Wine Aboard! The Ride of a Lifetime

Napa Valley Wine Train

For my 40th birthday celebration, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, Napa Valley. While I had no doubts about the where I was unsure of the what. Would there be enough activities to do in Napa? Would my husband enjoy a vineyard vacation? Would there be any good food spots? Would I be able to wear some super cute outfits during my time in the wine country? YES, YES, YES & YES! Napa Valley checked off every item on my birthday trip wishlist and then some! The true highlight of my Napa visit was the incredible Napa Valley Wine Train.

All You Need to Know About The Wine Train

The Wine Train is a three-hour 36-mile round-trip journey from downtown Napa to St. Helena and back. It’s a beautifully scenic ride through the breathtaking Napa Valley wine country. The train itself features vintage Pullman rail cars as well as an open-air car (one of our wine tastings was held on the open-air car!). It was so exciting to experience the train ride, I felt as though I was living in the glory days of train travel!

The Napa Wine Train offers several different experiences, so depending on your preference, time limit, and budget, there are multiple experiences to choose from. Because it was my oh-so-special 40th birthday, I decided to splurge and go all out with the Full Day, Legacy Experience, and I DO NOT REGRET IT!

The Legacy Experience

Here is everything that is included in the Legacy Experience package:

• Full-day 6-hour adventure through Napa Valley including;
• 3 hours on the train through Napa Valley *Our trip departed at 10:15 am
• A welcome glass of sparkling wine
• 4-course wine country-inspired meal
• 1-hour vineyard tasting & photo opportunities at the Napa Valley Sign
• 1 hour each, tour and tasting at Charles Krug and V. Sattui Winery

The Famous Napa Valley Sign

Taking photos at the Napa Valley welcome sign was such a fun bonus and it’s included in the Legacy Experience! It was a great opportunity to meet other folks on the train and we had a blast taking photos!

Overall Experience

I would highly recommend the Napa Valley Wine Train. Every single staff member we interacted with was so pleasant and engaging. The staff somehow knew who was celebrating a birthday, anniversary, honeymoon, or other special occasion and went out of their way to make you feel special without it being juvenile or embarrassing (no staff off-key “Happy Birthday” songs). From the folks on the train to the families working at the wineries, everyone was simply amazing! All of the wine was incredible (stating the obvious here, it is NAPA after all) and I purchased a case of 2020 Gamay Rouge from the V. Sattui Winery. The vineyard offered a deep discount since we were guests of the Wine Train, and they shipped the case back for us to North Carolina at no additional charge!

Final Details

As I mentioned earlier, I selected the Leagacy Experience, and the tickets were $430.00 per person. After taxes and fees, the total cost for 2 tickets was $925.00. I purchased my tickets about 2 months before my departure and I’m glad I did. Seating is limited for the Legacy Experience and seats sell fast! Besides souvenirs and the cheesy “staged” photo we purchased aboard the Wine Train, there were no additional costs. Our meals & wine were all included in the ticket price.

If you’re looking for a classy but fun adventure in the beautiful wine country of Napa Valley, look no further than the Napa Valley Wine Train! Please let me know if you’ve experienced the Wine Train yourself or if you have questions about my experience!

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