BottleRock Napa Valley
Each year, BottleRock Napa Valley celebrates the first taste of summer in wine country. This 3-day music, wine, food and brew festival in Napa, California features multiple music stages, a culinary stage, afterdark shows, spa experiences, and more! Make Calistoga Motor Lodge your home base for each day of endless memories while attending the festival.
Calistoga Wellness Week
Every April, Calistoga Motor Lodge and the town of Calistoga celebrate healthy living, wellness, and Earth Day with a series of activities like hiking, events and concerts, and special spa experiences. Ask our front desk and spa teams how to join in the week’s festivities and focus on a better you.
Mustard Season in Calistoga
Every February to March, witness an explosion of bright yellow across Napa Valley as wild mustard blooms usher in the start of Springtime and a new growing season. Mustard is planted between vineyard rows as a cover crop to protect the soil and replenish it with nutrients, while also attracting beneficial insects, preventing erosion, and warding off grapevine pests. It’s one of Napa Valley’s best kept secrets, and makes for incredible photo ops!
Bike Along the Silverado Trail
Take the scenic route through rolling green hills dappled with towering oak groves along Napa Valley’s iconic Silverado Trail. This two-lane, 30 mile country road was developed in 1852 and connects the towns of Napa and Calistoga, dotted with stunning views and world-class vineyards the entire way. Take a drive with tasting stops along the way, or better yet, explore via our cruiser bikes to truly take in the not-to-miss views.
S’mores and Jiffy Pops at the Fire Pit
Ease into the evening at our poolside fire pit with s’mores and Jiffy Pops, available for sale at the front desk. What better way to end your day?
Bennett Lane Loop
(Walk + Run) 3.8 miles. This is a great loop on flat terrain surrounded by vineyards with beautiful views of the Paliisades Mts.
Trails at Bothe Napa Valley
(Hike+Walk+Picnic) 1.5-4.5 miles. Located about 4.5 miles from Calistoga, it’s a great hiking or picnic location. It contains the farthest inland coast redwoods in 12 California state parks, and offers a variety of year-round walking and hiking trails.
Robert Louis Stevenson
(Hike+Bike) 5 miles. The state part is located between the Napa & Lake County
lines about 8 miles from Calistoga, and offers a 5 mile hike to the summit of Mount 11
St. Helena from which much of the Bay Area can be seen on clear days. Rough terrain with evergreen forests in the canyons on north facing slopes, and chaparral on the south facing slopes.
Oat Hill Mine Trail
(Bike+Hike+Picnic+Sunrise) 8.3 miles. 1,900 feet. Dog, horse or mountain bike 10
friendly. Medium grade, this fantastic trail offers stunning valley views right from the get-go. It leads all the way to Robert Louis Stevenson, but, well, you’d have to camp overnight it’s that far. But, in about two hours you’ll be at the top where the wagon wheel ruts are still carved into the trail from the mining years. And, you’ll also see parts off the remaining mining camp.
Napa Valley Wine Train
The Napa Valley Wine Train provides a relaxing three-hour, thirty-six mile round-trip journey from the historic town of Napa, through one of the world’s most well known wine valleys to the quaint village of St. Helena, and back.Guests aboard the Wine Train enjoy a freshly prepared lunch or dinner inside a fully restored 1917 Pullman Dining Car or 1952 Vista Dome car as they pass the vineyards and wineries of Napa Valley.
Petrified Forest
A number of huge redwoods in this forest point away from Mount St. Helena, which once erupted violently.
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Built in 1846, this water-powered mill served Napa Valley’s farmers who brought their wheat grain and dried corn to the mill to be ground into flour and meal. Bale Grist Mill has one of the largest water wheels in the country and still mills grain the old-fashioned way! Visitors can take home organic wheat flour, cornmeal or polenta.
Old Faithful Geyser of California
Small, scenic geyser back-dropped by palms & mountains, plus a gift shop with locally made goods.
Safari West
Nestled on 400 acres in the heart of California’s wine country, Safari West is home for over 400 exotic mammals and birds. Not a zoo, not a drive-through park, it’s a wildlife preserve where the whole family can experience some of nature’s most beautiful animals in a natural habitat. An extraordinary world where people have the rare opportunity to feel the spirit of Africa, right in the heart of northern California’s wine country.
Calistoga Roastery
Offering a full array of in-house freshly baked scones, muffins, croissants and danish. Homemade granola, bagels with all the fixings, breakfast sandwiches and of course full espresso bar, smoothies, and the home of the bottomless cup of fresh roasted coffee.
