The Portal – Napa

Threshold to Napa Valley and big brother to the region’s other wine villages, Napa (the valley’s largest town) bustles with cutting-edge art galleries, lively tasting rooms, and upscale dining venues such as Ken Frank’s Michelin-starred La Toque. In fact, Napa has so much to offer, including its promenade along the Napa River, that sometimes travelers don’t even venture outside the city limits (we highly suggest you do, however).

Wine: In Napa, you’ll never be thirsty. Two must-stops along its tasting-room crawl are family-owned Stonehedge, home to handcrafted artisanal wines, and Uncorked at Oxbow, which offers private salons for personalized tastings and blending sessions.

Dine: From locally sourced picnic sandwiches at Oxbow Public Market to five-spice-rubbed duck at Celadon, Napa is long on options.

Stay: Highlights of Carneros Resort and Spa’s recent renovation include a new wedding events venue and up­dated family pool, along with a bar and outdoor terrace at its quintessential locavore restau­rant, Farm. With 86 cottages and 10 suites clustered in tiny “neighborhoods” named for nature’s elements, the swank complex embodies the es­sence of the Napa experience.