What to See
and Do | Where to Eat
Where to Stay
Calistoga -
Top of the Napa Valley
Blessed with geothermal activity which
brings hot springs to the surface, Calistoga was one of
California's first resort towns. Native Indians had
enjoyed the waters for centuries before thw GoldRush and
the arrival of European settlers. As today, they saw the
geyser at the north end of what is now the town, and
bathed in the hot pools. The geyser, called Old Faithful,
is a major attraction for visitors to this historic town
at the northmost edge of the Napa Valley.
Before wineries came to dominate the
region, Calistoga boasted several spas, which provided
hot mineral waters, fed from wells into pools and tubs
for people to take their therapies.
The popularity of spas in this area can be
traced to Sam Brannan, a Mormon settler and entrepreneur,
who in the 1840s and 50s saw the potential for what is
now Somona County -- with its natural springs -- to be
the western Saratoga Springs. He began buying land and,
in an inebriated moment of passion, proclaimed the
village to be "the Calistoga of Sarafornia." Today,
there's a atmospheric restaurant called
"Sarafornia" in downtown Calistoga.
Today, 13 spas in Calistoga offer a range
of baths, mud treatments, herbal wraps, massages, and
whirlpools. Each spa boasts its own special treatments,
including differently-constituted muds.
Wineries -- in Calistoga, along the
Silverado Trail, and south of town on and near Highway
128 -- offer great places to taste and purchase the fine
wines of the valley, in a more relaxed ambiance than many
of the busier mid-valley wineries.
Calistoga is a 90-minute drive from San
Francisco, and two hours from Sacramento. The town is
quieter and more relaxed than the other Napa Valley towns
to the south -- a perfect place to stroll past the old
buildings, to have a hot soak or spa treatment, and to
enjoy the quiet ambience of the forested north end of the
valley
What to See & Do
Spas
While each of the 13 spas in Calistoga
claims to have a unique treatment for its guests, they
generally ofer much the same experience, including
mineral baths, steam rooms, mud bath, herbal wrap, and
massage therapy. When you enter a spa, you have your
choice of taking the full treatment or choosing from the
menu. The full treatment usually takes about two hours,
and when you come out, you're a different person.
Each spa has a different massage specialty,
and some have several, including European, Japanese
shihatsu, reflexology, and the rolfing style. The massage
is generally the final stage of the full spa treatment,
following a short mud bath, a mineral bath (with or
without whirlpool jets, a steam bath, and towel wrap. Ten
of the spas offer overnight accommodations, while the
smaller spas without rooms tend to be specialized (spa
treatments for couples -- mud baths for two). These
standalone spas are:
Calistoga Oasis Spa - 1300 Washington
Street, 707-942-2122 )
Lavender Hill Spa - 1015 Foothill Blvd. 707-528-4772)
Lincoln Avenue Spa - 707-942-5296
Mount View Spa (1457 Lincoln Ave. - 707-942-5789).
Here are the spas that offer
accommodations:
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs - 1006
Washington, 707-942-6269
Calistoga Village Inn and Spa - 880 Lincoln,
707-942-0991
Dr. Wilkinson's Hot Springs 1507 Lincoln,
707-942-4102
Eurospa and Inn - 1202 Pine Street, 707-942-6829
Golden Haven Spa - 1713 Lake Street, 707-942-6793
Indian Springs Spa and Resort - 1712 Lincoln,
707-942-4913
Nance's Hot Springs - 614 Lincoln, 707-942-6211
Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort - 1300 Washington,
707-942-4441
Silver Rose Inn and Spa - 351 Rosedale Rd., 707-942-9581
Exploring Calistoga Wineries
Calistoga is north of the major Napa wine
country, but there are several wineries located in town
and more on the southern edge. Sterling Vinyards and Clos
Pegase are found on Dunaweal Lane, which runs between
Highway 128 and Silverado Trail. Both have tasting rooms
-- open daily -- and wines may be purchased. Vincent
Arroyo Winery is at 2361 Greenwood Avenue, with Chateau
Montelena at 1429 Tubbs Lane. You'll find Cuvaison at
4500 Silverado Trail, on the east side of the valley. All
are open daily.
Graeser Winery is at 255 Petrified Forest
Road. Kornell Cellars, at 1091 Larkmead Lane (farther
ssouth toward St. Helena) features tasting from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Traulsen Vineyards, at 2250 Lake County Highway
is open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Villa Andriana -- 1171 Tubbs Lane -- is open daily from
10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Vigil Vineyards, 3340 Hwy. 128,
is open daily.
Touring the Valley
Hghway 29 is the main north/south road that
leads up the Napa Valley. In Calistoga, it becomes
Lincoln Avenue. Most of the major wineries, and many
smaller ones, are located on or near Highway 29. All of
the valley towns are reached by taking this road. From
south to north they are: Napa, Yountville, Oakville,
Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga.
There is, however a more scenic and less
crowded way to drive up and down the Napa Valley, and
this is by taking the Silverado Trail. During the 19th
century, this road was used to transport cinnabar
(mercury) ore from mines on Mt. St. Helena to the docks
at Napa. More than 20 wineries are located along the
Silverado Trail, including Silverado Vineyards, Stag's
Leap, Mumm, and William Hill (it's just off the road --
east via Hwy 121).
This road provides a quieter alternative to
busy Highway 29, although anyone who wants to "do" the
valley should travel north by one road and south by the
other .
Other Things to Do
Two of the area's top natural attractions
can be visited in the same drive. Old Faithful Geyser is
found at 1299 Tubbs Lane. Just like its namesake at
Yellowstone, this Old Faithful erupts on a regular
schedule -- about every 40 minutes. The plume of water
varies from 60 to 100 feet in height, and the water comes
out of the ground at 350 degrees. For information, call
(707) 942-6463.
Driving back toward Calistoga on Highway
128, turn west to visit the Petrified Forest. Volcanic
eruptions in the area buried a redwood forest some three
million years ago, and over the centuries, the wood has
turned to stone. A trail leads to petrified wood
specimens. Scientists say that many of the trees were
more than 2000 years old at the time they were buried.
Back in town, there are stores and
galleries to explore, including the Calistoga Bookstore,
which has among its large selection, many books on the
Napa Valley. A growing number of craftspeople live in the
area, including Jeff Manfredi, owner of Calistoga
Pottery, 1001 Foothill Boulevard.
It is rumored that Calistoga got its name
thanks to drunken revels in which Sam Brannan, the
flamboyant town promoter, bragged that he was going to
build a hot springs spa that would out-rival the famed
Saratoga Springs, except that he was stupefied from drink
and announced that this town would become the "Calistoga
of Sarafornia." Even if it's not true, it's a good story,
and there's a Sarafornia Café to carry on the
legend.