Bella Bakery
Bella Bakery offers delicious baked goods as well as homemade English muffins to create delightful breakfast sandwiches. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes – Bella Bakery covers them all and does it right. Stop in for a cup of tea or coffee for your morning but don’t pass up on their case of scrumptious treats to go along with your beverage. Providing warm service and a host of pastry options – you can’t go wrong with any of the tasty choices here.
Checkers Restaurant
Understated cafe with simple, modern decor offering Italian basics, including pasta & pizza.
Hydro Grill
Hydro Bar & Grill offers a cozy atmosphere, lunch specials and a full bar. Featuring live music on the weekends, the grill offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Patrons love the casual atmosphere and reasonable prices – and the location in downtown Calistoga can’t be beat! Whether coming in for a casual brunch or a hearty dinner – Hydro Bar & Grill can accommodate all tastes. Be sure to try the burger and stay for the nightlife!
Busters Original Southern BBQ
Popular roadside window doling out Southern-style smoked meats & sides, with indoor/outdoor seating.
Sam’s Social Club
Upscale New American fare in a bright eatery with a fireplace, a bar for local drinks & a patio.
Susie’s Bar
Enduring local watering hole with draft beers, local wines & specialty cocktails, plus pool tables.
Calistoga Farmers Market
A Certified Farmers’ Market every Saturday at the Sharpsteen Plaza on Washington Street in downtown Calistoga. Market offers a variety of farm fresh produce and food purveyors. There are also a variety of crafters and live music. (proprietary website)
The Carmel Gallery in Calistoga
The Carmel Galleries feature a stunning collection of fine art landscape photography by Olof & Elizabeth Carmel, along with a unique and exciting collection of sculpture, woodwork, jewelry, glass art and home décor.
Carlo Marchiori Art Studio
Carlo Marchiori is a famous Italian painter who mixes imagination with tradition. Check out his classically-based phallus sculptures – yes, for real, well, not that kind of real. Carlos is also famous for huge murals at Belagio and Venetian in Vegas, but he also did the mural in the alley in downtown Calistoga.
The Gallery at Indian Springs
If you curious to see what the high mineral content of our hot springs does to plumbing, this gallery has beautiful art pieces using the crystallized pipes.
Ca’toga Galleria D’Arte
Featuring the exclusive works of Carlo Marchiori, world-renowned artist who offers an enormous variety of creations, including ceiling murals, porcelain, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, furniture, watercolor, tiles, stone plaques, accessories, books, cards, posters and more.
Schramsberg Vineyards
Founders, Jack and Jamie Davies have been running this winery since 1965. The 1965 Blanc de Blancs came to be, and would be the first commercial use of Chardonnay in American sparkling wine.
Bennett Lane Winery
Surrounded by vineyards with a gorgeous view of the Palisades Mts, the wines are rich and juicy.
Chateau Montelena Winery
One of the most famous wineries in Napa Valley This French chateau with beautiful gardens and pond won the 1976 Paris tasting, and was featured in the movie “Bottle Shock”.
Lava Vine & Von Strasser Winery
Rudy Von Strasser has played an integral role in the development of Diamond
Mountain District AVA. Their portfolio of world class wines extends to Lava Vine’s lesser known varietals. Right behind our motel.
Quixote Winery
Quixote is a boutique gem in the Stags Leap District, about a half-hour south of the Lodge. Quirky, whimsical, irreverent, the winery was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who was thinking green before Green Architecture and LEED certification were even on the horizon. Be dazzled by the colors and curves of this charming building, but stay for the killer wines and hospitality.
Platypus Tours
You can avoid all of the work and stress of planning your Napa Valley or Sonoma wine region visit by allowing us to guide you through a most compelling and memorable day in the wine country!
On our small group join-in wine tours, you’ll meet other wine adventurers on a roomy shuttle led by one of our friendly and informative tour guides. We’ll pick you up from your area lodging for a day filled with fun, flavor and adventure!
Or…make it private! We’re happy to accommodate couples or groups of any size for customized tours through the wine country.
Picnic Along Oat Hill Mine Trail
Sure, maybe you didn’t come to Calistoga to break a sweat. But if you came to enjoy the view, you’ll find plenty to see along the Oat Hill Mine Trail—and plenty of spots to stop for a scenic picnic. What opened in 1893 as a route connecting mercury mines that stretched from Calistoga to Aetna Springs (you can still spot the ruts made by wagon wheels along its volcanic rocky road), the 8.3-mile hike meanders along ancient lakes, brush-covered hillsides, and one of the best views of Nappa Valley at 1,500 feet.