<p>It might be too late for French Laundry, unless you have a hook or are a regular. Normally, you need to make reservations 3 months ahead. To be a regular is difficult, it costs over $300/ea prefix excluding wine.</p>
<p>But Ad Hoc, same chef (T. Keller), is an awesome experience!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/ad-hoc-yountville-2[/url]”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/ad-hoc-yountville-2</a></p>
<p>just got back from a day trip to Sebastopol, Calistoga and Healdsburg. </p>
<p>Healdsburg is the most up-scale of the above and has nice shopping and restaurants around the central park. I saw that one of the boutique hotels had bicycles available to use. </p>
<p>Even if you don’t drink wine, the wineries can be interesting - art, food, architecture, and the beautiful landscape.</p>
<p>For an interesting take on massage and ‘mud’ bath, check out Osmosis. They have cedar enzyme baths. [Sonoma</a> California Day Spa Near Santa Rosa, Napa, Wine Country](<a href=“http://www.osmosis.com/]Sonoma”>http://www.osmosis.com/)</p>
<p>As a rule of thumb, I recommend Sonoma County over Napa</p>
<p>Enthusiastically second Indian Springs in Calistoga. We have been going there for years. The super-Olympic sized pool with geyser water is a trip, and the mudbaths are great.</p>
<p>Also enthusiastically second The French Laundry and (more realistically) Ad Hoc. It’s worth driving by just to see TFL’s fantastic kitchen gardens.</p>
<p>A venerable St. Helena restaurant where I have had some yummy meals is Tra Vigne. Napa Tuscan. Great wine advice from the waiters. Not cheap, but nothing like The French Laundry. Lots of people also like Bistro Jeantot. I didn’t think it was special, but that may just have been bad luck. </p>
<p>Auberge de Soleil is a super-high-end resort up in the hills. I’ve never had more than a drink there, but it is sensationally beautiful.</p>
<p>The last time I was in Napa, I had a wonderful meal at a Mexican restaurant in Calistoga about 500 feet from Indian Springs – fish tostadas for about $9. Yum!</p>
<p>In the winery-cum-art-museum department, check out Pegasus Vineyard in Calistoga. Really sensational sculpture.</p>
<p>Point Reyes is beautiful, wonderful hiking. We have also had nice hikes at Mt. Tamalpais and Tennessee Valley in Marin County. Bodega Bay is a nice beach to go to in Marin, too . . . and the location for Hitchcock’s The Birds!</p>
<p>bike riding in Calistoga and beyond…the art at Hess winery, and the Sterling tram, definitely wonderful memories…enjoy!</p>
<p>I second Tra Vigne and the Girl and the Fig. Never made it to French Laundry!!</p>
<p>We were just at Indian Springs in Castiloga this summer. It was fun. I thought the spa treatment was a hoot and for the time well worth the money.</p>
<p>You can have French Laundry quality bread and pastries at the Bouchon Bakery in St. Helena. (They supply the restaurant.)</p>
<p>Wonderful suggestions! Thank you so much!</p>