The Napa Valley has always had a special place in my heart. One of my first dates with my now-husband was wine tasting in the valley, including a behind-the-scenes tour at Mondavi winery. We love the area so much we were married in Yountville. It was only natural, then, that we decided to revisit the Napa Valley—and the good times—for our five-year anniversary this past summer.

The Napa Valley is made up of several quaint towns along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. It offers dozens of choices when deciding where to lay your head at night, from hotels and resorts to small inns and private homes. For our two-day food-and-wine-themed getaway, we opted to stay at the newer Hotel Yountville, which opened its doors in 2010. This turned out to be a great choice for us, as we loved all the local restaurants and the convenience of the hotel's location for visiting nearby wineries. And since we've been to the Napa area several times before, we really wanted to break away and do something different, beyond the more popular wineries Napa is known for.

We started our day with coffee and pastries at Bouchon Bakery (www.bouchonbakery.com), Thomas Keller's famous boulangerie which has ridiculously delicious French pastries. It's a tiny bakery and very popular with tourists and locals alike, so expect to see lines out the door. Trust me, it's completely worth the wait (try the fresh bread and macaroons!). Once we were loaded up on goodies and back in the car, happy as clams, we enjoyed a leisurely drive up the valley on Highway 29 toward St. Helena.