With so much history and so many wineries spread throughout the valley—not to mention Michelin-starred restaurants that populate the Main Streets of towns like Yountville and St. Helena—it can be a bit daunting to plan a trip to Wine Country. That’s especially true given that most bucket-list wineries and restaurants require reservations well in advance. How do you choose when you’re so spoiled for choice?

One good way: Read on, to see how we’d approach 72 hours of enjoying the best of Napa Valley. There are lots of ways to tackle it, but we like starting at the north end, in sunny Calistoga and St. Helena, working down through the world-famous estates on the floor of the midvalley, and wrapping up at the southern end, in the fog-cooled Carneros appellation and laid-back downtown Napa. And with Wine Country’s biggest annual party, BottleRock Napa Valley, taking place May 22-24, now’s not just a great time to have fun in the valley — it’s also when some advance prep is all but necessary. (One pro tip for that prep: Hire a car service if you’re planning to taste wine.)