If you’re looking for somewhere to take a couple’s trip or even a girl’s trip, I’ve got the perfect spot. For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you probably saw me posting about my recent trip to California. It was so incredible that I wanted to write a full recap on the blog.

Duncan and I decided to go right after Christmas (we literally left the next day and came back on NYE). Normally, I’d be stressed about getting help for the kiddo/baby help, but D essentially planned the entire thing as a surprise gift for me and handled all the logistics of that. When he surprised me with the trip, his gift card said we needed to focus on “stillness, rest, and wellness for the mom who had 2 kids in 21 months and might just want to sleep as a present.” (He was *not* wrong.)

If nothing else, it was fun to have the surprise trip planned entirely by him. Like every detail. I didn’t haven’t to think for a moment — I literally just showed up. I did bug him to find out the right outfits for our dinners.

For the record on outfits, he consistently said “I do not have a clue. I would wear a t-shirt if I were you.” While I now know that a t-shirt was never the right answer for the dinners he had planned, I do appreciate his laid-back approach lol.

ANYWAY, below is a description of the trip, including some specifics on why I loved it. And I’m including some specific travel logistics in case you want to plan your own trip to the resort!

WHERE IS THE SOLAGE RESORT?

The resort is located in Calistoga, CA, in Napa Valley. I’ve never done a “true” Napa trip, so I won’t try to share hidden spots, venues, or vineyards to check out in that portion of Napa. For this trip, we really focused on having a restful, restorative few days. I will share our trip itinerary in case you’re looking for a similar restful spot or already have a trip planned.

I know that D picked Calistoga for several reasons: (1) there’s a direct flight with a short drive to the city, (2) the weather is supposedly ALWAYS nice, and (3) it was somewhere new for us.

Calistoga is located at the northernmost tip of Napa, adjacent to Sonoma County. It’s such a beautiful, quaint community surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of acres of winemakers and vineyard/grape exports. It is seriously such a special place.

HOW WE TRAVELED TO CALISTOGA

We flew into Charles M Schulz Sonoma County Airport. There’s a direct flight from DFW making it perfect for a couple’s relaxing trip. We did rent a car while we were there; however, you could easily get an Uber too. Solage also provides in-hotel transportation for a small cost, which would be a great option if you didn’t want to rent a car.

THOUGHTS ON THE VENUE

The Solage Resort & Spa underwent a nearly $20 million renovation nearly a year ago – so the existing hotel, facility, and amenities, are basically state of the art. It definitely felt brand new. I know Duncan has worked on Napa hotels in his work before, so I think it’s safe to assume that that was part of his rationale for picking Solage. The entire place was newly updated with new restaurants and everything.

We stayed in a Fireside Garden Terrace King Room. Duncan loved this room type/floor plan since it came with a full patio, a gas-lit outdoor fireplace, and a beautiful newly updated room. I’m sure the other room types are fantastic, but this was an especially great room. It was the perfect room for a couple. I loved that we could open our windows at night, let the natural air in, hear our outdoor fountain trickling, and then… go back to sleep. Of course, they offer some incredibly decadent rooms and suites, but this room type was perfect for us, and I’d recommend it to any couple traveling to Solage.

ACTIVITIES/RESERVATIONS THAT DUNCAN SCHEDULED FOR US

Even though the main objective of this trip was to relax, D knew I’d go stir-crazy if we didn’t have anything planned, so he went online ahead of time and booked us several things to do during our stay.

+ Starlight Nights in the Bathhouse: this was probably my favorite activity we did during the whole trip. We had the entire spa to ourselves (just Duncan and I) for 3 hours. It was incredible.

+ Bathhouse Pool Rituals: Solage comes fully loaded with 5 different pools designated for different bodies/physicals. The quality and origination of the water is (supposedly) capable of healing and restoring injuries and sickness. While we didn’t have any major illnesses healed, we spent more than 1+ hour each day relaxing in the healing ritual pools. Seriously, so relaxing.

+ Fitness and Wellness Classes: these come complimentary with a nightly reservation at Solage. We loved them and completed one each more! We did a long-form yoga class, Pilates, and then got outside of our (mainly Duncan’s) comfort zone and did a guided meditation class.

WHERE WE ATE

+ Solbar: This is a premium, high-end restaurant. REQUEST THE TABLE BY THE FIRE. We had this and it was so lovely. We had a several-course dinner and just enjoyed amazing food. This is also where I’d recommend having breakfast each morning. Excellent coffee, per Duncan, but mainly a great spot to sit and slow down, read, and enjoy an excellent slow-paced breakfast.

+ Picobar: Picobar was added as part of the recent renovation. It is adjacent to Solage’s family-friendly, fully-programmed, resort pool. It’s actually considered to be the best pool in Calistoga. It was a little too chilly for me to spend much time in that pool (Duncan swam laps there in the morning and assured me it was very warm), but we ate there every day – even if for just some homemade chips and salsa. It’s a great spot!

+ The Ultimate Pizza Experience: I think the resort’s description speaks for itself.

That’s pretty much everything I can think of off the top of my head. We honestly LOVED our stay here. There are so many Auberge resorts around the country. I’m dying to visit one of the Mexico locations next! They’re also building a resort in Ft. Worth for all of you local readers. I can think of no better spot for a staycation!