Park · St. Helena, Napa Valley

Lyman Park picnic guide

Picnics welcomeWine allowedFree entry

Can you picnic at Lyman Park?

Yes — Lyman Park has picnic areas open to the public. No reservation is needed for the picnic area. Fee: Free. Wine and other alcohol are allowed (see the rules below).

Checked September 2026 from cityofsthelena.govStated on the venue's own website

Picnic rules at a glance

Picnicking: Picnics welcome
Bring your own food: Allowed
Alcohol: Allowed
Purchase required: No
Reservation: Not required
Fee: Free; gazebo plus adjacent tables rent for $50 resident / $80 non-resident; whole park $500 resident / $750 non-resident / $1,000 commercial.
Groups: Individual tables are first-come. The gazebo and the tables next to it (or the whole park) can be booked online through the city's Rec1 catalog or by calling (707) 968-9222; full payment plus a refundable deposit is due at booking.
Dogs: Leashed dogs only (SHMC § 12.32.030(W)).
Kids: Small children's play area.
Hours: Park open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. (alcohol only until 8 p.m.)
Season: Open year-round; free summer band concerts on Wednesday evenings.
House rules: Alcohol: Beer and wine allowed. St. Helena Municipal Code § 12.32.040(A) bans any alcoholic beverage 'other than beer or wine' in public parks, so spirits are out. § 12.32.040(B) also bans all alcohol at Lyman Park from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., so finish by 8 p.m. Opened containers are illegal on streets, sidewalks and parking lots (SHMC § 9.04.010), so don't carry an open bottle to or from the car. Other code rules (SHMC § 12.32.030): dogs must be leashed; fires only where the city designates; picnic only in designated areas; no sound audible beyond 60 feet; no camping. Passive park: no active game playing.

What the picnic area is like

A one-acre town green right on St. Helena's Main Street, with a historic gazebo (bandstand), a fountain, lawns, scattered individual picnic tables and a small play area. It's a passive park where active games aren't allowed, and it's lively on summer Wednesday evenings when the town band plays.

Picnic tables
Lawn
Restrooms
Playground
Live music

Good for: Romantic · Families · Budget-friendly

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About Lyman Park

Lyman Park is St. Helena's Main Street green: pick up picnic supplies downtown and eat at a table by the gazebo. City code allows beer and wine until 8 p.m. It's the most convenient legal spot for a picnic with a bottle in the up-valley's walkable downtown.

Beer and wine allowed until 8 p.m. (SHMC § 12.32.040)
On Main Street, walkable from downtown tasting rooms and markets
Historic gazebo, fountain and lawn
Summer Wednesday band concerts
Don't carry an open bottle on the sidewalk

More dog-friendly spots in Napa Valley More family-friendly spots in Napa Valley More free spots in Napa Valley More parks that allow wine spots in Napa Valley

Make a day of it

Stock up at a deli nearby, then picnic close by — a short, easy loop.

The Model Bakery
Deli & market · St. Helena · about 0.2 mi away
Lyman Park (this park)
Park · St. Helena
Clif Family Winery
Winery · St. Helena · about 0.7 mi away

Pick up picnic food nearby

The Model Bakery
St. Helena · 0.1 mi
Giugni's Deli
St. Helena · 0.2 mi
Sunshine Foods
St. Helena · 0.3 mi

More picnic spots nearby

Winery

Merryvale Vineyards

St. Helena· 0.5 mi

Reserved picnicsPurchase requiredVineyard views

Merryvale's winery and tasting room sit in downtown St. Helena, but its picnic offering is a splurge: a vertical tasting of its flagship Profile wine with a seasonal picnic lunch on a hillside vineyard deck high above the valley. It's a private, catered experience rather than a place to bring your own food.

