As the County seat for one of the world's Great Wine Capitals, the Napa name is synonymous with quality. We think that applies to our community and the people who make it what it is.
Visiting the City of Napa is an essential part of any trip to America's premier winegrowing region. The City of Napa offers a growing list of Zagat-rated restaurants, more than 20 wine bars and tasting rooms, top quality lodging, theaters and galleries, and diverse shopping opportunities.
Today Napa is becoming a vibrant and modern town with a respect for its past. Just down the road from our protected historic districts, home to some of northern California's finest Victorian homes, you will find visually stimulating contemporary architecture. Minutes from our many safe and comfortable neighborhoods is the popular Main Street "Restaurant Row" - already a crowd-pleaser and growing better every day. Our award-winning "living river" flood protection project is halfway to completion, making Napa safer while enhancing the ecosystem and providing stimulus to the economy and quality-of-life benefits. Napa is a city with a low crime rate, a high standard of living, clean air and nearly perfect weather.
The City of Napa is the principal city in the world-famous Napa Valley wine region. Although most wineries are located outside the City limits, wine has been produced in the City of Napa since the mid 1800s. Some historians say the the City's first winemaker was John Patchett, who worked with Charles Krug at a location near present-day Fuller Park in 1858.
While the winemaking mostly takes places in areas outside the City, there are multiple opportunities to taste the fruit of the vine without leaving town. There are about 20 wine bars and tasting rooms in the City and more on the way. Many of the wineries operating in Napa County have limited capacity to host visitors at their wineries, and increasingly look to the City of Napa to provide a tasting room experience.
The City of Napa features 43 neighborhood parks, community parks and open space areas, totalling some 748 acres. Portions of the Napa River Trail have been completed - a trail that will some day run the full six mile length of town from north to south. In addition, more park and trail opportunities are just a stone's throw from the City limits.
Visitors to the City of Napa will find some unique shopping opportunities. In the Downtown area there are a number of speciality shops catering to interest from retro fashion to dolls, and, as you might expect, there are plenty of places to browse selections of fine wine and wine related gifts.
The Napa River drains a watershed of more than 400 square miles as it flows from Mt. St. Helena to San Pablo Bay and on to San Francisco Bay. The lower 17 miles of the Napa River, including about six miles inside the City llimits of Napa, are part of the most significant estuary system on the west coast. The daily tides influence the Napa River as far north as Trancas Street.
The City of Napa is home to a bounty of beautiful Victorian-era homes and commercial buildings. Along our streets can be found places where history was made.
In many ways, Napa's historical sites reflect the history of California itself. The Bear Flag revolt that led to the state becoming part of the US began just a few miles to the north in 1846. The City was laid out by Nathan Coombs in 1848, and grew tremendously through the gold rush of 1849 and the later silver and mercury mining heydays.
Today you can walk the same streets where 49ers, Chinese laborers, lumber barons and early winemaking pioneers began building the City of Napa more than 150 years ago, and you will find many treasured historic structures still in use.
Housing Cost
Estimated median house or condo value in 2008: $565,800
Demographics
Population in July 2008: 74,547. Napa covers 17.7 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 17 feet above sea level. Zip codes: 94558, 94559, 94581.
Weather
Napa, CA climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 82.60 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is December with an average minimum temperature of 38.60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 19 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Napa is 26.46 Inches. Winter months tend to be wetter than summer months. The wettest month of the year is January with an average rainfall of 5.35 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
the winemaking mostly takes places in areas outside the City, there are multiple opportunities to taste the fruit of the vine without leaving town. There are about 20 wine bars and tasting rooms in the City and more on the way. Many of the wineries operating in Napa County have limited capacity to host visitors at their wineries, and increasingly look to the City of Napa to provide a tasting room experience.