We give every group of women that reaches out asking about a girls’ trip to wine country the same answer, stop scrolling and stay in Calistoga.
After welcoming groups to this corner of Napa Valley for years, we have seen it firsthand that women who come for a long weekend don’t just have a good trip. They come back. Sometimes the next year. Sometimes with new friends in tow. There’s something about Calistoga that stays with you. The pace. The warmth. The fact that you can wander from a mud bath to a tasting room to a long dinner without ever needing a plan.
Why Calistoga Is the Best Place to Stay in Napa Valley
Most people think of Napa Valley and picture busy highways and big-name wineries with timed ticketing. Calistoga is different. It sits at the very top of the valley and still has the feel of a real town with walkable streets, locally owned shops, a handful of exceptional restaurants, and the geothermal hot springs that have been drawing visitors here for over 150 years.
We always tell arriving groups the same thing: you don’t need a packed itinerary. You need a good home base and the freedom to follow your mood. Calistoga gives you that.
- Walkable downtown with boutiques, galleries, and wine shops
- Some of the best restaurants in Napa Valley, right on your doorstep
- World-famous geothermal spas and mud baths
- Easy access to scenic wineries, many within walking distance
- Hiking trails and outdoor adventures if your group likes to move
Wineries We Love
Yes, you’ve heard of the big names. And some of them are worth a visit, no question. But the wineries we love pointing guests toward are the smaller, family-run ones, the kind where someone who actually made the wine might be the one pouring it. These are the places that make for real stories when you get home.
Here are four hidden gems we especially love recommending to girls’ groups:
Picayune Cellars & Mercantile: Right on Lincoln Avenue
This one is practically at the doorstep of the inn, which makes it almost too easy to love. Picayune Cellars is owned and run by Claire Ducrocq Weinkauf, a French native whose passion for wine, and for beautiful things in general, is evident the moment you walk in. The tasting room on Lincoln Avenue doubles as a curated boutique filled with artisanal goods, jewelry, gifts, and collectibles sourced from family-owned makers and craftspeople around the world. Guests can settle in for a flight of sustainably farmed wines, order from the in-house kitchen, and spend the rest of the afternoon shopping without ever leaving the building. For groups of seven or more, private experiences can be arranged including private lunches and dinners in the courtyard. It’s the rare wine stop that’s also genuinely great for shopping, which for a girls’ trip makes it pretty close to perfect.
Mumm Napa: A Sparkling Tradition
When the occasion calls for bubbles, and a girls’ getaway almost always does, Mumm Napa on the Silverado Trail delivers in a big way. Rooted in the tradition of French Champagne house G.H. Mumm, the winery has been producing sparkling wines in the méthode traditionnelle style since the late 1970s, using grapes sourced entirely from Napa Valley. The outdoor patio and vineyard views of the Mayacamas Mountains make for a spectacular setting, and the range of tasting experiences from casual flights to the seated Oak Terrace experience with artisan cheese pairings means the group can choose the level of occasion they’re after. All guests must be 21+, and reservations are recommended. It’s a beautiful excursion for a group that wants to feel like they’re truly celebrating something.
Pope Valley Winery: A Tapestry of Flavors
For a group that wants to see a side of Napa Valley most visitors never find, this is the one. Pope Valley Winery was established in 1897 and has been operated by the Eakle family since 1997, now run by siblings David and Diana, who grew up on this land and have been building on its legacy ever since. The winery is situated in the quiet hills above the valley floor, tucked away in a rural setting that feels genuinely different from the main tourist corridor. The original hand-dug cave constructed over nine years in the late 1800s using timbers from a local mine is still in use today, and guests can tour it as part of their tasting experience. The “Bubbles, Barrels & Charcuterie” experience is especially popular with groups: it begins with a glass of limited-production Brut Rosé, moves through estate wines, and includes tasting straight from the barrel paired with dark chocolate. Note that the drive is scenic but winding, so we always suggest arranging a driver for this one.
Amici Cellars: Wine with Friends
Amici means “friends” in Italian, and the origin story fits perfectly: a group of friends who started making wine together in the ’90s, liked it so much they kept going, and built something genuinely special. Their tasting room is tucked into the Calistoga hillside with sweeping views of the Palisades, and they accommodate private groups of up to eight meaning your group gets the space to itself, guided through small-batch Cabernets and single-vineyard pours in a setting that feels like it was made for exactly this kind of day. Appointments are required and worth booking ahead.
