World-class food, unexpected art and outdoor adventures add fresh flavors to America’s premier wine region.

Located just 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, the celebrated Napa Valley offers a lot more than just exceptional vintages. Its fertile soil and mild Mediterranean climate have also shaped a culinary haven offering unforgettable food. Colorful hot-air balloons drift over the valley’s vineyard-draped hills. And groups will find a wealth of art, music and outdoor adventures to enjoy between tastings.

Napa Valley’s winemaking heritage dates to the 19th century, when Prussian immigrant Charles Krug established its first commercial winery in 1861 and opened California’s first public wine tasting room in 1882. In 1976, Napa shocked the wine world when its Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon triumphed over celebrated French wines in a blind tasting in Paris. Fifty years after the “Judgment of Paris,” the valley’s appeal extends far beyond what’s found in a glass.

Sara Brooks, a third-generation Napa native, is chair of the city of Napa’s Tourism Improvement District and general manager of the Napa River Inn and Historic Napa Mill. She credits Copia — the food, wine and arts center established by Robert and Margrit Mondavi — with accelerating the city’s development. Today, restaurants, tasting rooms, hotels and entertainment venues fill the walkable downtown, while agricultural preservation policies protect the rustic character of “up-valley” vineyards in the north end of the valley.

“Napa is a different world, and it’s lovely,” Brooks said. “It’s a really cool place to be.”

Oxbow District

From perfectly grilled meats, crusty artisan breads and delicate, buttery pastries to the pleasures of preparing a delicious meal from scratch, the Culinary Institute of America at Copia offers plenty to tempt all appetites. Professional chef instructors lead hands-on classes covering baking, grilling and international cuisines. Participants chop, knead, season and cook before sitting down to enjoy their creations, and private experiences can be arranged for groups.

Beyond the classroom, visitors can explore the Chuck Williams Culinary Arts Museum, enjoy garden-to-table dining at The Grove, sample wines at the Wine Bar or shop themselves silly in the culinary marketplace.

“Copia has theater-style small cooking classes that groups can do together,” Brooks said. “That’s always very popular.”

Back in downtown, Oxbow Public Market showcases the region’s appetite for good food. Visitors can slurp fresh oysters at Hog Island Oyster Bar, browse artisan cheeses and gourmet specialties, and indulge in handmade chocolates before relaxing on the market’s riverside deck. The Napa Valley Wine Train also departs from the district, carrying passengers through the vineyards in restored vintage railcars. Special experiences include multicourse meals, murder mystery entertainment and seasonal barefoot grape stomping at Grgich Hills Estate.

For a different hands-on experience, Studio Roeper offers private charcuterie-board workshops using California black walnut that’s milled from fallen area trees.

Napa Music Hall and Uptown Theatre

Downtown Napa’s historic theaters bring entertainment and architectural character to an evening out. Napa Music Hall occupies the former Napa Valley Opera House, a 19th-century landmark newly transformed into two performance spaces. The upstairs ballroom accommodates up to 650 people for standing-room concerts, while a downstairs club seats 160 for more intimate performances featuring acoustic music, jazz and comedy.

“There’s a lot of flexibility,” Brooks said. “They can do smaller shows, they can do bigger shows. It’s just a wonderful venue.”

A short stroll away, the Uptown Theatre offers another kind of spectacle. The 1937 art deco movie palace underwent a significant restoration before reopening as a live-performance venue in 2010. During renovations, workers uncovered a Greco-Roman ceiling fresco hidden beneath layers of blue paint. Artists restored the mural, and chandeliers were re-created using historic photographs of the theater’s original interior.

Both venues can accommodate group ticket arrangements, and their downtown locations make it easy to combine dinner and a performance.

Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art

In the valley’s Carneros region, contemporary sculptures dot the rolling grounds of the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, where vineyards frame a picturesque lake. The 217-acre property is devoted to Northern California’s artistic heritage. The collection of more than 1,600 works includes pieces by Robert Arneson, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo and Roy De Forest. Nearly 80 outdoor sculptures share the grounds with walking trails and vineyard views, creating a unique setting for exploring the region’s art.

Private guided tours give groups an opportunity to explore the galleries and sculpture grounds. Brooks particularly enjoyed an art scavenger hunt at di Rosa.

“You go, and you find different kinds of art,” she said. “It sounds kiddie, but we actually did it as a leadership team, and it was super fun.”

The connection between art and wine continues at Hess Persson Estates on Mount Veeder, where a contemporary art collection offers another reason to visit. Brooks brought her children there simply to enjoy the artwork.

“You can just go look at the art collection,” she said. “You don’t even have to taste wine.”

Napa River and Vine Trail

From a kayak or paddleboard, the Napa River reveals a different side of wine country. The waterway curves past downtown’s historic waterfront before winding toward the broader landscapes of the Napa River estuary. Guided excursions allow visitors to explore the river, with outings for groups of up to 20 or 30 possible using a combination of kayaks and paddleboards.

The Napa Valley Wine Yacht offers a more leisurely perspective on the river, taking up to 12 passengers on three-hour private excursions aboard a 50-foot power catamaran. Customized wine tastings can be arranged during a cruise, allowing guests to savor local vintages while soaking up the views.

Back on dry land, the Napa Valley Vine Trail offers another way to experience the scenery. The developing paved trail network includes a 12.5-mile stretch connecting Napa and Yountville, with opportunities to admire the vineyards along the way. Bicycle rentals and one-way options let visitors stop for lunch or a tasting in Yountville without retracing their route.

visitnapavalley.com