I’ve decided Fall is my favorite time to visit Napa. I’ve only been a handful of times over the years but somehow managed to fit in every season so I’ve done my homework and I’m here to tell you, it is magical in the fall. I love that you can wake up to a cool misty morning yet still have a hot day poolside with chilled chardonnay and end the night bundled by a fire pit, and more wine of course.
We recently had the chance to experience a new package that Aero and Stanly Ranch are offering and it is nothing short of a dream Napa weekend with all the ease and luxury to make it an unforgettable few days. If you’re unfamiliar with Aero it’s a semi-private jet service out of Van Nuys that bridges the gap between first class and flying private. They recently started flying to Napa and it was under 2 hours door to door while being the most enjoyable travel experience along the way. The Van Nuys suite is stocked with Erewhon snacks, juices and coffee while the staff is warm and friendly. There was an in-flight wine tasting and charcuterie plate (such a fun surprise), Starlink Wi-fi and a perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge flying in. Personally, the roomy 16-seats was my favorite part and the ease of checking in, arriving to a car waiting for us on the tarmac from Stanly Ranch and the easy breezy 10 minute drive to the resort.
We arrived on a Friday afternoon to Stanly Ranch and it was toasty warm (which I loved) and we zoomed past a lively pool scene that I couldn’t wait to jump right into. The contemporary ranch style cottages are sprinkled around, each one with their own outdoor fire pit and lounge, and the rooms were stunning—the natural light pouring into our bathroom in the mornings was my favorite part. Normally, I need a minute after flying/arriving but this was different. The Aero flight was such a breeze we immediately dropped our things and went to explore the resort, wine in hand.
We eventually made our way to Bear for dinner which was such a fun scene. Between the open kitchen set up, a sommelier that kept happily letting us taste a few things he was opening and an insanely delicious meal, we were in heaven. Some standouts that we tried and loved was the short ribs with garden herbs, the sourdough ice cream dessert and the beets side dish. We returned for breakfast both mornings (it’s free with the package!) and loved the coconut chia pudding and apple pancakes—which instantly put me in the Fall mood.
We spent most of Saturday at the Halehouse Spa and spa pool that had mountain views and overlooked the property. I was beyond impressed with the list of wellness treatments (like myofascial therapy and lymphatic release) and the facilities at Spring House, which included a salt room (which I learned is so good for any allergies, so I sat for nearly 30 minutes in it), steam room, cold plunge, hyperbaric chamber and a massive sauna with a floor to ceiling windows on one side. I got a deep tissue massage and rolled from that to the poolside chairs where we had lunch and the day could not have felt more indulgent.
To sum it up, this felt like the most elevated weekend escape that left no room for anything but ease and comfort. The efficient travel experience with Aero left more time to soak in the weekend, more time to relax and more time to for one last trip to the sauna before heading to the airport. You can read more about the perks of this package here.
