See a Different Side of California’s Wine Country with These Unique Tours

For a romantic take on California wine country tours, take to the water on gondolas powered by singing gondoliers dressed in full Venetian regalia. Gondola Servizio began operating in August 2018, and cruises leave from the Main Street Public Dock on the Napa River in downtown Napa. The 50-minute boat rides can seat up to six passengers (though they’re designed for two); the rides meander up and down the river, depending on the tides. Riders are welcome to bring their own vino; guides provide glassware and will open bottles for you for no additional charge. $95 per couple, $10 for each additional person.

The California Wine Country ours from this nascent Sonoma-based outfitter trade in intimate and luxurious adventure—each Bohemian Highway trip pairs up to seven passengers with one guide in a classic-but-modernized Land Rover Defender or a tricked-out Mercedes Sprinter van. The farm tour, one of the most popular offerings, stops at a working organic farm and gives visitors a chance to harvest vegetables before stopping at private (and often family-owned) wineries for tastings and other experiences. Drivers provide coolers stocked with snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Of course, passengers can drink their own wine along the way, too. $95 per hour, plus additional fees.

Of all the California wine country tours, Bouchaine's Falconry in the Vineyards is the most regal. Combining the ancient sport of falconry with a gorgeous estate vineyard, the experience at the family-owned, Carneros winery works with West Coast Falconry to teach guests how the majestic birds are used to help sustainably tend to the vines (they scare off pest birds). The tour starts with an easy stroll to a grassy knoll that looks out to San Fran, San Pablo Bay, and Mt. Tamalpais. You'll see the handler and falcon engage in their elegant dance before holding the bird and end with a picnic lunch in the vineyard. Add this to your bucket-list of wow-worthy wildlife encounters. $200 per person. 

Ride in a fully restored antique Pullman railcar (complete with mahogany paneling, brass accents, and plush, velveteen armchairs) to several wineries on any of the Napa Valley Wine Train half -or full-day excursions. The Estate Tour leads to storied French-influenced wineries, including Domaine Chandon, Louis M. Martini, and Inglenook; while the Legacy Tours hits icons like Mondavi and Charles Krug. Along the way, you'll dine on a four-course meal, take in the sweeping vistas of the valley, and just maybe feel like 1920s aristocracy. From $239.99 per person. 

The traditional three-wheel electric tuk-tuk experience is elevated with Laces and Limos, a Napa Valley outfitter that specializes in half- and full-day excursions to lesser-known parts of the famous wine region. The “Classic Tour” includes a pick-up in downtown Napa, a stop at a tasting room downtown, a tour of the Coombsville appellation, and a visit to a winery in the countryside. While tasting fees are not included in the price of each tour, passengers do get discounts. Tours can accommodate up to six people; custom tours can be designed to include a stop at the Napa Valley Distillery as well. $65-$90 per person, plus additional fees.

The flat roads of Calistoga practically beg visitors to explore by bicycle, which is precisely what the Sip ‘N’ Cycle Tour from Getaway Adventures has them do. Over the course of 12 miles and five hours, bikers will stop for tastings at Chateau Montelena and three or four other wineries, walking the vineyards and picking up tidbits about winemaking at every step of the way. Guides also provide snacks and all the fixings for a picnic, which the group will enjoy at one of the wineries. Helmets and bikes are included on all rides. $142-$159 per person.

There’s no better way to explore downtown Healdsburg than the Tastemakers Tour from Wine Country Walking Tours. The four-hour walkabout, held on select Thursdays throughout the year, usually includes hands-on sessions with some of the most famous chefs in town, like Mateo Granados and Dustin Valette, to name but two. The tour also features a mixology session at Spoonbar (pictured), one of the city’s most popular cocktail destinations. Participants end the night with a three-course meal paired with vino from Williamson Wines. $175 per person.

Party bikes are all about teamwork, and the newest transit offering in downtown Healdsburg is no exception. Dubbed Bike Healdsburg, the contraption seats up to 13 passengers at a time, and just about everyone must pedal in order to move it. The rookie outfitter offers three separate tours—one that’s just a workout, another that stops at a trio of wineries around town, and a third that essentially transports pedalers through a progressive dinner at multiple restaurants. Perhaps the only downside is that you can’t drink on board—a real bummer since the bike looks like a bar on wheels. $20-$149 per person.

The best way to explore Napa’s up-and-coming Rail Arts District is by foot—precisely the type of itinerary offered by hip outfitter Paper Napan Walkabouts. On the half-day walkabouts, participants learn about murals from globally renowned street artists, taste world-class wines from small-batch wineries, and sample California cuisine. Some tours also include tastings from urban nano-breweries. Walks parallel the Napa Valley Vine Trail and offer prime views of the Napa River and downtown. $40-$85 per person.

Small-boat tours with Wombat Charters offer up-close and personal looks at a part of Wine Country few visitors ever get to see: the Napa-Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Area. This region, at the southern part of the Napa-Sonoma county border, comprises more than 15,000 acres of bay lands, tidal sloughs, and wetland habitats. During three-hour daytime or sunset tours, guides regale up to six passengers with information about the region and help look for wildlife, including birds, seals, otters, and more. Riders are welcome to bring wine and snacks aboard the boats. $95-$150 per person.