We come together in Calistoga at 10:00am. This allows ample time to finish your B&B breakfast or make the drive up from virtually anywhere in the Northern California region. We then fit you to a Marin Hybrid bike along with a helmet, bag, and comfortable gel-seat. Your guide goes over the “Rules of the Road” as well as how to operate the bike.
We’re off at about 10:15am. Your guide will explain the sights and local wine facts and history as we travel the quiet country lanes to our first winery stop. After a tour of the grounds we taste the wine and then move along to our second winery where we are often able to enjoy a private barrel tasting. We cycle along easy and fairly flat roads to our third winery and our picnic spot.
Dining with Getaway is quite an event. Under shady oaks you will enjoy a wine country lunch, with a menu that typically includes: Pesto pasta salad, local organic salad greens, fresh baked bread, artisan cheeses, seasonal fruit, and dessert. It is a great stop with time to rest up and enjoy the views.
After our lunch we return to our bikes rested and recharged. We continue down the Silverado Trail. Our ride is framed by the Palisades Mountains on one side and the vines on the other as we head for our next winery. We call this winery the “Shrine to Wine” for its superb collection of art and antiquities, as well as intriguing architecture and excellent wines. After a tasting, we return to Calistoga, arriving around 3:30pm. Here we bid you farewell and thank you for riding with us!
See photos of this trip or read independent guest reviews from Trip Advisor.
Times: 10:00 am to 3:30pm
Meet Location: 1311 Washington Street in Calistoga (public parking lot next to the Sharpsteen Museum)
Includes: Hybrid bike and helmet rental, unlimited water, Wine Country picnic lunch, and professional local guides. Tasting fees and guide gratuity is not included.
Wineries we may visit: Chateau Montelena, Cuvaison, Bennett Lane, Envy, Summers, Lava Vines, August Briggs, Frank Family, Twomey, and Clos Pegase, among others.
Price: $149 (Discounts available for groups of 4 or more. Call for details.)
Save $20 per person on all tours taken through February 2010.
Gift certificate also available.
Here’s what a recent guest had to say about this tour:
What a fantastic day we spent with Tom. He was so knowledgeable and my husband and I both loved the sense of history and stories he brought to the tour. It was so much more than ‘a ride and get buzzed’ which I am sure many tours are. I came away with a deeper knowledge of wine and visited some places I never would have traveled to otherwise. A great way to enjoy the scenery, too, and ride off the beaten path.
Our guides were wonderful! We had Tom and Josh. Josh did an awesome job keeping the group together during the ride. Tom was fantastic overall he had great knowledge about wine. He was able to tell me exactly what I was smelling and tasting even if I couldn’t figure it out. The rout was great; challenging enough to get a little bit of a workout, but no so difficult we couldn’t walk the next day. The wineries were also all great. They gave us plenty of attention while tasting and answered any of our questions. We wanted to thank Getaway Adventures for a fantastic 40th birthday celebration!
We enjoyed the guide, he was very nice. The booking experience was also very easy, and hassle free. The wineries were great, and we would do it again.
Our guide was great! very informative, light hearted, and fun to enjoy spending the day with. The wineries were great!
I loved the route along with the wineries. It was very entertaining. The part that I liked most was teh wine tasting and the friendly nature of our tour guides.