Old Faithful Geyser of California, Calistoga

Geyser was spectacular! 30-foot high continuous jet stream lasts 30+ minutes! The person who said it is “underwhelming” must not have been patient or caught the tail end. Even the tail end is spectacular when you consider nothing in nature does this outside of Yellowstone or Iceland! It blows every 30-80 minutes. When it does finally blow it lasts 20 minutes of continuous stream that reaches over 30 feet! Then over the next 20 minutes it gradually gets less spectacular with 10-20 foot jets. Finally you get 5-10 minutes of 10-15 foot spouts. You get a warning 2 minutes before it blows to prepare your camera. You see an increase in steam. Then gradual percolating sounds. Finally a couple 2 foot gurgles before a continuous jet stream bedazzles you for quite some time.

Geyser gazing is definitely a great stop if you're looking for a quick break from wine tasting! Admission was $15 and food for the cute resident goats are just $1 for a small bag. The geyser goes off often, and can go on for a good ten minutes or so. We stayed for over an hour and saw two rounds of Old Faithful! There are several benches, cabanas, and picnic tables for you to enjoy your viewing. You can bring food and drinks for picnics, and the gift shop also has some snacks and drinks available for purchase. There are some games for kids, and a petting zoo with friendly goats for you to feed! There are a couple of llamas as well! Overall, a fun place for the whole family!