Vineyard trails, gorgeous views, and terrific wine and food make Napa Valley a dream destination for cyclists of all levels.
Napa Valley is an ideal destination for a cycling trip, no matter your skill level. The Napa Valley Vine Trail offers 33-miles of a bike and pedestrian trail through wine country (when complete, it will offer 47). Beginners, families, or those who haven’t been on a bike for a while can rent e-bikes or sign up for guided tours, and experienced riders can find plenty of scenic routes of varying distance and elevation on the Strava app. Whether you’re bringing your own bike or need assistance getting fully equipped, here’s how to explore Napa Valley on two wheels.
Bike rentals and tours
For guided tours that include food, an e-bike and helmet, and a guide who can show you around and fix minor mechanical issues, Napa Valley Bike Tours offers half-day tours (10 to 12 miles and one winery, $159) and full-day tours (12 to 17 miles, two wineries, with a picnic lunch, $199). You can also rent a bike (cruisers from $44, pedal-assist e-bikes from $74, and road bikes from $94) from one of their three shops in Yountville, Napa, and St. Helena and opt for a self-guided tour, which comes with a picnic lunch delivered along your riding route and a pickup service for bottles of wine you purchase along the way.
Related: Our Favorite Places to Eat, Sleep, and Explore in Napa Valley
Where to stop, eat, and drink
In St. Helena, visit the Culinary Institute of America, where the on-campus restaurant and bakery café are run by chefs in training, and a marketplace offers culinary tools, artisan spices, and cookbooks. Farther south, Under-Study, the new market from Press Restaurant, has stellar pastries and savory items like a crunchy fried chicken sandwich with Padrón chile aioli. In Yountville, have a buttery croissant or a bouchon at Bouchon Bakery, then swing by Kollar Chocolates for artisan bonbons with inventive flavors. In the city of Napa, visit Oxbow Public Market for a hub of culinary vendors, from Hog Island Oyster Co. to Fatted Calf charcuterie.
Avid cyclists should not miss the Clif Family Winery tasting room in St. Helena, owned by the husband-wife duo behind Clif Bar. You can sip one of the best rosés in the valley and see Fred, a beat-up steel-frame road bike ridden in the Alps for a decade or so by Clif Bar founder Gary Erickson. Fred is now retired and mounted on the wall of the tasting room.
Related: You Can Bring Your Kids to These Napa Valley Wineries — and Actually Enjoy It
Follow a Best New Chef on Strava
Most avid cyclists use Strava, a social media platform with routes that can be downloaded onto a GPS-enabled bike computer used to navigate (and track stats like distance and speed) while riding, to find and navigate new places to ride. 2014 F&W Best New Chef Matthew Accarrino is one such cyclist…