This Vintage Wine Train In California Is A Scenic Exploration Of Food & Booze
On the tracks of a late 1800s Napa Valley, California train line that once carried freight and travelers from the resort spa town of Calistoga down to the ferries to San Francisco in Vallejo, you can now ride in 100-year-old Pullman train cars, dining on luxurious multicourse meals as you watch vineyards pass by. Along the way, you stop at noteworthy landmarks and famed Napa Vineyards for tours and tastings. No longer a commuter or freight route, the historic line became the Napa Valley Wine Train in 1989, taking people on wine-centered experiential trips from Napa to St. Helena, California.
The train has many different experiences to choose from, all passing through the beautiful terrain that helped make Napa Valley a world-class wine destination. From the six-hour Legacy Experience ride stopping at the Charles Krug and V. Sattui vineyards with a four-course meal served throughout, to the two-hour Santa Train Jolly Ride with hot cocoa, elves, and Santa Claus.
There's even murder! Only if you sign up for the immersive murder mystery dinner theater experience, where you enjoy a three-course meal while trying to figure out "who done it." You're encouraged to dress up for the era, ensuring the vintage train car will transport you to another age.
What it's like on the train
The train includes a domed viewing car, andvintage open-air passenger and lounge cars full of beautiful hardwood and old-world detailing. The Legacy Experience takes place on a smaller train with the historical passenger and open air cars. A one-hour wine tasting experience takes place in the open air car as you trundle through vineyards full of next year's harvest. If this is your first wine tasting, make sure you read our guide so you don't look like an amateur!
In a restored 1915 Pullman car you can have a sumptuous high tea experience while sitting in plush chairs facing the windows to enjoy the incredible views. Beautiful floral arrangements drape down from the ceiling as course after course of tea, scones, sandwiches, and petit fours are brought out to you.
In a relatively modern, 1952 glass dome Pullman car, you can indulge in a leisurely three-hour, four-course lunch or dinner. From your dining booth, you'll have a 360-degree view of the hills and mountains framing the rows upon rows of grape vines. During the dinner hour, you'll watch the sun set over the coastal mountains and the stars slowly take its place.
Prices for the train are a bit more than your typical commuter trip. Out and back trips cost anywhere from $120 for a ride with Santa on the cookie car to around $860 for the Legacy Experience. Add-ons like sweet treats or extra wine flights cost another $80 to $155.