Did you know that The Old Faithful Geyser of California in Calistoga is one of only three geysers in the world with the designation “old faithful”? To achieve that designation the geyser must perform at regular intervals.
And this one does.
And it’s pretty cool.
We were told that the timing of the performance is dependent upon the time of year and the amount of rain we had the prior winter. When we visited, it erupted about every 10 minutes or so.
Open 7 days a week, including holidays, from 9am-5pm in the winter and 9am-6pm in the summer, it’s a place where the family can spend the day. There is a nice picnic area. We brought our usual provisions from Sunshine along with a nice bottle of wine.
From our table, we watched the geyser:
After lunch, we headed over to the petting zoo (bring quarters for the food dispensers) and checked out the Tennessee Fainting Goats and Jacob’s Four-Horn Sheep:
And a llama checked us out:
Then we explored the bamboo forest that surrounds the entire area:
Who: All ages
What: An easy, casual, affordable, and interesting place where you can picnic and the kids can run around and explore nature
Where: 1299 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga
When: According to the website they’re open every day of the year, but I’d avoid rainy days as everything is outdoors
Why: A totally unique experience, unlike anything else in the Napa Valley
Admissions:
Adult: $10
Senior: $7
Children 6-12: $3
Children under 6: Free
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