Community Housing

Local, vaccinated friends of the conference offer their bedrooms and guest homes to tuition aid recipients. COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all conference participants.

Please read our 2024 COVID-19 Protocols.


The information below provides some general guidelines for participants; further details are provided in the participant handbook, distributed upon confirmation of attendance. If you’d like to see other or additional information included here, let us know: info@napawritersconference.org.

Housing & Lodging

Participants are responsible for arranging their own lodging during the conference week.

There are many lodging possibilities in Napa. It’s best to make reservations as soon as you can, since beds tend to fill up during the summer and economical options are limited.

In walking distance of the Napa Valley College main campus:

  • The Hampton Inn
  • Best Western Plus Inn at the Vines

Nearby in Napa (short drive or bus ride):

  • Marriott Napa
  • Embassy Suites
  • Napa River Inn
  • SpringHill Suites (Evans Airport Service will not stop here)
  • Cambria

Hotels in American Canyon are within driving distance to the Conference, but we recommend you bring a car (Evans Shuttle Service does not stop in American Canyon):

  • Fairfield Inn
  • Holiday Inn Express
  • DoubleTree

For more information: Napa Hotel Guide

Further resources for finding lodging:

  • Napa Valley Reservations is a free, locally-owned central reservation service for lodging in the area. The service can match you with lodging that suits your preferences and budget.
  • VisitNapaValley.com is the county-wide tourism site, offering lodging listings for the city of Napa and other areas of the Valley.
  • NapaValley.com is another tourism site offering comprehensive listings for lodging and other amenities.
  • Airbnb.com and VRBO.com list vacation rentals in the Valley.

To defray lodging costs, consider partnering with another participant to share a double hotel/motel room, or forming a group to consider vacation rental options. You may connect with other participants via our Google Group, to which you’ll be invited upon confirmation of attendance.

Computers

We have campus-wide free WiFi and PCs available for public use in the College’s library. There is a student bookstore on campus and an Office Depot in walking distance in case you need any computer supplies.

Clothing and weather

The weather in the Napa Valley can vary from the 90s during the day to the 50s at night and early in the morning, so bring a range of clothing. Dress for all events is casual.

Travel to the Conference

Participants traveling from out of town should plan to arrive at the Napa Valley College main campus by 3:45 p.m. Sunday for check-in and orientation. Activities wrap up by 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Evans Airport Service is currently suspended; please check back to see if they have reinstated their shuttle service from the San Francisco and Oakland airports to Napa. Call (707) 255-1559 for the latest updates on their airport shuttle service.

Transportation during conference week

With the exception of possible evening readings at local wineries, the 2024 conference will take place entirely on the main campus of Napa Valley College. If you’re from out of town, your housing or lodging could be a mile or more from campus. You will spend less time worrying about how to get to and from events and more time benefiting from the conference if you have ready access to wheels.

We strongly recommend that you bring your own vehicle, or consider sharing the costs of a rental with fellow attendees. While we encourage carpooling as much as possible, we don’t want a handful of participants to feel put-upon as constant chauffeurs, so we hope the group can find a happy medium where the burden of driving is shared.

You may make carpooling and rental plans with other participants via our Google Group, to which you’ll receive an invitation upon confirmation of attendance. If you are traveling to the conference by plane, we urge you to hop online as soon as possible to connect with attendees and coordinate transportation options.

Food

We provide breakfast and lunch on campus. On Sunday night we have an informal reception with light supper, wine and other beverages, and we host a picnic on Thursday evening.

On the other nights, you can plan to dine anywhere you’d like. The Napa Valley is home to some of the finest restaurants in the country, so plan to splurge at least one night (the participant handbook received upon acceptance includes a list of recommended restaurants). There is a wide variety available, both in expense and cuisine.

Accessibility

Napa Valley College prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability and takes action to prevent such discrimination by providing reasonable accommodations to eligible individuals with disabilities.

Check out our Accessibility Statement for more information.