I am planning a day trip to Napa Valley in September. What is the best way to tour? I am mostly interested in the scenery and gourmet meals. Not so much in wine making.
I would definitely take the Silverado Trail (CA 121) rather than Highway 29 if you want to avoid the crowds while you take in the scenery. You can loop up the Silverado Trail to Calistoga, taking along a gourmet bag lunch purchased in Napa at the Soda Canyon Store, near the beginning of the route, then return via 29 where, along with the crowds, there are many wonderful restaurants.
Another vote for the Silverado Trail. There are great wineries along that route, including our favorite - Mumm. They have a nice patio where one can sip their bubbly wines while enjoying the peaceful view of the vinyard in the valley. There is a barn hall that often has art and photo exhibits, open to the winery visitors.
Call and see if you can get on the waiting list for the French Laundry in Yountville. And if they offer you a reservation, take it. And even if they don’t offer you a reservation, visit its bakery, Bouchon (a block away) and market garden (across the street).
I love great food, but I am not generally a fan of super-expensive restaurants like the French Laundry. Except for the French Laundry. It’s the only restaurant in that category where I have eaten in the past 20 years and felt that the quality of the food and the experience justified the cost.
If you can eat at the French Laundry, it will take a 3-4 hour chunk out of your day.
Something else to consider: a mud bath and massage in Calistoga.
I loved our meal at the French Laundry earlier this summer (after trying to get reservations three times!) I think more than most fancy restaurants they really work on making sure the food tastes great and not just interesting and beautiful. That said, I also really loved the other 3 Michelin star restaurant in Napa - the Restaurant at Meadowood. (Meadowood looks like a lovely place to stay if you have the $$$.) We only splurge on food! If you like hiking and history the Jack London State historic park just across the way in Sonoma provides easy hiking. We also hiked up the hills on the west side of the valley last trip and had nice views from the top. It was just a few miles round trip making it an easy morning activity. Second the suggestion of the mud bath and massage in Calistoga. We had ours at Indian Springs resort which also has a huge hot water swimming pool.
We are going in September and renting bikes for a one-day trip down the Silverado trail and some wineries. I feel like we “see” more on the bikes.
You do see more on a bike. I am not fond of riding a bike. It’s too much work and the bottom hurts. Do you recoomend taking the wine train?
The Silverado Trail is actually a 2-way road with speed limits up to 55 mph. You can definitely ride a bike on it - or drive. 
I feel like all I see is the road when I am on a bike. Haven’t done the wine train as this story left a bad taste in my mouth: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2016/04/20/black-women-kicked-off-napa-valley-wine-train-settle-racial-discrimination-case/83280120/
Not five star…but I had THE best brunch I’ve ever had at a place in Napa called Brixx. All of the seating looks out over the gorgeous mountains. Lots of farm to table things. Excellent food overall. I think there were six or seven stations…maybe more. Excellent.
We ate at Brixx for dinner one evening and had a good meal. Very pretty location. Another nice farm to table restaurant is The Farmstead in St Helena.
Mustard’s just north of Yountville.
@thumper1 Brix is one of our favorites and we always eat there at least once when in Napa. Good food and service, and such a beautiful location. The gardens are also lovely!
We were treated at Brix,so I’m not sure the cost…but I don’t think it was outrageous.
We are going to be out there at the end of October. Is that still a good time to tour the wineries?
End of October is a great time. The weather is beautiful. The height of the crush season will likely be over, so not too much frantic activity taking place, but still enough going on to be interesting.
More great restaurants - Press (St Helena), Bouchon (Yountville), Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch (St Helena), Rutherford Grill (Rutherford).
If your desire is to ride a bike along Napa Valley between Napa and Calistoga, passing numerous wineries, then the Silverado Trail is a good choice.
If you want a pleasant bike ride with lots of wineries, I’d recommend moving over one valley to the Sonoma Valley and riding Dry Creek Road/Westside Road out of Healdsburg instead. As a bike ride, Dry Creek Road is way better than the Silverado Trail. The Silverado Trail, as BunsenBurner said above, is a wide, moderately busy road. I love to ride my bike, but I wouldn’t travel from somewhere else to ride on the Silverado Trail.
@mathmom regarding #8, I am not sure I would appreciate people talking so loud in my train car having a party white or black. I probably wouldn’t kick them out but I would like it if everybody is more mindful of other passengers. Does that make me racist?
The Napa Valley Wine Train isn’t commuter rail. It’s a restaurant on rails. It’s a natural place for people having a party.
Skip the train. Explore on your own!