How to plan a crowd-free Napa Valley trip

When someone invites you to Napa Valley – the most renowned wine country in America – the only appropriate response is, “Yes.” A jaunt through these vineyard-dotted hills is appealing all year round, with the region’s opulent, chateau-like wineries offering up some of the planet’s most full-bodied, mind-melting Cabernets. The top-notch culinary scene is also a major draw, with fabulous food festivals, swanky cooking schools and too many Michelin stars to count.

Choosing when to visit can be difficult, but it’s helpful to remember that in Napa Valley, sunshine directly correlates with higher hotel rates, crowds and the necessity of reservations. For those looking for the quintessential Napa experience, the fall harvest season – although it’s busy – is the best time of year.

Low Season: November to February

Best time for budget travelers

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If you’ve ever dreamed of having a Napa winery all to yourself, and all the tastings you can swallow, wintertime is your jam. Because monsoons are frequent and temperatures dip into the 50s, 40s and even the 30s, hotel prices are at their low point (which is still pretty high in California’s most chichi wine country, and of course excludes the holidays). Food festivals go off in January and dazzling yellow mustard flowers paint the hillsides early in the year.

Shoulder Season: March to May

Best time to explore the outdoors

As the winter frost drips away, Napa Valley goes into full bloom and greenery abounds. Long dormant vines pop with new shoots and days begin to lengthen, with highs in the 60s and 70s when the sun is out, and lows dropping into the 40s in the mornings and evenings. Soak up these uncrowded and lovely days with hikes and bike rides, but don’t be surprised by a bit of rain, particularly in May.

High Season: August to October

Best time to visit vineyards

When the harvest season rolls around in August, grapes fly off the wines and Napa Valley comes fully alive. With the grape smashings, harvest dinners and fabulous balls, though, expect crowds and high prices and book hotels, restaurants and tastings accordingly (months in advance!). Note that clear and sunny summer days also tend to lure untold numbers of oenophiles and festival-goers.

January

During the most affordable time of year to visit Napa…