In general, vacationers envision spring break and the summer months as peak vacationing seasons. But some of the best U.S. vacation spots have surprisingly good winter attractions.
Napa in Winter
Napa Valley in the winter months is one of the United States’ best-kept vacation destination secrets. The country’s wine professionals book their sojourns to this Mecca of the grape in the first part of the year, when the vineyards are golden with wild mustard and the crowds are thinnest.
For a fraction of the price you’d pay in, say, August, you can enjoy the relatively mild temperatures of a California winter; glorious accommodations at reduced prices; and some of the best food in the country. Wait times are short, prices are low, and staff has the time to be solicitous and the motivation to be truly glad to see you. Slow season customer service is often the best there is, especially in high-class establishments.
The Food
Napa Valley offers some of the best restaurants in the United States, catering to wine aficionados who love to pair a pricey wine with pricey food. In the off-season, Napa’s legendary food offerings tend to become more affordable, so your culinary dollar goes further.
The Wine
No place in the country is as known for quality wines quite like Napa Valley, where the right climatic conditions combine with the right imported vine stock to grow truly world-class grapes for truly world-class wines. In this part of the country, generations of winemakers have honed their crafts and now operate Old World wineries side-by-side with upstart new vintners that are taking the blending of grapes in irreverent new directions.
During the winter months, they’ll all have a little more time and energy to show off their best offerings for you at tastings and pairing events. Take it from us – you’ll learn twice as much on a winter trip to Napa as you will in the summer… and probably enjoy yourself twice as much, too.
Mustard Season
For about the first three months of the year, the floor of California’s Napa Valley is an explosion of golden-yellow flowers. According to legend, a Spanish friar once explored the deepest reaches of California, scattering mustard seed from south to north as he went.
On his return, he followed a carpet of yellow blooms back home from north to south. Spanish Mustard has since naturalized in this part of the world, and now blankets the quiet slumber of the vineyards in a profusion of color.
Many vineyards use the “Mustard Season” or “Mustard Festival” to bill their wintertime events. Winter in Napa is a time of food, wine, and show-quality events designed to boost business, which create a festive atmosphere without the bumper-to-bumper crowds of summer (and the accompanying bumper-to-bumper traffic).
If you’ve caught on to the appeal of Napa’s winter wine wonderland, let us show you just how beautiful it can be. No matter what your vacation preference, you can find help planning your trip from Best Vacations Ever. Check us out online, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.