A Culture-Curious Guide to Downtown Napa

For the culture-focused, we recommend planning your stay so that you are able to attend the Napa Farmer’s Market, which takes place on Tuesday and Saturday mornings from 8am to 12pm. There, you can shop a wide variety of locally-made goods and gift items, as well as fresh produce from producers around Napa Valley. Plan to spend a few hours there, so you have plenty of time to stroll through each booth — you don’t want to miss any hidden gems! Once you’ve stocked up on handcrafted souvenirs, stop for a bite to eat at Petit Soleil. This intimate brunch spot offers all your classic breakfast staples against the backdrop of a handpainted mural, perfect for a mid-morning photo op.

After your morning brunch, take a stroll to the Rail Arts District, a two-mile stretch running parallel to the Napa Valley Vine Trail and Napa Valley Wine Train tracks. RAD Napa includes murals created by world-renowned artists. A selection of some 400 artists can be seen along the RAD with more to be added in the coming years. Once you’ve admired the works along RAD, head further into Downtown, where more fascinating art pieces can be found. Depending on when you visit, you’ll be able to see exhibits from the Napa ARTWalk, a biannual exhibition of sculptures created by a variety of artists from the Western U.S. These rotating exhibitions remain on view for 24 months, and during this time, community members are encouraged to vote for their favorite sculpture to award it a People’s Choice Award. Even the utility boxes around here are works of art! Thanks to the Napa Wrap Art project, which turned thirteen utility boxes into art installations, you can find art on every corner of Downtown.

As the day winds to a close, turn your attention to the culinary offerings, sure to please even the most discerning of palates, available here in Downtown. The Grove, the restaurant of the CIA at Copia, features a stylish blend of art, history and, of course, food. Before dinner, you can stroll through the Chuck Williams Culinary Museum and take a look at its massive collection of historical culinary artifacts. Then, as you sit down for dinner, you can catch a glimpse of the culinary gardens, where many of the restaurant’s ingredients are grown and harvested. The Mediterranean-inspired menu showcases seasonal flavors, all prepared by the expert hands of CIA graduates.

Before you call it a night, you may have time to catch a live performance at Blue Note Napa, an intimate jazz club and bar that holds performances several nights a week. Or, check the performance schedules of the Uptown Theatre or the Oxbow River Stage, two larger venues that often house concerts, comedy shows and more. If you’re here any time in January or February, a must-see Downtown after dark attraction is the Lighted Art Festival, an annual tradition that celebrates the dazzling intersection between technology, art and innovation.