With new reports projecting a dip in tourism and a potentially slow summer season in Wine Country, some local hotels are are turning their attention to a particular group of travelers: parents with young children.
In Calistoga, Solage — part of the Auberge Resorts Collection — is preparing to launch an unexpected amenity — a kids’ camp.
“We’ve seen a growing trend of family travel in the Napa Valley and there’s a demand for family-friendly offerings,” said Dave Elcon, Solage’s general manager. “Solage historically has been an adult-focused destination at heart, but we recognize the importance of flexibility for parents.”
Running daily from June 1 through Aug. 9, the camp will welcome children ages 4 to 12. An event space will serve as a home base, but Elcon said activities will be spread throughout the resort’s 22-acre property.
The Calistoga resort is partnering with Camp Manitou, a travel company that specializes in camp experiences for luxury resorts. The company’s website references a handful of other recent or upcoming resort kids’ camps, including at the Four Seasons Hualalai on the island of Hawaii, Four Seasons Maui Resort at Wailea and The Boca Raton in Florida.
In addition to classic camp activities like craft projects, scavenger hunts and movie nights, Wine Country-themed programming is also on the agenda at Solage. After working off some vacation energy with grape stomping, young campers will get the chance to design a custom label and bottle their own freshly pressed juice.
Daily camp sessions will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch included) and 6:30–9:30 p.m. Cost is $150 per child.
Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection, 755 Silverado Trail N., Calistoga, 866-942-7442, aubergeresorts.com/solage
More family-friendly options
Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection, 200 Stanly Crossroad, Napa, 707-266-7568, aubergeresorts.com/stanlyranch
Four Seasons Resorts and Residences Napa Valley has offered its complimentary Kids for All Seasons program since opening in 2021. The program features a variety of activities, such as vineyard walks, scavenger hunts, crafts and games. Available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (with 72 hours notice), children ages 5 to 12 are welcome.
Four Seasons Resorts and Residences Napa Valley, 400 Silverado Trail N., Calistoga, 707-709-2100, fourseasons.com/napavalley
Montage Healdsburg offers its Paintbox Children’s Program for resort guests 5 to 12 years old. Daily four-hour sessions run from 1–5 p.m. (a 48-hour notice is required for reservations and cancelations). The $150 per child fee includes arts and crafts, games, outdoor fun and a meal.
The interactive and complimentary Montage Merits program is designed to encourage kids (and their parents) to get outside and enjoy a variety of family-friendly Wine Country experiences. On-property activities include finding the bee apiary, spotting wildlife or identifying a heritage oak tree.
Families are also encouraged to visit a variety of Sonoma County attractions and local businesses, such as Lake Sonoma, the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar. Kids earn collectible pins for every activity they complete.
Montage Healdsburg, 100 Montage Way, Healdsburg, 707-979-9000, montage.com/healdsburg
More hotels with family-friendly perks
While there are relatively few Wine Country hotels that feature kids’ clubs, there are a number of properties that offer assorted kid-friendly programming.
In Napa Valley, Carneros Resort and Spa (4048 Sonoma Highway) inspires young guests to get their hands dirty on culinary garden tours. Many rooms at Calistoga Motor Lodge (1880 Lincoln Ave.) are stocked with vintage board games, Hula-Hoops and more.
Sonoma County is home to a fun collection of hotels where it’s great to be a kid. In Santa Rosa, the pool at Flamingo Resort & Spa (2777 Fourth St.) is a longtime favorite. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, The Club at Flamingo offers a Summer Kids Club focused on sports, including yoga, swimming and tennis. Weeklong sessions run from June 9 through Aug. 1. Cost is $550 per child, or $450 for members.
Also, in Santa Rosa, the Family Suite at The Sandman (3421 Cleveland Ave.) sleeps up to five people and is stocked with a selection of games.
After being awed by rhinos, giraffes and zebras at Santa Rosa’s Safari West (3115 Porter Creek Road), kids and kids-at-heart can spend the night at Sonoma County’s Serengeti in one of 30 luxury tents (imported from Botswana) on the 400-acre preserve.