Napa Tourist Traps

  This is going to be controversial mostly because "tourist trap" invokes negative feelings. 

  Tourist Trap definition from Merriam Webster: A place that attracts and exploits tourists. Attracts because it seems like something interesting and maybe unusual to people from somewhere else. Exploits because it's designed to separate visitors from their money.

  This is about Napa tourist traps. Next post will be for Sonoma County. Must give equal time.  

Medieval Napa 

  These places shouldn't necessarily be looked down on. I say that because I've done my share of visiting what you might call tourist traps. Heck, two of my favorite places to go are South Lake Tahoe and Hawaii. Lake Tahoe has gambling over the state line with Nevada, plenty of places to eat and especially drink, plus lots of water sports activities. Sure, you could just go hang out at a beach for free, but why not rent a jet ski for a couple hundred dollars and terrorize the lake. Hawaii's whole economy is built off you leaving lots of money behind when you leave.

  In social media groups I see future visitors asking past visitors to Napa for winery recommendations. There are about a dozen wineries that keep getting mentioned as places you should visit. This, by definition, makes them tourist traps. Some of these are mentioned below. Time to jump in and see who I can piss off.   :)

"Some day there will be lines of people willing to pay
a hundred dollars just to taste what we make!"
"Oh, that's bullshit, Bob. You've had too much brandy."
image from beaulieu vineyard

 

Napa Valley
  NV is called Disneyland for Adults. The whole valley, especially the valley floor along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail, could be considered a giant tourist trap. It can be really crowded with stop-and-go traffic. Huge crowds drinking can turn the nicest winery host into a surly bastard when they've had to put up with too much for too long. If you go off season and take your time, it will seem a lot less like a tourist trap and more like what Napa used to be.

Napa Valley Wine Train
  USA Today recently ranked this as one of the top tourist traps in the world. It costs way too much for what you get. If you want to look out of the window at the pretty scenery then hire a driver to take you wine tasting, it'll probably be cheaper.

Downtown Napa
  The little town of Napa is still mostly residential, but over the past couple of decades the downtown has become geared towards visitors. It started with the Oxbow Market area, then came many urban tasting rooms, now it's into major hotel construction.
  The market area is fun, the tasting rooms are convenient because you can walk, there is often some good evening entertainment, the new hotels may turn into an eyesore, but are being pushed by the corporate lodging folks who see big dollar signs. Don't let me scare you off, downtown Napa is nice to visit.

Yountville
  "Oh, it's so cute!" Yes, it is, and it's there for you (more specifically, your money). Everything about it designed for visitors, not the locals, so in that sense it's not even a real town. It's not as overdone as Solvang, CA, Vail, CO, or Frankenmuth, MI, but it's as expensive.

 
Castello di Amorosa Winery
  This is a recreation of an Old World castle and a great recreation using actual materials and skilled artisans from Italy in the construction. Still, people get confused by a castle in Napa. One reviewer felt deceived when she found out it wasn't a real castle. I'm assuming Western history isn't her strong point.
  The tour is cool if you have the right guide (someone not burned out by their tenth tour of the weekend). They have interesting merchandise for sale, if you're into that.
  Some people really hate this place after visiting, or even without ever visiting. I don't know what they expected. Others loved it. If you are a big time wine enthusiast who is all about finding the best wines in the valley then skip this place. If you are a "regular" tourist on your first trip to Napa go check out their web page and go if you want to. 

Darioush Winery
  Darioush Khaledi is an Iranian who built up his wealth in America. It seems like he's probably a nice person. That aside, he built a Persian temple to make wine in Napa. Temples (and castles) have nothing to do with wine, but are there  strictly to attract visitors. It's a big tourist destination because of the architecture, the wine is secondary. Actually the wine is Napa average at Napa prices. People buy it because when they drink it they are reminded of their visit. Exactly what a tourist trap wants to do.

Del Dotto Winery
  It started as an interesting concept. Take people through the wine caves letting them sample barrels to see how wines progress over time and what different barrels do to the aging wine. It became what the locals call Del Blotto. Run them through, get them drunk, loosen up the credit card so you can push case sales, then send them back out onto the road. They are very popular as they have three locations now. If you have to do it make sure it's your last stop of the day and have either a designated driver or use ride sharing.

Sterling Vineyards
  You take a tram to a Moorish castle on a hill to taste wine.  You get up there and you're kinda trapped for awhile like in a tourist "trap."  Many of their wines aren't very good. This is one of the most popular wineries in Napa.

V. Sattui Winery
  The original Napa  tourist trap.  It's full of tour buses. You can buy a deli sandwich and some wine, then sit outside and have a picnic. The wine isn't great. This is the most visited winery in the state. Same owner as the Castello.

  "Honorable" mentions: Domaine Carneros (very crowded, but a cool spot), Opus One (over-priced, snooty), plus Caymus & The Prisoner (because friends don't let friends drink sugary grape juice).

Every good tourist destination has one  :)