HotelTonight – St. Helena, CA Hotels at the Ready
I love to drive through Napa country. The rolling hills, the vineyards, the towns… everything seems absolutely perfect when you look at it from the road. I drive a lot for work, so I'm always happy to hear that I'll be driving through that gorgeous part of the world on my way to and from meetings. That said, I found out recently that one of my general beliefs about Wine Country was that most of the communities were basically the same, as all of them made and sold wine, and welcomed tourists every day with open arms. While that much may be true, a series of events led me to spend 24 hours exploring one particular community. I came away realizing how unique it was and how much I wanted to continue to explore other places in the area. I was driving near a place called St. Helena early one morning when I got a call telling me that suddenly, my entire day was open. I decided to stop there to spend 24 hours checking it out. I would book a St. Helena, CA hotel room that evening with my HotelTonight app when it was time.
Downtown
The first part of St. Helena I got to see was downtown. This is a city with fewer than 6,000 permanent residents, but the scene was so idyllic I didn't even think about its size. The old, beautiful buildings lined the main drag, perfectly trimmed trees lined the sidewalks and locals bandied about, going about their business happily. I was surprised at first, but as I continued walking I got used to people smiling at me warmly and greeting me genuinely. They were doing that to each other, too, so it was obvious that this is a happy place to live.
The Wineries
Yes, like other communities in the region, there are quite a few wineries in and around St. Helena. However, the two I toured were family-owned and had been for generations. Theirs were particular blends of wine that they only sold to local retailers. I found that quite unique, as every other winery I had been to tried to maximize their sales as much as possible. I toured the fascinating facilities and tasted a few wines. I also bought a few bottles to bring home, as I wouldn't be able to get them anywhere else.
The Dining
Throughout the day, I kept hearing about a farm-to-table restaurant that was basically legendary there. I had to try it. I walked in, and it looked like a converted loft in a big city, but the smell was incredible. I ordered my fried chicken and mashed potatoes, expecting them to be good. What I got was great. The freshness of the food nearly exploded into my mouth with each bite, and I washed it all down with a lovely local wine. It was a memorable dinner to be sure.
HotelTonight – St. Helena, CA Hotels Are Available
I was very full and very happy to have seen such a unique community that day. I opened my HotelTonight app and booked a St. Helena, CA hotel room in seconds. Soon, I'd be in a comfortable bed, happy with what I had seen and learned there.
