Tea aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train

Usually when you hear of the Napa Valley Wine Train, you automatically think of a wine tasting experience throughout the beautiful wineries of Napa. Although I do enjoy wine, I will always prefer tea over any beverage, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that one of the experiences offered is an afternoon tea aboard the beautiful vintage train.

At the time, my mum was visiting from the U.K. and she has always loved trains, especially vintage trains, so I thought this would be a perfect treat for her and for us to both spend some time together. Although this afternoon tea is on the pricier side compared to what I am used to, you are paying for the overall experience and it's a wonderful experience that everyone should try!

Originally the Northern California Railroad Track built in 1864, it converted into the Napa Valley Wine Train in 1989, but kept all of its original features and charm.

First Impressions

Upon arrival, after having our photo taken (available for purchase after) we stepped onto a beautiful vintage carriage dating back to the 1800s. We were greeted by our server who guided us to our table where two glasses of bubbly awaited us.

The journey began along a route through the valley from Napa to St. Helena and back, passing by serene wineries and lasting around 3 hours in total.

I felt like I was being transported to a bygone era where life resembled a more decadent affair where people dressed elegantly and enjoyed a more simplistic yet glamorous lifestyle. It's a world away from today where taking the train is a stressful parade of people squashing together onto a train carriage during rush hour after a long day at work.

Watching the beautiful wineries pass us by whilst sipping on tea and munching on delicious food was a perfectly relaxing and delightful way to spend an afternoon. It was also a wonderful life reminder to enjoy the journey a little more and to not focus so much on the destination.

Tea

We were encouraged by our servers to try all of the teas on offer which were a Yunan Black, Earl Grey, Chamomile and a Rooibas. My favourite was the Yunan Black tea. They frequently came around and offered tea, which was also served in beautiful teacups. There was also the option to purchase wine as well, but we already had plenty to drink.

Food

The first course was a tomato soup with a beet and goats cheese salad. Everything is house-made on the train itself in the kitchen carriage. The soup was creamy and full of flavour, one of the best I've had. Then shortly after came the savories. There were classic flavours like salmon and a dill cream cheese with fish roe, beef with cheddar and a lobster vol au vent. Everything was absolutely delicious, with outstanding quality and beautifully presented.

The desserts were also just as delicious, with fresh scones and cream and marmalade, macarons, lemon and blueberry tarts and some other really tasty pieces.

What I liked was that everything was spaced out and not given to you all in one go. So we had a chance to enjoy the starters first and then after a short break we enjoyed the sandwiches and then after another break we finished with the desserts. So I didn't feel too full and we could finish all the food.

Overall Experience

This is a really wonderful experience, and perfect for a one off treat or celebration. You can expect really good quality homemade food and lovely tea.

Price: 8/10: This is quite expensively priced but for the area and the quality of food, you're essentially paying for the overall experience.

Service: 10/10 - Staff were friendly, organized and gave great service. You felt very looked after. They also gave us a little insight into some of Napa's history.

Food Rating: 10/10 - The food was of high quality and beautifully presented. There was good variety with a well thought out menu.

Atmosphere: 10/10 - It's a beautiful vintage train with old fashioned vibes and beautiful views out the window.

Make this on your list of things to do when visiting Napa! If you're looking for something a little different to do instead of something wine related, give this a try and expect a relaxing, slow paced day filled with tea and deliciousness. You won't be disappointed!

If you've done this experience before or will be visiting soon, let me know what you think!

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