Napa Valley may be best known as one of the great wine making capitals of the world, but there’s a world beyond its vineyards. Get a sneak preview of its hidden gems with Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor of CBS News and TV host of The Travel Detective. Watch full episodes of The Travel Detective on PBS, including “Hidden Gems: Napa Valley” airing this summer.

5 Hidden Gems in Napa Valley

As recommended by The Travel Detective and Travel Editor of CBS News, Peter Greenberg

1. Bale Grist Mill 
 
Before the region was known for its wine and grape growing, Napa Valley was used for wheat farming, providing massive amounts of flour. At the time, grist mills were quite common, as they were necessary for grinding grain into flour for human consumption and preparing grain for animals. Built in 1846, Calistoga’s Bale Grist Mill is named for founder Dr. Edward Bale, whose family was one of the first European families to settle in Napa Valley.  
 
Now protected as a State Historic Landmark, as well as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Bale Grist Mill is operated by two not-for-profit organizations–Napa County Regional Park & Open Space District, and the Napa Valley State Parks Association. 

Napa Valley resident Martin Podell doesn’t just know how grist mills used to work – he still operates one. The fact that the Bale Grist Mill is still in Napa Valley, and is operational, is thanks to dedicated patrons like Martin, who is also the Head Baker at Model Bakery’s second location in the Oxbow Public Market.

To uncover Martin’s operation and the “Hidden Gem” of the Bale Grist Mill, make your way through Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. You may be surprised to find the mill is still fully operational–and the only one functioning west of the Mississippi River.

2. Model Bakery

Model Bakery is a century-old Napa Valley culinary institution. In its early days of operation, it likely used flour made locally at the Bale Grist Mill. Fast forward to present day, and you’ll find Model Bakery continuing to prioritize local grains in their freshly baked pastries, bites and breads–including their famous handmade English muffins–at locations across Napa Valley, including Downtown Napa, Yountville, and St. Helena.  

Model's buttery, fluffy muffins are so delicious that Oprah Winfrey has named them to her Favorite Things List four times. 

3. Vonsaal Design 

Richard Von Saal established Vonsaal Design Build, a multifaceted design firm centered around architectural, interior and industrial design with a primary focus on commercial and luxury residential development. 
 
Richard is known to tailor every project with a meticulous eye for rich storytelling through materials and tradition – and at his newly-opened Vonsaal Adjunkt Showroom in Downtown Napa, he designs more than just interiors. His expertise in unique sculptural pieces, including stylish accessories like customized charcuterie boards, can help you perfect an at-home entertaining experience. Visit his new location to discover “a collection of non-essential things that support an essential lifestyle.” 

4. Seguin Moreau

There’s a crucial step in the wine process that few wine drinkers ever see or know about. To find it, you have to visit the toasting floor.

The industry term for barrel-making is “coopering,” and at Seguin Moreau in the City of Napa, coopers have been crafting barrels for more than 100 years–though the craft dates back much further.

According to Master Cooper Andrew Byar, barrel-making is one of the oldest trades in the world. Many ancient civilizations experimented with wood vessels, and the Romans capitalized on their invention for storing and distributing goods for trade routes.

In the wine trade, barrels are essential to the aging process. At Seguin Moreau, barrels are an artform, and the assembly starts with a pallet of wood, transformed into shape through careful applied heat, and pressed and bound together without any nails or glue. The toasting process, which caramelizes the natural layers of wood, shapes the nuanced aromatics in many of Napa Valley’s world-famous wines. The next time you pick up on aromas of black plums, toasted coconut, or smooth vanilla in your Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, you have a Master Cooper to thank.

5. Calistoga Spa Hot Springs

From the outside, Calistoga Spa Hot Springs looks like a classic roadside motel from the late 1950s, but here, people don't just come for the style. They arrive, literally, for the substance. It starts with geothermal mineral water–one of the prized natural resources of Calistoga. It’s in the pools, mud baths, and throughout the Calistoga Spa Hot Springs’ property. And famous Calistoga mud baths come from combining this celebrated hot mineral water with a secret ingredient: Volcanic ash. 
 

Volcanic ash is readily available in Calistoga, a Napa Valley town surrounded by Mount St. Helena–a dormant volcano that erupted over 3 million years ago–and the Palisades range. These mountains don’t just offer gorgeous 360-degree views; they have established the region as one of the wellness capitals of the world, as dried lava has compressed and eroded over time to become the source of renowned mineral baths and treatments. 

The compounds and minerals inside, including magnesium, sulfur, and potassium, do wonders for the skin and encourage the body’s natural relaxation process. A mud bath at resorts including Calistoga Spa Hot Springs is an essential Napa Valley activity. While it’s hot, messy, and may require two showers at the end, visitors who partake in this ancient treatment insist it’s a heavenly experience–and unmatched.

Filled with charming towns, fascinating cultural sites, ancient mineral springs and culinary institutions, Napa Valley offers a wealth of lesser-known hidden gems sprinkled amongst its iconic vineyards and wine. 

Watch the full Hidden Gems: Napa Valley episode of The Travel Detective this summer on PBS.