When planning a longer day of tasting beyond downtown, we suggest arranging a driver or a guided tour. Let everyone enjoy themselves, that’s what the trip is for.
For more ideas, visit our Top Calistoga Wineries page.
An Afternoon on Lincoln Avenue
Make sure you leave some unscheduled time in your days. Lincoln Avenue has a way of filling it beautifully.
The main street through town is lined with locally owned boutiques, art galleries, wine shops, and specialty stores. Blackbird of Calistoga is a lovely stop for home goods, jewelry, and gifts. St. Clair Clothing Company and Mad Mod Shop carry unique pieces that are genuinely hard to find back home. Stop for coffee, stop for chocolate, let the afternoon slow down. That’s Calistoga doing its thing.
Where to Eat in Calistoga
Food tends to be a highlight of any girls’ trip, and Calistoga punches well above its size when it comes to dining.
Guests start their mornings with a complimentary breakfast voucher to use at our favorite coffee shop, Calistoga Roastery, just a short walk down Lincoln Avenue. Grab a great coffee and a breakfast pastry before the day gets going. If the group wants to sleep in and do a full-on brunch, Cafe Sarafornia serves breakfast all day with hearty, classic diner fare. For something a little more special, Sam’s Social Club has a fresh, seasonal menu, great cocktails, and an outdoor patio with mountain views that make midday feel like a celebration.
For dinner, we point our groups toward Lovina for a seasonal menu built around local ingredients, which changes regularly but never disappoints. Evangeline is a great choice for something more elevated, perfect for celebrating a milestone or just because the occasion calls for it. And Solbar offers imaginative cuisine with either an outdoor or indoor setting with picturesque terrace views.
Getting Active: Hiking and Biking
Not every getaway centers on sitting still, and Calistoga has plenty for groups who like to move.
The Napa Valley Vine Trail runs right through town with car-free biking with vineyard views on either side. Calistoga Bike Shop has everything from cruisers to e-bikes and can arrange a guided tour tailored to the group’s pace and interests.
For hiking, Robert Louis Stevenson State Park is about 15 minutes from downtown. Mount Saint Helena Trail is a rewarding climb with views that stretch all the way to San Francisco Bay on a clear day. Table Rock Trail is a more moderate option with striking volcanic rock formations. Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, just 10 minutes south, has a beautiful Redwood Trail and a shorter hike to Linda Falls is worth catching in late winter or spring when the water is really running.
Calistoga’s Geothermal Spas: Don’t Skip Them
Calistoga’s geothermal spas are not just a nice add-on to a wine country trip for many groups; the spa day ends up being the thing everyone talks about afterward. Volcanic mud baths like these simply don’t exist anywhere else in wine country.
Golden Haven Hot Springs is great for groups, because their private treatment rooms accommodate up to four people together. Mud bath, mineral soak, cool-down room, all with your friends, not alongside strangers. It’s the full experience done right.
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort has been a Calistoga institution since 1952. Their signature treatment, The Works, combines a mud bath with a mineral soak, steam room, and blanket wrap. Three geothermal pools on site let guests stay and soak as long as they like.
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs features four outdoor mineral pools at varying temperatures from an 80-degree lap pool up to a 104-degree jet pool so your group can move between them throughout the day.
Indian Springs Resort has one of the largest naturally heated mineral pools in the area, 100 feet long, perfect for floating and actually relaxing without feeling crowded.
Spa reservations should be made before arriving. These fill up, especially on weekends.
Where to Stay in Napa Valley for Your Girls’ Getaway
At the end of a fun day with mud baths, wine, and a long dinner, where you come home to matters. The Craftsman Inn and the Wine Way Inn sit right in the heart of downtown Calistoga, steps from restaurants, shops, and tasting rooms. Each guest room is individually appointed with a private bathroom, and the shared living spaces are made for exactly what you’re picturing: morning coffee together, evening wine on the porch, nowhere to be, no rush.
Depending on group size, guests can rent one inn or both, giving everyone their own room, and more importantly, their own bathroom, while keeping the group together under one roof. That’s the detail groups always come back to mention. You’re together, but you have a little privacy still.
Start Planning Your Calistoga Girls’ Getaway
We suggest you don’t wait for a weekend. Midweek visits mean better rates, shorter waits at the spas, and that particular feeling of having a town almost to yourselves. Tuesday through Thursday in Calistoga is genuinely special.
Whether the trip is about celebrating something, reconnecting with people you never see enough of, or simply making space for yourselves, we would love to be the place your group comes home to at the end of the day.