The largest city in the Napa Valley, Napa is conveniently located approximately 1 hour south of San Francisco and 1 hour west of Sacramento. With a population of approximately 80,000 people, Napa offers many conveniences while maintaining a small-town feel. There are various neighborhoods within the city of Napa, each with its own distinctive vibe. As a Napa native, I can help you narrow down the parts of town that best suit your home buying needs.
World-Class Dining
Napa offers a variety of entertainment venues, world-class dining options, and a wide array of wineries and tasting rooms. Downtown Napa has experienced a revival in the past decade making it a destination in its own right. New and hip restaurants such as La Taberna, Zuzu, and Oenotri showcase downtown Napa's upscale global cuisine while top chefs such as Morimoto and Charlie Palmer also make their mark on the scene.
Oxbow Market
The Oxbow Market is another attraction that has become a focal point of downtown Napa's culinary scene. Set right on the Napa River, the Oxbow offers a variety of curated shops, specialty food vendors such as The Fatted Calf, Model Bakery, and Five Dot Ranch, and dining options. C Casa, Hog Island Oyster Co., and The Kitchen Door are a few of the dining options available while on your journey to acquire items to restock the pantry or cook a gourmet dinner at home.
Entertainment
Once thought of for having no nightlife options, Napa now boasts venues such as The Blue Note & The Uptown Theater which offer live, world-class performances to bring the town to life at night. In recent years Napa has become home to one of the biggest music festivals in the country. Bottle Rock brings an all-star lineup of musicians and chefs to town every Memorial Day Weekend for a musical and culinary extravaganza.
Wine
Downtown Napa is home to a slew of tasting rooms bringing Napa Valley's world class wines together in one convenient location. Some of the Napa Vintners who host tasting rooms in or near downtown include Mayacamus, Vineyard 29, Krupp Brothers, Gustavo, Brown, Acumen, and Blackbird among many others. In addition to individual vintner tasting rooms there are several tasting bars that feature several vintners pouring under the same roof. These include: OUTLAND (Farella, POE, & Forlorn Hope), REBEL Vintners (Uncharted, Cadle Family & Leaf & Vine), Vintners Collective, The Wine Thief and wine bars such as Cadet who host vintners and showcase local wines.
Napa is also home to two very distinguished appellations: Coombsville to the East and Carneros to the West. Coombsville is known for its cooler climate, rich volcanic soils and is home to world-class Bordeaux varietals. My father, Bill Frazier, was one of the first to plant Bordeaux varietals in this region which, until 2011, was not an officially recognized appellation. Carneros, due to its proximity to San Pablo bay, produces both crisp, balanced sparkling wines and rich, earthy Merlots and Pinots. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grow especially well in this region and make up the majority of the varietals grown here.
Living in Napa
The City of Napa is comprised of twenty-six neighborhoods, each neighborhood has it’s own distinct character, history, and needs. View the City of Napa Police Beat Boundaries and Neighborhoods Map (PDF) for the geographic location and boundaries of each neighborhood. I highlight some of the most popular neighborhoods within Napa below in addition to resources for living in Napa.
