Napa Valley in December 2026: Wine Tasting, Weather & Christmas Activities

What Is Napa Valley Weather Like in December?

Expect cool mornings, mild to cool afternoons and a fair chance of rain. Long-term averages for the city of Napa give a December high of about 59°F (15°C) and a low of about 40°F (4°C), with rain on about 8 days in the month. These are averages and no forecast for any week in December 2026; our best-time guide explains where the figures come from.

The weather can change a lot over a short trip. A clear afternoon can be warm enough for a sheltered terrace, and the next morning gray and wet, better spent in a tasting room. Low cloud or fog often sits over the vineyards in the morning, and winter storms can bring heavy rain as well as the odd shower.

December weather at a glance

What to pack: a medium-weight waterproof jacket, comfortable water-resistant shoes or boots, warm layers, a small umbrella and something smart enough for a winery lunch or dinner. You do not need snow gear on the valley floor, but don’t plan an outdoor tasting on the hope of a dry day.

If you are choosing your dates by the weather, compare December with November and February in our best-time-to-visit Napa guide.

Is December Too Late for Napa Valley Wine Tasting?

No. Harvest is seasonal; wine tasting runs all year. In December you taste wine that is already made, and you will not see grapes being picked. Several kinds of tasting suit the cooler months:

1. Seated tastings: guided flights in indoor tasting rooms, with time to talk about the wines.
2. Wine caves: barrel-lined underground rooms that suit a winter visit, if the tour runs on your date.
3. Food and wine pairings: cheese, small bites or a multi-course lunch with the wines.
4. Sparkling wine tastings: a good choice for a holiday or anniversary trip.
5. Cabernet tastings: Napa’s best-known red goes well with cold weather, though you should order what you enjoy.

Many wineries need an appointment even in the quieter season. A December weekday is often less crowded, but walk-ins are not guaranteed, so book the cave tour or estate you want before planning the rest of the day.

For a first visit, our Napa wine tasting guide explains tasting formats, reservations, etiquette and how many wineries to plan.

Best Napa Valley Winery Experiences in December

These are kinds of tasting and well-known wineries to consider. They are no list of Christmas Day openings or free slots.

1. Wine caves for wet weather

Wine caves suit December because the whole visit is indoors. Visit Napa Valley’s rainy-day suggestions include:

• Schramsberg Vineyards, Calistoga: sparkling wine and a historic cave network. Book a cave tour; do not turn up without one.
• Jarvis Estate, Napa: a large underground winery; check booking rules and holiday dates.
• Pine Ridge Vineyards, Stags Leap District: a winery with cave and indoor tastings to look into.
• Brasswood Estate, St. Helena: dining plus cellar and cave tastings.
• Davis Estates, Calistoga: another estate with caves.

Not every cave tour runs daily or takes children. Confirm access, length, group size, price and which wines are poured.

Source: Visit Napa Valley’s rainy-day guide.

2. Indoor tastings without a cave

If you would rather have views, wine education or a formal seated tasting, the same guide suggests these wineries for indoor or covered tasting areas:

• Artesa Vineyards & Winery, Carneros/Napa: a striking hillside setting, handy when you arrive or leave through the southern valley.
• Cuvaison, Carneros/Napa: cool-climate wines in a modern tasting room.
• Far Niente, Oakville: a classic estate visit; book ahead.
• Inglenook, Rutherford: for Napa history and Cabernet.
• Joseph Phelps Vineyards, St. Helena: a hosted, higher-priced tasting.

A winery with indoor rooms may still seat your booking on a covered terrace or change its holiday hours. If it matters, ask where your tasting will be served.

3. Downtown Napa tasting rooms

A downtown tasting-room day gives up the estate views but has real advantages in December. Many tasting rooms sit near restaurants, shops, galleries and hotels, so you avoid driving across the valley between stops, which helps when heavy rain spoils the scenery.

Book one tasting, have lunch near First Street or the Oxbow Public Market, then walk to a second tasting. Check opening days: some tasting rooms close early or change hours in holiday weeks.

