Napa Valley is synonymous with California's wine industry. Almost everyone who makes a trip to California's Napa Valley for a vacation visits the numerous vineyards that are located in the area. These vineyards range from mom-and-pop operations to huge corporate vineyards that produce enormous quantities of wine every year. The wines themselves are priced from the most expensive, award-winning gourmet wines to simple, but delicious table wines enjoyed at family gatherings across the nation and all over the world.
Napa Valley is in Sonoma County, California and lies north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is an affluent area but where you can see vintage cars from the 1960s cruising the highways and the most expensive German sports cars speeding from one vineyard to another. A vacation in Napa Valley is often seen as something only the affluent can afford but in reality there is plenty for everyone to enjoy regardless of his or her budget. In fact, some of the most striking features of the area have nothing to do with the wine industry or the vineyards.
Napa Valley, and Sonoma County, is an area of incredible natural beauty and located a very short distance from the Bay Area which is well known for being one of the most developed, urbane, and densely populated areas in all of California. Many residents of the Bay Area head north on their days off or on their weekends to take a short Napa Valley vacation and to decompress from the hustle and bustle of the urban environment. Visitors from all over the country find Napa Valley a relaxing and exciting place to visit. The popularity of this area has grown over the years and is one of the most visited places in California.