Things to Do in Calistoga

Northern California’s Wine Country draws visitors from all over the world, but where’s the most convenient place to stay? Calistoga is the only location that’s 30 minutes or less from these famous places: Internationally-known wineries such as Chateau Montelena (of the 1976 Paris blind-tasting fame) and Sterling Vineyards (where you arrive via solar-powered aerial tramway); spectacular wineries like Castello di Amorosa, a faithful re-creation of an Italian medieval castle; spas with natural geothermal waters and mud baths; award-winning boutique wineries; Old Faithful Geyser of California, the Napa Valley Wine Train, the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, hot air balloon rides, big-name entertainment, casinos, Safari West wildlife preserve, the Petrified Forest and much more.

Calistoga is the place to “center yourself” while enjoying the healing benefits of restorative spa treatments that feature natural spring waters. It is also an excellent place to center yourself geographically when visiting the area. It’s conveniently located in the beautiful, serene northern tip of the Napa Valley with immediate access to wine regions of neighboring Sonoma and Lake counties.

Outdoor Activities

The Calistoga Community Pool is open to cool off the whole family through September 6! Calistoga's beautiful aquatic center is located at Logvy Park, 1745 Washington Street at Oak Street, near the Napa County Fairgrounds. Phone: 707-942-2846. For a complete schedule of exercise and swimming classes, fees and class rates, visit their website.

Golfers have several nearby options including Napa’s Silverado Country Club, which they’ll recognize from many nationally-televised professional golf tournaments, as well as Calistoga’s 9-hole Municipal Course. For walkers and serious hikers there are abundant hiking trails that include scenic routes through Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and Bothe-Napa State Park, just minutes from downtown.

Cycling enthusiasts flock to the area for its miles of country roads that wind through some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. There are also bike paths along the Napa River and world-class mountain biking trails in the Palisade Mountains above Calistoga. Calistoga Bike Shop, Getaway Adventures and LifeCycle Adventures offer bike rentals and guided tours.

History and architecture buffs will find treasures on foot in Calistoga, from the 1874 Victorian known as the Elms (Calistoga’s first building on the National Register of Historic Places) to the original Brannan Resort cottages built in 1862 which are sprinkled around town; (one now houses the parlor of the Brannan Cottage Inn). Two other locations you shouldn’t miss: The Sharpsteen Museum, which displays beautiful and fascinating artifacts from Calistoga’s earliest days, including baskets made by the Wappo Indians, the area’s native people; and Pioneer Cemetery on Hwy 29, the historic and peaceful resting place of many important Calistogans.

Entertainment

Downtown Calistoga has the best nightlife in the Napa Valley, with live music every weekend at Brannan's Grill, Hydro Bar & Grill, and The Calistoga Inn, Restaurant & Brewery (which has live music seven nights a week all summer long). Bands lean toward blues, jazz, danceable rock, rockabilly and even Mariachi. The town also hosts numerous music and wine events each year, including the Mustard, Mud and Music Festival (first weekend in March), free weekly Concerts in Pioneer Park every Thursday from 6pm-8pm (June through mid-August), the Downtown Blues Festival (October 23rd), as well as year-round parades (Cinco de Mayo, the July 4th Silverado Parade & Napa County Fair, Halloween Parade and the Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade on the first Saturday in December). The Napa Valley Opera House, a variety of outdoor concerts, film festivals and art events at wineries are other entertainment options in the Calistoga area. For a current schedule of what's going on in Calistoga, visit our Events page.

Calistoga Speedway: Home of Louie Vermeil at Napa County Fairgrounds
The Green Bay Packers had Lombardi. The Yankees had Steinbrenner. Northern California sprint car racing had Louie Vermeil. When automobile racing first caught the public's imagination, it was Vermeil who led it into respectability as professional entertainment. When its popularity boomed after World War II, it was Vermeil's steady hand that guided it to prosperity and created a nationwide reputation for Calistoga Speedway that continues today, two decades after his death. In honor of his dedication to racing, the Speedway was renamed in his memory in 2009. Today the Calistoga Speedway hosts a variety of nationally ranked events to thrill sprint race fans, from the Golden State Challenge 420 Winged Sprint Cars with Dirt Modifieds on May 29-30; AMA Pro Calistoga Half Mile International, July 31; the Civil War Series 360 Winged Sprint Cars on Aug. 7; and the USAC-CRA Louie Vermeil Classic on Sept. 4-5, 2010.