Vacations can become expensive, especially long ones. Try some of the following tips to save some money while in Napa Valley while still enjoying wine country. Some of these tips are good to remember no matter what your destination.
1. Visit A Local Grocery Store
My favorite is Trader Joe's, there are locations basically everywhere including in Napa Valley in Yountville. Every region has its own grocery store chain so keep an eye out or do a quick search. On our way to our hotel we stopped at TJ's to pick up yogurts for breakfast, frozen dinners and finally all the fixings for our own wine and cheese night. We were about half way through our trip at this point and it had become obvious to me that dining out was burdensome on my wallet, especially with the added expense of tips. Eating at the hotel would also save us time and energy. The night we got in it was pretty late so grabbing ammunition let us still get in the mood of wine country. Keep in mind that getting sustenance from the store doesn't mean you can't indulge in snacks and local cuisine it just means you can sample/try without being at the mercy of others for your daily nutrition [being hangry is no bueno.]
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| Our own wine and cheese night courtesy of TJ's |
2. Choose Your Accommodations Wisely
Resist the urge to stay in a fancy hotel that is attached to a winery or resort. Take solace in this by remembering the practical purpose of your accommodations... you should be spending your time exploring not in your hotel room. Staying in these kinds of accommodations can add expense without adding value. On my recent trip, I got better acquainted with Air BNB, which you should always check. It is often a good value, includes amenities and often food/snacks. I did notice that it wasn't always the best value, furthermore, as a young female I would not stay in one of these if I was traveling alone. The things you should make sure are included no matter where you stay: microwave and fridge (even better if free breakfast). In fact, double check you have these amenities before stopping at the grocery store. Nothing worse than coming in with groceries that you can't store and/or eat.
3. Don't Assume Buying A Bottle Is The Best Deal
Before we actually made it to Napa Valley, we thought we could save some money by buying a bottle or two at some of the wineries. Before you assume that, check what each place's policies are about waiving tasting fees. Some places we visited required a single bottle purchase while another required two bottles, so there is clearly variation.
4. Share Wine Tastings
No wineries we visited seemed to have any issue with a single tasting being shared between two people. This can be especially helpful if you are visiting many wineries in one day and/or are keeping one person as a DD. After you get to winery number three or four, a whole tasting might be more than you can handle. You can always order a single glass of something you like or buy a bottle if you like something! Win-win
5. Skip The Package Tours
When we were looking at options in Napa Valley, there were a few all-day options that were $100+ without including tasting fees. What's more, you do not get to choose which wineries you visit. We did book one for our trip thinking not having to worry about the driving and planning would be worth it. If I were to go again, I'd save the money and customize my day. It's not that difficult to pick a few wineries and ride sharing services (e.g. Uber or Lyft) will allow you to enjoy responsibly.
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| Bacchus says, "Drink wine and be merry!" |
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