1. Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa
City: American Canyon, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 674-2100, (888) 798-3777
Address: 3600 Broadway Street (Highway 29)
Description: If you’re passionate about “green” living, Gaia may appeal to you. New in 2006, it is Napa Valley’s first environmentally sustainable hotel, certified Gold LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design). Every detail is environmentally conscious, from the recycled tiles and granite used in guest rooms to the chemical-free landscaping, and everything in between. The 132 rooms have high-def TVs, microwaves, refrigerators, and complimentary high-speed Internet access. (Check out the Romance Package, which includes a sprinkling of rose petals in your room—a nice “green” touch.) A full-service spa and a restaurant are on-site. Gaia is located in American Canyon, approximately 11 miles south of downtown Napa, so allow extra time to get to upvalley destinations.
2. American Canyon Eagle
City: American Canyon, CA
Category: Media
Telephone: (707) 553-8240
Address: 3860 Broadway, Suite 202
Description: Published every Tuesday, the Eagle documents what’s happening in the predominantly residential community of American Canyon, south of Napa. This paper is owned by Lee Enterprises.
3. Highway 29 Cafe
City: American Canyon, CA
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (707) 224-6303
Address: 101 Cafe Court (off South Kelly Road at
Description: Remember that old TV commercial ditty about the “Old Home Fill ’Er Up and Keep on Truckin’ Cafe”? Well, it might have been written about this place, the antithesis of the typical Wine Country restaurant. But I’m so grateful it’s still around, after more than 50 years, to dish out huge platters of eggs, hash browns, and bacon for the breakfast and lunch crowds (the morning meal is served until a half-hour before closing time, 2:30 p.m.). The outside of the building is barn red, and inside it feels like the all-American diner: red stools and chairs, friendly waitresses, and a bottomless cup of java.