Merryvale Vineyards

Reserved picnicsChecked Sep 2026

Own food: no
Wine purchase: Required
Reservation: Required
Dogs: not confirmed
Fee: not confirmed

Nearest picnic food: Gott's Roadside (St. Helena) · 0.1 mi

Details

Winery

Clif Family Winery

St. Helena· 0.6 mi

Buy food on sitePurchase requiredNo reservation

The Clif Bar founders' winery runs its tasting room on St. Helena's Main Street with a well-loved food truck out back. Order lunch from the Bruschetteria, grab a glass or bottle of organically farmed wine, and eat on the patio. It's the easiest picnic-style lunch in downtown St. Helena.

Clif Family Winery

Buy food on siteChecked Sep 2026

Own food: no
Wine purchase: Required
Reservation: Not needed
Dogs: not confirmed
Fee: not confirmed

Nearest picnic food: Gott's Roadside (St. Helena) · 0.1 mi

Details

Winery

Beringer Vineyards

St. Helena· 0.6 mi

Bring your own foodDogs OK

Napa's historic big-name estate (founded 1876 and celebrating 150 years in 2026), with hand-dug caves and the ornate Rhine House. It isn't a picnic destination, but its visitor FAQ does allow outside food at picnic benches on the edge of the property, which is handy if you're touring St. Helena with a packed lunch.

Beringer Vineyards

Bring your own foodChecked Sep 2026

Own food: yes
Wine purchase: not confirmed
Reservation: not confirmed
Dogs: Yes
Fee: not confirmed

Nearest picnic food: The Model Bakery · 0.7 mi

Details

Park

Wappo Park

St. Helena· 0.9 mi

Bring your own foodNo reservationWine allowedDogs OK

Wappo Park is a quiet riverside meadow where you can grill at a first-come table, walk the loop trail and let the dog run in the dog park, and city code allows beer and wine. There are no restrooms, so plan accordingly.

Wappo Park

Bring your own foodChecked Sep 2026

Own food: yes
Wine allowed: yes
Reservation: Not needed
Dogs: Yes
Fee: Free entry

Nearest picnic food: Napa Valley Olive Oil Manufacturing Co. · 0.6 mi

Details

All picnic spots in St. Helena →

Frequently asked questions

Can you picnic at Lyman Park?

Yes — Lyman Park has picnic areas open to the public. No reservation is needed for the picnic area. Fee: Free. Wine and other alcohol are allowed (see the rules below).

Can you bring your own food to Lyman Park?

Yes. Outside food is allowed at Lyman Park.

Can you drink wine at Lyman Park?

Yes, alcohol is allowed at Lyman Park. Alcohol: Beer and wine allowed. St. Helena Municipal Code § 12.32.040(A) bans any alcoholic beverage 'other than beer or wine' in public parks, so spirits are out. § 12.32.040(B) also bans all alcohol at Lyman Park from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., so finish by 8 p.m. Opened containers are illegal on streets, sidewalks and parking lots (SHMC § 9.04.010), so don't carry an open bottle to or from the car. Other code rules (SHMC § 12.32.030): dogs must be leashed; fires only where the city designates; picnic only in designated areas; no sound audible beyond 60 feet; no camping. Passive park: no active game playing.

Do you need a reservation to picnic at Lyman Park?

No reservation is needed to use the picnic area. Individual tables are first-come. The gazebo and the tables next to it (or the whole park) can be booked online through the city's Rec1 catalog or by calling (707) 968-9222; full payment plus a refundable deposit is due at booking.

Is there a fee to picnic at Lyman Park?

Free; gazebo plus adjacent tables rent for $50 resident / $80 non-resident; whole park $500 resident / $750 non-resident / $1,000 commercial.

Are dogs allowed at Lyman Park?

Leashed dogs only (SHMC § 12.32.030(W)).

Is Lyman Park good for kids?

Small children's play area.

Sources & accuracy

We last checked this listing in September 2026 (freshest source: St. Helena code current through Ord. 26-5 (June 23, 2026); rental rates viewed in Rec1 Sep 2026). Policies change — especially for groups and holidays — so confirm with Lyman Park before you go. How we verify.

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