In Napa Valley, Stanly Ranch Puts A Luxury Spin On Summer Camp

Forbes Lifestyle ForbesLife In Napa Valley, Stanly Ranch Puts A Luxury Spin On Summer Camp David Hochman Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I provide a worldview from Los Angeles. Following Jun 27, 2023, 05:15pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin They call it Ultimate Summer Vacation and it’s a way to immerse yourself in the Auberge experience .

. . [+] at Stanly Ranch in Napa Valley Auberge Resorts Why should kids (and mosquitoes) have all the fun this summer? Grownups need time in nature and a break from reality, too.

That’s the idea behind the Ultimate Summer Vacation at Stanly Ranch , a year-old Auberge property in Napa Valley. Wine country’s newest luxury retreat can add the “Camp Auberge” itinerary to any reservation between June and the end of September, although bug juice and shaving cream fights might need special prior arrangement. The third Auberge property in Napa Valley, Stanley Ranch opened in April 2022 on 700 acres with 135 one- and two-bedroom cottages and villas fit with spacious living rooms, decks for deep loafing and private outdoor showers.

There’s a pool set amid lavender rows, an onsite spa with a cold plunge and hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and one of the region’s most talked-about new restaurants, Bear , with an ever-evolving menu of local farm-fresh fare and a focus on fermentation and grilling. Yes, the kids are invited, too, but there are plenty of grownup activities. Auberge Resorts Guests can adjust the camp experience as they see fit, and, okay, you can bring the kids along, too (what’s a summer vacation without those little bundles of joy?).

The full “session” goes for seven days but two or three nights will definitely do the trick to get you refreshed and recharged. A typical day begins with coffee and lavender croissants at Gavel , the resort’s coffee bar, before a self-guided walk through wildflowers. Stanly Ranch is still a working ranch, with vineyards, planted vegetable beds and active farmland—although it’s a wee bit of a stretch that the valets and pool attendants call themselves “ranch hands.

” You can see what’s growing alongside resident farmer Nick Runkle, who shares tips on planning and designing a garden of your own. He explains the growing process of plants, from seedling to harvest. There’s also an onsite viticulturist, who takes guests through Stanly’s organic vines to learn more about pruning and trellising, and the steps that go into making fine Carneros wine.

Resident falcons, hawks and owls add to the adventure. Auberge Resorts In the afternoon, you can ride horses for an hour or take a two-hour bike ride led by a local cyclist. Then there are the true adventures: Wildlife conservationist Dr.

Quinton Martins and educator Liz Martinstrack take small and private groups to track Northern California Mountain Lions at Jack London State (they have access to Mountain Lion-cams to stay on top of which cat is where). The resort’s partnership with Club Sportiva puts guests behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB11 or Audi R8 RWS for an adrenaline thrill ride on Napa’s Silverado Trail. Or you can commune with birds of prey right on property at a (gloved) hands-on falconry workshop (you get to meet the ranch’s owl and hawk, too).

Note that many of these experience require at least 24 hours notice. On 700 acres, Stanly Ranch still operates as a working farm and vineyard. Auberge Resorts Nights in Napa are as serene or boisterous as you’d like.

In Napa’s Sonoma Square on Tuesday evenings, locals and visitors come together for live bands and food trucks, and probably the best street-fair wine you’ll ever taste. Back at the ranch, you can wind down with a competitive game of cornhole, ping pong or giant Jenga. Or keep the kids up late for a stargazing session.

That might begin with s’mores treats and, maybe for the grownups, the Bear’s signature Smoking Rancher cocktail: black tea infused mezcal, High West double rye, orgeat, lemon, and star anise. Those helpful ranch hands will put out pillows and blankets on the Great Lawn, and give you binoculars and a telescope to find stars you can’t normally see in places like Los Angeles and San Francisco—because isn’t that what summer camp is all about? Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website .

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