga is the Napa Valley in its most pure form. Much of the Valley has become more commercial – outlet and strip malls are starting to become common. But Calistoga still retains its rural, vintage feel.
The town looks like fun before you even enter it. As you’re driving along Highway 29, charming looking bed & breakfasts, cottages for rent and other accommodations start to appear. Vintage shop signs start popping up, and you realize you’re not in the technology driven world anymore. This is backwoods Napa. Backwoods Napa means ruggedly beautiful but still catering to tourists.
Besides dozens of vineyards and wineries great and small, Calistoga has a climate warm enough to sustain lushly fronded palm trees – the kind with the thick trunks. Many lovely old bungalows have front yards overflowing with the most colorful flowers. And there are parks and hiking trails full of breathtaking sites. What’s more is, the town’s main street, Lincoln Avenue, ends with the breathtaking view of Mount St. Helena. The view gives you the feel of being in a Swiss mountain town.
Calistoga has plenty of attractions to make outdoorsy types swoon. And any visitor – no matter what their taste in entertainment – should take time to discover the great outdoors in this lovely area.