The 8 Best Napa Wine Tours

Napa Valley is easily one of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world. If you plan on spending some time in the area as well as nearby Sonoma, you’ll most likely want to explore some of the 600 wineries in the area. A great way to do this — both to get some local, insider knowledge and so that there’s no need to drink and drive — is to take a Napa wine tour.

There are nearly as many wine tour options as there are vineyards. I’ve listed some of my favorites here, and you can decide which fits your style and, more importantly, your budget.

Just remember that you’ll usually also have to pay tasting fees on top of the tour costs — these vary between $20 and $50 — though many will waive that fee if you buy some wine. Also don’t forget, especially if you’re coming from outside the United States, that you’ll need to be 21 or over to join these tours, though some allow children to tag along.

1. Napa Valley Wine Trolley

If you’re after something a bit different, then the Napa Valley Wine Trolley is a good way to go. Instead of a regular tour bus, you’ll ride on a replica of a cable car. It’s an open-air car, of course, so make sure you pick the right weather to try this.

Tours leave from the Oxbow Market in Napa; the Classic Napa Valley tour is $125 and includes transportation to three wineries and a casual picnic-style lunch, plus unlimited bottled water and soft drinks between tastings.

2. Napa Valley Bike Tours

Of course, being a valley full of vineyards, Napa is a really scenic place, so exploring it by bicycle is a great option. Napa Valley Bike Tours offers either guided or self-guided rides, leaving from their store in Yountville. The popular half-day guided e-bike tour is $159 per person, with a visit to one winery visit and a great guide who’ll give you the full story of the area. If you have the time, the full-day tour is the better deal. It’s just $199 and you’ll visit two wineries and enjoy a picnic lunch

If you’d rather go at your own pace, you can take a self-guided tour. You still get a box lunch, and any wine you buy will be picked up for you (riding with wine in your backpack gets old really fast). Self-guided tours cost $149 per person and also include comfy bikes, helmets, and all the planning info you need.

3. Calistoga Bikeshop

You’ll find more bike tour options at Calistoga Bikeshop, a popular rental shop that offers full day guided tours for $169.99. The tour includes a knowledgeable local guide, bike rental (you can upgrade to an e-bike for $50), visit to two wineries, a picnic lunch, and pick-up for any wine you buy.

Calistoga also offers self-guided tours for $94.99. Tours include a fully planned itinerary, reservations, a bike and helmet, and wine pick-up. The guides plan a unique route depending on what the group members want, starting from their shop in Calistoga.

If you have an extra day in the area and don’t need more wine, Calistoga also offers great mountain biking trips to the Palisades or along the Oat Hill Mine Trail.

4. Platypus Wine Tours

Platypus Wine Tours several wine tours centered on different areas of the region. Platypus focuses on small and medium-sized, usually family-owned wineries. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and the small-group setting ensures you’re not rushed, giving you plenty of time to savor each glass.

You can choose from tours centered on Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, or North Sonoma. The details vary depending on what tour you take, but you’ll generally visit three wineries for a price of $119-139 (weekend tours are more expensive).

5. Active Wine Adventures

As the name suggests, Active Wine Adventures offers private tours that include more than just wine tasting, making taking a tour with them a great way to explore Napa Valley. For example, the Hike & Wine tours start with a five-mile hike (which take around 2.5 hours) in some of the valley’s beautiful landscapes before moving on to a lunch and winery tasting experience. They also offer Art & Wine tours, where you’ll visit wineries with private art collections and galleries.

The tours cost $229-249 per person, plus lunch (you can choose from a high-end restaurant lunch or a vineyard picnic). They offer similar tours in the Sonoma area, too.

6. Green Dream Tours

Try some wine and help the world. Green Dream has a focus on sustainability: besides using green business practices, it also buys carbon offsets to balance its use of fuel. Their Ultimate Wine Country Tour is among the few where the tasting fees at three boutique wineries are included. I really like that they include the fees so that you’re not surprised along the way (tasting fees can really add up if you’re visiting a few wineries)!

The tour leaves from San Francisco and visits both Napa and Sonoma before returning to the city. You’ll stop at the Golden Gate Bridge on the way out of the city, visit a boutique winery in each area, stop for lunch at Sonoma Square, and then get dropped back off in downtown San Francisco. It’s a great way to get a taste of both regions if you’re staying in San Francisco and don’t have a ton of time. Tours start at $179 (again, with tastings included!).

7. Small Lot Wine Tours

If you’re coming by car to the Napa Valley region, then Small Lot can be a really budget-friendly way to enjoy a wine tour. They provide a tour guide who’ll drive your car for you for the day, and design a tour route just right for you, depending on the kind of wine you want to taste, what you want to do for lunch, and whether you’re planning on buying wine.

At $50 per hour (with a four-hour minimum), if you’ve got a car full of friends, this can work out to be one of the cheapest ways to explore Napa but still have local expert advice.

8. Napa Valley Wine Country Tours

Napa Valley Wine Country Tours offer full-day trips to three wineries in the Napa region. Tours include pickup from your hotel in Napa, and are usually $119 per person (sometimes there are $99 specials on the website). They also offer private tours if you’re traveling with a group.

For something a bit different, they also run a tour that includes a ride in a hot air balloon, visits to four wineries, and a four-course lunch. It’s pricey at $414, but it’s the ultimate wine tasting adventure that you won’t soon forget.

9. Luxury Small-Group Wine Tour of Napa Valley

If you want to visit a castle while winery-hopping, this luxury small-group tour is for you. This full-day adventure leaves from San Francisco and takes you to three premium wineries, including Castello di Amorosa, a 13th-century–style winery and castle.

On your way back into the city at the end of the tour, you’ll even stop at the Golden Gate Bridge for a photo op. Tours start at $299, which is high, but includes tasting fees, a tour of the castle, and an expert guide.

10. Napa Valley Wine Train

The Napa Valley Wine Train offers a unique way to explore Napa’s rolling landscapes and vibrant wine culture. Riding in the vintage train evokes the golden age of rail travel, but with the modern luxury of gourmet dining and wine pairings.

You can choose from a lunch journey to soak up those vineyard views in the daylight, or opt for an starlit train ride in the evening. While these aren’t wine tours in the sense that you’ll be stopping at the vineyards, it’s a scenic and different way to enjoy this beautiful region. Tickets start at $270 per person and include a gourmet meal, welcome glass of sparkling wine, and coffee/tea. You can purchase more wine from the train bar too!

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There are so many options for touring the Napa Valley and experiencing all the wine culture the area has to offer, depending on your tastes and preferences. These suggestions should ensure that you have a great day out exploring one of the world’s most famous wine regions.