4. Calistoga wineries plus hot springs

At the northern end of the valley, Calistoga suits winter because you can pair a winery booking with a spa or mineral bath. Plan the two together instead of squeezing in three wineries. On a cold afternoon a warm soak can beat another outdoor vineyard stop.

Calistoga also has a winter wine passport from December 5; details are below.

December 2026 Events and Holiday Activities in Napa Valley

December offers more than tasting rooms. Some events are outdoor celebrations; others make a good rainy-day backup. These are the 2026 dates the organizers publish.

Both parades fall on December 5, in two towns about 25 miles apart. Pick one and plan a winery day nearby; traffic, parking, crowds and road closures make a dash between them a poor idea.

Napa Christmas Parade: December 5

Napa’s parade is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2026, in downtown Napa. It rounds off a day at a downtown tasting room or a winery in the south of the valley. Stay within walking distance to avoid parking after dark.

Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade: December 5

Calistoga’s parade runs from 7 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2026, with tractors and other farm vehicles covered in lights. Book a Calistoga-area winery, have a warm meal, then watch the parade. Book a room early if you are coming for it.

Holidays in Yountville

Yountville’s holiday program runs from November 22, 2026 to January 1, 2027. Yountville suits visitors who like walking to restaurants as much as visiting estates. Book a nearby tasting earlier in the day, then enjoy the village and dinner.

Merry Meritage ice skating and holiday activities

The Meritage Resort runs its outdoor rink from November 19 to January 3, in 90-minute sessions from $20, skate rental included. It also has fire pits, rinkside cabins and other holiday events, each with its own tickets and rules. Check the resort’s event calendar for your night.

Santa Train: festive, but not a winery tour

The Napa Valley Wine Train’s holiday journeys mix a train ride with Santa, cocoa and cookies or a three-course dinner, depending on the ticket. The formats include Santa’s Cookie Car, the Gourmet Holiday Express, Jingle on the Rails, the Very Merry Vista Dome and daytime Afternoons All Aglow rides on December 21, 22 and 23. In early November 2026 the railroad’s site listed them from about $144 for the Cookie Car to about $266 for the Vista Dome dinner, with the final price at checkout.

A Santa Train ticket is not a winery tour. Check what your ticket includes before you book. Our Napa Valley Wine Train guide explains how the regular journeys differ from tours with winery stops; on ordinary days you can book the Napa Valley Wine Train: Gourmet Express Lunch or Dinner on GetYourGuide from $278, rated 4.6/5 from 69 reviews.

Is the Calistoga Winter in the Wineries Passport Worth Buying?

Yes, if you have more than one tasting day from December 5 onward. The 2026–27 passport costs $80, is valid December 5, 2026 to February 28, 2027, and includes a complimentary tasting at each of its 25 participating wineries, plus offers on some lodging, dining and spa bookings.

The wineries include Bennett Lane, Charles Krug, Clos Pegase, Girard, Sterling Vineyards, Tamber Bey and V. Sattui, among others. Some are outside Calistoga itself, so check a map before you plan to walk between them.

The math is promising but not automatic. If you would otherwise pay $50 each for two tastings, the $80 passport has already paid for itself. Each winery’s own passport rules, reservation requirements and exclusions decide the real value, and the program’s advertised total value is not money you will personally save.

Buy it or check the latest details at Visit Calistoga. If you only have one short afternoon, or want premium tastings the passport does not cover, book individual tastings instead.

A One-Day Napa Valley Itinerary for December

Keep the day compact. Napa, St. Helena and Calistoga in one short winter day means more time in the car than in tasting rooms.

Option A: a December winery day

Best for: couples, first-time visitors or friends with one full day.

9:30 a.m. — Breakfast near your hotel. Check the forecast and confirm both tastings.

10:30 or 11 a.m. — First winery. Book an indoor estate tasting around St. Helena, Rutherford or Oakville, and allow its full stated length.

12:30–2 p.m. — Lunch. Pick a restaurant near your wineries; a long winter lunch can be the best part of the day.

2:30 or 3 p.m. — Second tasting. Try a different style: a cave tour after a seated estate tasting, or sparkling wine after Cabernet. Confirm tour times and the drive.

