Yahoo Message Number: 8712 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/8712)
In July, we want to sepnd a week in the NAPA Valley area. We are aware of the the fairgrounds at Callistoga and the Big Rigs book recommends it. Has anyone heard of an RV Park that is part of a Veterans Hospital or Veterans home in the area that has full hook-ups for motorhomes. It is for veterans. If anyone has information please post. Rich. 2003 Intrique 11641
Yahoo Message Number: 8726 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/8726)
Rich,
We live in the Napa Valley. Your best bet at this time is the Calistoga Fairgrounds. It has been upgraded recently and now has additional sites offering full hook ups and 50A.
It is within easy walking distance of town center and a bus runs from Calistoga all the way down to Napa City and on to Vallejo should you want a change from driving.
The Napa Expo (Fairgrounds) in the City of Napa is grass only and is closed at this time due to the extremely wet weather we have had in the past three weeks. In July the grass will be dry. Like Calistoga you can walk to town and there is City bus service that passes the entrance to the fairgrounds.
I would not consider Skyline Park.
Cannot comment on RV parking at the vets home. It is possible to walk to the center of Yountville or even catch the bus. Yountville is now very touristy and most restaurants pretty expensive.
City of Napa is now about 75000 people and has many of the big box stores(Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Staples, Office Depot, Staples) and many regular chain type restaurants (Applebees, Marie Callendar, Lyons, Dennys,) and of course fast food joints.
There are a number of high class restaurants in the center of Napa City but it is still possible to eat economically at cafes in the town center.
Calistoga has no big box stores, no chain restaurants and no fast food joints. There are several good upper end restaurants but also many places where locals eat.
Calistoga is hotter then Napa and in July you should expect some days over ninety degrees.
None of the town centers have parking that would accommodate a coach. Obviously the Big Box stores have parking lots big enough for short term parking while shopping but not friendly to overnight stays with possible exception of Walmart (check with store manager).
Hope this helps,
David & Karen CA.
2000 Intrigue 11062
40 ft Single slide. PT
2002 Odyssey TOAD
Yahoo Message Number: 8729 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/8729)
David,
Have you dined at the "French Laundry"?
Bill Harris
03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
Datastorm
Yahoo Message Number: 8735 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/8735)
Yahoo Message Number: 8749 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/8749)
David, here is a story to bring a chuckle.
Our friends daughter attended the Culinary Institute of America (an overpriced cooking school) and worked at the French Laundry as an apprentice Pastry Chef a few years ago.
They asked us to join them on a visit to Napa, tour of the vineyards and have dinner with them and their daughter at the restaurant. This was during the "crush" in the fall, the weather was great, and we had a great time....then we had dinner.
The restaurant is one of those places that you read about; frequented by "beautiful people", movie stars, and those who live to claim to go to the same places.
I, myself, prefer a salad at Red Robin.
Because she worked there, we got the "corner table" upstairs, by "the" window, and settled in to participate in the "Chefs' Tasting".
This is where you sit there, and every so often, (about every 20 minutes or so) they bring you the next course of whatever obnoxious concoction the chef dreams up, in a portion about the size of what you would call "two bites". As the night drags on, and your butt gets sore, and your legs stiffen up, and you get tired of watching the other diners trying to remember why they "had" to dine there anyway, the thought of diving out the corner window crosses your mind.
And, also, we were reminded that to not eat everything served would be an "insult" to the chef.
So, after, (are you ready for this) 15 courses, and 5 1/2 hours, of eating things whose origin still is unknown to me, we were finally finished, it was 1am, we had started at 7:30pm.
I have no idea what the dinner cost, but it had to be a bunch.
On the other hand, one of the nicest meals we had was when we had some sandwiches made up at the Yountville Market, and enjoyed them with some wine at one of the picnic areas at a winery.
To each his own, I guess.
Bill Harris
03 Allure 1st Ave 30912
Datastorm
Yahoo Message Number: 8725 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/8725)
Rich,
You may be right about the oder being from the exhaust.
As for RV parks in the Napa Valley, outside of the fairgrounds at Calastoga, you also have the fairgrounds at the Napa Town and Country Fair and also Skyline Park, both in the City of Napa. The status on the parking area at the Veteran's Home at Yountville is probably on the California Dept. of Veteran's Affairs web site. I know that for Veterans Organizations affairs and American Legion Baseball tourneys, they have people parked there. Also check the Napa Town and Country Fair web site and check the Napa County Parks Dept. web site. We lived in the Napa Valley for many years before moving north after retiring but I don't know the current status on these parks. Hope this helps.
John and Merilee Flynn
99 Intrigue #10877
02 Grand Cherokee