Napa Valley · Guides
Getting to Napa Valley: Airports, Driving, and Getting Around
Which airport, which highway, and why you should hire the driver before you land.
September 15, 2026 · Words by Margaret Hollis, Editor-in-Chief · Photography, see credits
Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting to Napa Valley is easy. Getting around it well takes one good decision, made before you land.
Which airport
The drive in
Two roads run the valley's length: Highway 29, the main artery through every town, and the Silverado Trail, its quieter, prettier sibling to the east. Learn both: 29 for errands, Silverado for pleasure. Arrive before dark if you can; the valley's light at golden hour is the welcome committee.
Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting around: hire the driver
This is the one decision that matters. A driver for the day costs less than one mediocre bottle and transforms the trip: no compromises, no clock-watching, no debates about the third tasting. Book the driver when you book the tastings, especially on weekends and in harvest season.
Franco Folini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What not to do
Landed and ready? How wine tasting actually works: the reservations, fees, and etiquette.
