French-inspired chateaus, castles, vineyards, and redwoods make California wine country a destination with many attractions. Travelers looking for new ways to explore the region have several options beyond traditional tours.
Visitors can take hot-air balloon rides over Napa Valley with companies like Napa Valley Aloft and Napa Valley Balloons, offering both group and private flights. Another option is touring wineries in a replica cable car through services such as the Napa Valley Wine Trolley or Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley, which include stops at select wineries and a gourmet picnic lunch. For an evening experience, guests can book dinner on the Napa Valley Wine Train.
Adventurous tourists may try tandem skydiving with NorCal Skydiving in Cloverdale, choosing from jumps between 8,000 and 15,000 feet. Those interested in a different kind of ride can explore Napa’s backroads in electric tuk-tuks via Laces & Limos, which often feature chef-prepared vineyard lunches and customizable itineraries.
Horseback riding tours are available through Triple Creek Horse Outfit at Jack London State Park and Sonoma Valley Trail Rides. These excursions include routes through vineyards and redwood groves with optional tastings at local wineries.
In Paso Robles, Third Wheel Tours offers motorcycle sidecar rides that pass through vineyards and hills with stops for tastings. Vintage experiences are also available in Sonoma with West Wine Tours’ Volkswagen van trips to three wineries per tour.
Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga provides an aerial tram ride to its hilltop tasting room for views above the valley floor. Cyclists can use the Napa Valley Vine Trail—a car-free path stretching from Yountville to South Napa—to visit various wineries along the route using rentals from local bike shops or their own bikes.
Electric Glide bike tours by Glidesdale Adventures offer another way to travel the Vine Trail without pedaling effort, including winery stops and lunch. Dry Creek Vineyard’s Farm Tour gives visitors insight into sustainable farming practices aboard a 4WD vehicle while sampling wines produced onsite.
For those short on time, Big Bus Tours runs six-hour trips from San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge into wine country with visits to two wineries and behind-the-scenes estate tours guided by wine hosts.
Families visiting Belden Barns Farmstead & Winery near Santa Rosa will find activities for children such as nature scavenger hunts equipped with backpacks containing field guides and magnifying glasses.
Nature lovers may enjoy hiking-based wine tours offered by Active Wine Adventures in Sonoma County. These hikes range from easy walks to more challenging treks past vineyards and forests before ending with outdoor tastings and lunch.
These experiences provide varied ways for visitors to engage with California’s wine regions beyond standard tasting rooms.
