Whether you have come to celebrate with friends, get away with a special someone, or vacation with the entire family, Napa Valley is your destination for a premier wine country adventure. Many visitors will begin the journey with air travel to one of several airports that offer convenient access to Napa Valley via shuttle, train, rental, or ferry service. Don’t worry, you won’t be starring in your own version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. We have suggestions to get you there in comfort, ease and little stress. But let’s face it, you’ll still be hankering for that glass of wine. Your are going to wine country after all.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
780 S Airport Blvd,
San Francisco, CA 94128
San Francisco International Airport, located roughly 60 miles from Napa, is the largest airport in the bay area and represents a major hub for travel in and out of the City. While virtually every form of transportation service is available from SFO, we recommend taking Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) from the airport to the San Francisco Ferry Building where passengers can board the Vallejo Ferry for a relaxing and scenic trip across the Bay. From Vallejo, travelers can pick up the Napa Vine route 11 shuttle to downtown Napa. Uber is also quite ubiquitous in these parts. Not up for more public transportation? Download the app and get delivered to your hotel from the ferry for under $30.
Insider Tip: Grab a hand made empanada from El Porteño at the Ferry Building before you leave, and wash it down with a pint of Villager IPA from Fort Point Beer Company. Not hungry in SF? There is also food and brewery options at the Vallejo Ferry terminal, not to mention a bar on the ferry.
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
1 Airport Dr.
Oakland, CA 94621
Budget conscious travelers looking at alternate airports for deals and international visitors to the wine country interested in bypassing the San Francisco bustle will have the option to land across the bay in Oakland. The airport itself is a bit smaller, but hosts millions of travelers per year nonetheless. OAK offers all of the usual transportation options; however, the best choice for ease and the value will be Evans Inc. airport transportation service. While Evans is a great way to get to Napa from OAK, they also offer private and group tours of their partnered wineries in lower Napa Valley.
Insider Tip: The shuttle from Oakland Airport to Napa is cash only, so prepare accordingly.
Charles M. Schulz Airport – Sonoma County Airport
2290 Airport Blvd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
If you are fortunate enough to be visiting from Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Phoenix, or Las Vegas, you can hop on an Alaska Airlines flight and land directly in Sonoma County Wine Country at Charles M. Schulz Airport. By far one of the best choices for transport from Sonoma to Napa Valley, Beau Wine Tours will meet you at the terminal then whisk you off to your destination in comfort.
Insider Tip: Beau Wine Tours also offers fantastic wine tours in both Napa Valley and Sonoma County. We recommend the VIP dinner service where you are treated to a sunset ride with champagne from your hotel to your restaurant of choice any where in the valley.
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
6900 Airport Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95837
Flying into Sacramento International Airport affords the traveler with a much more intimate airport experience than SFO and Oakland, yet still offers plenty of great dining and shopping on the premises. Getting out of the airport is easier too. Napa Shuttle & Limousine is the go to concierge and transport from California’s capital city airport, and in addition to providing a luxury ride to Napa Valley from the airport, they can also accommodate complete wine tours for those inclined to explore wineries and restaurants in Napa Valley.
Insider tip: Wine enthusiasts eager to begin their tasting experience will want to pop into Vino Volo at the Sacramento Airport’s Terminal A to sample wines from Napa, Sonoma, and beyond.
Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)
1701 Airport Blvd.
San Jose, CA 95110
Wine Country explorers heading to Napa Valley via the San Jose International airport will be greeted with a blend of art and technology indicative the Silicon Valley’s contribution to innovation. Browse futuristic sculptures in the lobby, or unwind from your flight over a tech-themed cocktail at Access Point Lounge before heading to baggage claim. For a relaxing ride to Napa, we recommend Pure Luxury Tours to take care of your transportation needs. In addition to boasting one of the largest chauffeured fleets in the region, as a Certified Green ground transportation company, Pure Luxury’s commitment to lessening the carbon impact on the environment makes them the natural choice.
Insider Tip: If you decide to rent a car and drive yourself to Napa, take I-680N, try to plan ahead and avoid morning(7am-9am) and evening (3p-7p) commute times and be sure to have $5 cash on hand for the Benicia Bridge toll.
We’ve chosen to highlight specific routes and operators to certain destinations. But many of them off service to all Bay Area airports. We can’t wait to see you, we’ll have wine waiting!