4:30 p.m. onward — Back to your base. Finish scenic driving in daylight, then have dinner among the decorations in Downtown Napa or Yountville.

This plan has two tastings and stops there. Guided Napa tastings often last 60–90 minutes, and winter weather and short days make a slower pace more comfortable.

Option B: December 5 in Calistoga

• Morning: a booked winery in or near Calistoga.
• Lunch: in town, without rushing.
• Afternoon: a second nearby tasting, only if the drive and times work.
• Early evening: dinner or a snack before the crowds build.
• 7–8 p.m.: Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade, weather permitting.

This day is planned around the parade, and wineries fill up on a special-event Saturday, so book early.

Option C: a rainy December day in Downtown Napa

• Start with a booked downtown tasting room.
• Have lunch at the Oxbow Public Market or in the downtown restaurant streets.
• Visit a museum, shop or other indoor stop instead of driving in heavy rain.
• Add a second tasting or a food pairing in the afternoon.
• Finish with dinner; add skating at the Meritage if the weather allows.

For more planning, read our Napa Valley wine tasting guide and wine tasting cost guide.

Where to Stay in Napa Valley in December

Choose a base for the kind of December trip you want.

For a single night, stay near your evening plans first and the winery you most want to see second. You drive less after tasting and the logistics get simpler. Our guide to where to stay in Napa Valley for wine tasting compares the towns and hotels.

How Much Does a December Wine-Tasting Day in Napa Cost?

Hotels can run promotions or cheaper midweek rates in December, but tasting fees do not drop in winter. A basic tasting costs around $20–$50, while premium estate tastings can pass $100 per person.

An example budget per person, not a package price:

Two tastings and lunch come to roughly $145–$280 per person before transport, dinner, tax, tips and wine purchases. Cheaper tastings bring it down; private tours and chef’s pairings can double it. See our Napa tasting cost breakdown.

Do not budget on a tasting fee being waived when you buy wine. Each winery sets its own rule.

How to Visit Napa Valley in December from San Francisco

A December day trip from San Francisco works if you allow for traffic, rain and an early sunset. Drive times change with traffic and weather, so avoid back-to-back timed bookings.

Your options:

• Guided wine tour: the easiest if you want someone else to drive. Check whether the route covers Napa alone or Napa and Sonoma, which is a different day. Our pick for December is the San Francisco: Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour, from $157 and rated 4.5/5 from 831 reviews: it spends the whole day in wine country, which matters when daylight is short. The Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma full-day tour (from $179, 4.7/5 from 1,367 reviews) adds a redwood walk if you want the forest too.
• Private driver: flexible for premium bookings but more expensive, especially for a small group. The private 6-hour chauffeured tour on GetYourGuide costs $675 for up to two guests (5.0/5 from only 7 reviews, so read them first); for three to six people, the 6-hour private SUV wine tour on Viator costs $390 per vehicle, rated 4.9/5 from 263 reviews.
• Rental car with a designated driver: lets you plan your own day, but the driver cannot drink.
• Train or bus plus local transport: slow for estate visits, so focus on Downtown Napa if you have no car or driver.

If you are based in the city, decide whether wine tasting or the holiday events come first. Some evening events finish too late to combine with a full winery day and the drive back.

December vs. January vs. November: Which Is Better?

For the most holiday atmosphere, come in early or mid-December. For a quiet tasting trip, pick a weekday outside December 24 to January 1. For green vines and dependable patio weather, come in another season. Our Napa Valley in November 2026 guide covers the month before.

Common December Planning Mistakes

Planning an outdoor-only tasting day

Some tastings include terraces or vineyard walks. Ask whether your booking has an indoor alternative; an indoor room somewhere on the property may not be where you are seated.

Treating Christmas Day like a normal Friday

Christmas Day 2026 is Friday, December 25. Many wineries close or run special hours. If you travel December 24 to 26, plan your winery day around a venue that confirms its schedule directly.

Overloading your route

Napa Valley runs well beyond Downtown Napa. Two wineries in one area and a long lunch make a better winter day than bookings in three distant towns.

