Napa Valley Wine Train Provides Unique View of Vineyards While Showcasing Area Vintners (VIDEO)

Napa Valley is known for its wine and vineyards. With over 300 wineries, it's responsible for over 25 percent of the wine consumed in the U.S. The vineyards have evolved into a major tourist attraction as well, and there are many ways to see the area.

One of the best ways to both see and taste the area is the Napa Valley Wine Train. It's a three-hour, 36-mile round-trip that takes visitors from the town of Napa, through the Napa Wine Valley to the village of St. Helena and back.

Passengers are served a freshly prepared lunch or dinner inside a fully restored 1915-1917 Pullman Dining Car or a 1952 Vista Dome car as they enjoy the scenery of the vineyards as the train passes them. Passengers can also purchase a winery tour for a more up-close view of the vineyards and wine making process.

The Napa Valley Wine Train runs along tracks that were built in the 1860s to bring guests to the resort town of Calistoga. That particular track no longer exists, but the route remains, running through the central part of the renowned wine region. The route passes through the towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and St. Helena, also passing numerous wineries.

The train stops at different locations depending on what day of the week you take the journey. Guests can only disembark if they have purchased the winery tours ahead of time.

Two of the stops are great destinations for wine or champagne tasting, Domaine Chandon and Grgich Hills. In addition to the stops, there is also a murder mystery to be solved on board, as well as lectures about the areas various vintners. The different activities that take place on board vary throughout the year.

Guests are also welcome to bring their own wine for a small corkage fee.