Exploring Napa Valley for the first time can be daunting. Our guests Josh & Andrew skipped renting a car, leaving the driving to the experts, and had an amazing time. Here’s how they did it.
Guest Blog by Joshua Kinsey: You Don’t Need a Car
We recently decided to check off a few items of our mutual bucket lists and travel to Napa Valley the week before Thanksgiving 2015. Little did we know, but that would turn out to be a perfect week – mostly in regards to weather. However, a few other things also contributed in making our trip perfect … the hospitality director, Eden, at Brannan Cottage Inn … the friendly town of Calistoga … and, of course, the WINE!
Our trip was not on a whim. I am a very organized individual and thus created an elaborate and very detailed itinerary for our time in the valley. I was careful to plan winery tours, book a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train and map out the best shopping districts. But one thing I didn’t do was rent a car! Keep in mind that the entire Napa Valley region is around 40 miles long … and we had bookings and reservations spread across the entire valley. So, why would I plan a detailed trip without renting a car?! Because Eden assured me, “You don’t need a car.”
Now, I am borderline OCD and I worried incessantly over every little detail of our trip – but I never once worried that we would need a car … because I genuinely felt I could trust someone who lives in the valley. And Eden was right … you really don’t need a car when you visit the valley! We were able to utilize a whole host of various modes of transportation during our visit. From Uber to the Tesla/Luxury Electric Wine Tours to the free, on-demand Calistoga Shuttle to a Calistoga taxi to – wait for it – even old fashioned walking! So, why waste money on renting a car, waste time on driving and sitting in traffic (we used that time to enjoy the scenery!) and waste even more money on gas? So, I am glad that while planning our trip to the Napa Valley region – down to the most minute detail, mind you – I listened to a seasoned veteran when she said, “You don’t need a car”!
Main photo: Andrew & Josh ready to enjoy a day of wine touring in a Tesla from Luxury Electric Wine Tours
Josh, Eden & Andrew selfie it up on the patio
Car Free Resources for a Greener way to Visit Napa Valley.
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