Mistaking a train ride for a winery tour

Some Wine Train journeys focus on food and scenery, and only some include winery stops. The Santa Train is a holiday outing, not a winery tour.

Drinking and driving

Use a designated driver, a hired driver or a group tour. Book transport before your first tasting; same-day rides are hard to find in the rural parts of the valley.

Frequently Asked Questions About Napa Valley in December

Is Napa Valley worth visiting in December?

Yes, for relaxed indoor tastings, wine caves, restaurants and holiday events. It is a poor choice if you want harvest activity, green vines or warm patio weather.

What is the weather like in Napa Valley in December?

The city of Napa averages a high of about 59°F (15°C) and a low of about 40°F (4°C) in December, with about 8 rainy days. Pack waterproof layers and comfortable shoes.

Does it snow in Napa Valley in December?

Snow is not normal on the valley floor. Cold and rain matter much more for winery plans; the higher hills around the valley can be colder.

Are wineries open in Napa Valley in December?

Most are open on ordinary December days. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s bring special closures, so check each winery’s calendar before booking.

Are Napa wineries open on December 25, 2026?

A few venues may open, but most wineries close on Christmas Day. Check this year’s hours with each winery; last year’s holiday lists do not carry over.

Is December a good time for Napa Cabernet Sauvignon?

Yes. Cabernet tastings run all year, and bold reds go well with cold weather and hearty food. Each winery chooses which wines it pours, whatever the season.

Can I do an outdoor wine tasting in December?

Sometimes, if the weather holds and the winery offers it. Book a covered or indoor tasting if you want to be sure.

Is the Napa Valley Wine Train running in December 2026?

Yes. The railroad runs Santa Train holiday journeys from late November to December 23, alongside its regular lunch and dinner trains. Departure times, fares and inclusions vary by journey and date; check the official schedule.

What is the busiest December 2026 holiday weekend?

Saturday, December 5: Napa’s Christmas Parade starts at 5 p.m., and Calistoga’s Lighted Tractor Parade runs from 7 to 8 p.m. Choose the town that fits your other plans.

Can children enjoy Napa Valley in December?

Yes. The Santa Train and the Meritage ice rink suit families. Wineries set their own age rules, so check before booking a tasting.

Is December cheaper than October in Napa Valley?

Often, for hotels outside the holiday weeks, though prices depend on the day of the week, events and the property. Tasting fees stay the same in winter.

What should I wear wine tasting in Napa in December?

Smart-casual layers and comfortable closed-toe shoes, plus a waterproof jacket; some cave tours and estates involve walking outside even when the tasting is indoors.

Is late December a good time to visit?

It can be festive, but it takes more planning than early December. Holiday closures, restaurant bookings and transport are harder from December 24 to January 1.

How many wineries should I visit in a December day?

Two suits most visitors, especially if one is a 90-minute cave tour or food pairing. Add a third only if timing, distance, transport and weather allow.

Should You Visit Napa Valley in December 2026?

Come in December for wine, food and holiday atmosphere; harvest scenery is what you give up. With two well-chosen tastings, a good restaurant and one seasonal event, a cold December weekend still makes an excellent trip. Keep your bookings close together, leave room for rain and double-check any Christmas-week hours.

For more planning, read our winter Napa Valley guide and our wine tasting prices guide.

Sources

Checked in early November 2026.

• Weather: long-term NOAA averages for the city of Napa, as used in our best-time guide.
• Visit Napa Valley — Rainy-day plan: wineries with caves and indoor tastings.
• City of Calistoga — 2026 Lighted Tractor Parade: December 5, 7–8 p.m.
• City of Napa — Holiday Parade and the City of Napa special events report: Napa Christmas Parade, December 5, 2026 at 5 p.m.
• Visit Calistoga — Winter in the Wineries Passport: $80, December 5, 2026 to February 28, 2027, 25 wineries.
• Yountville — Holiday calendar: November 22, 2026 to January 1, 2027.
• The Meritage Resort — Merry Meritage and ice skating: rink dates, 90-minute sessions, from $20 with skates.
• Napa Valley Wine Train — Santa Train and all experiences: holiday formats, dates and starting prices.