Day Trips to Napa from San Francisco

The Napa region is one of the most famous wine regions not only in the United States, but in the whole world. Visiting this area is an experience that I highly recommend if you are a lover of wine, cheese and vineyard tours.

One of the most interesting things to see on this type of trip is how wine is made, how it is stored in the vineyards and how the best grapes are grown. Book your tour to Napa and be sure to put it on your list of things to see and do in San Francisco.

On this full day tour to Napa Valley you will have the opportunity to hop on an air-conditioned bus and travel to the Napa area and then around at least three major wineries and vineyards within the wine growing area.

You will be able to taste the wines that are produced in that area and also see the grape growing process.

On the other hand, this one-day activity gives you the opportunity to get to know in depth the town of Napa and all the nearby areas, such as the Sonoma Valley. You will be able to learn about its history and hear the most popular local stories from some of the locals. It is a picturesque region that has a lot to tell visitors.

I recommend this experience because you will also be able to taste the typical food of this area and it is a place that is very close to San Francisco, which makes the walk short and pleasant.

If you go alone, as a couple or with friends, you will share the experience with other tourists, so you can make good friends during the walk.

Interesting details

• Price: from around 120 euros.
• Duration: around nine hours.
• Means of transport: air-conditioned bus.
• Benefits of this tour: includes a professional guide who will answer all your questions on the tour, pick-up from two points of your choice (usually Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf), the price of tasting at three wineries and can also include lunch if you specify at the time of booking.
• Disadvantages of this tour: It does not include additional food and beverages, or gratuities. Pick-up and drop-off at the specified points is not included. The tour is not wheelchair accessible. In addition**, the tour may be cancelled if the weather is bad** or if the tour is not fully booked.

Unlike other tours you can take to Napa from San Francisco (or even tours like the ones to Sausalito from San Francisco), this one is special because it's a private tour, perfect if you're travelling as a family or with several of your friends.

With this tour you will have the opportunity to get to know much more than three wineries. Depending on the case, you may have the opportunity to be picked up from your own hotel. Afterwards, the tour reaches the town of Napa where you will see a large number of vineyards, and of course you will have access to a wine tasting.

This tour usually includes a visit to the Sonoma vineyards as well, making it a very complete option.

With this type of tour you can organise the itinerary of winery and vineyard visits on your own, of course with the advice of the expert guides. You have an extensive list of wineries from which you can choose to visit between 8 and 10 of them during the whole day.

If you complete the 8-hour tour and still want more, you can pay an additional fee and visit other wineries to continue enjoying the best wine tasting in San Francisco.

Interesting details

• Price: from 654 euros per person.
• Duration: approximately 8 hours
• Means of transport: luxury and off-road vehicles, depending on the terrain to be visited.
• Advantages of this tour: water is included throughout the tour and photo service to the north of the Golden Gate Bridge. It can also include pick-up and drop-off at the hotel, provided you inform us in advance.
• Disadvantages of this tour: There is an additional charge for petrol, which averages about 45 euros. Lunch is not included, nor is the presence of a guide, as each winery is guided by its own staff. The wine tasting fee is not usually included either.

This is one of my favourite wine tours because you get to ride in an authentic, upgraded train carriage and tour the entire Napa Valley while tasting the flavours of the region's finest wines, eating lunch and savouring artisan cheeses and other special Napa Valley foods.

Most of these tours offer a complete experience from San Francisco to the Napa vineyards. They are conducted aboard a train that has been refurbished without losing its vintage essence, so you will have a unique experience among the vineyards.

During the tour you will have all the curtains open so you can enjoy the scenery you will see as you go through the Napa Valley. This makes it an ideal activity to include among the things to see and do in San Francisco in summer. This is an experience you can do alone, as a couple or in a group but share the train with other visitors, or hire the train for private excursions.

Details of interest

• Price: From 350 euros per person.
• Duration: the journey takes 9 hours and 30 minutes.
• Means of transport: Ferry or bus from San Francisco to Napa and back. Train throughout the Napa Valley area.
• Advantages of this option: Wine tasting on board the train is included, as well as a three-course lunch. Winery tour included, as well as beverages such as tea and water. This tour is not cancelled due to weather conditions, so I recommend you take your precautions in this regard. Assistance pets are allowed.
• Disadvantages of this option: Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and juices are not included, although you can purchase them on board the train at an additional cost. It is not wheelchair accessible. You can't just wear any clothes, you must wear casual but smart attire.

If there's one tour you're going to love, it's the Napa Valley Wine Trolley.

You may have used the trolley in San Francisco, as they are included in the San Francisco City Pass. Well, this same trolley runs through the streets of Napa and takes you to the vineyards and wineries to learn about the wine process and of course taste each one of them.

During the tastings you can also try other snacks, such as cheeses, chocolate and other similar products.

Generally, the experience is a full day experience and begins in San Francisco, from where you will depart with your group to the Napa wine country to board a tram that will take you through the vineyards of the entire community.

The tram is a vehicle that has been restored to take passengers in vintage style to visit all the interesting places in Napa.

In order to participate in this experience and enjoy the wine tasting, participants must be over 21 years old and you have to take into account that the liquor you will consume will only be in the vineyards and wineries, as on board the tram the consumption of alcohol is forbidden.

I do not recommend you to include this activity in your list of things to do in San Francisco with children.

Interesting details

• Price: from 227 euros per person.
• Duration: 6 to 8 hours.
• Means of transport: some options offer pick-up in San Francisco at an additional cost. After you arrive at the meeting point, the tour is by tram.
• Advantages of this option: The tour is all-weather, but if it is very rainy, windy and conditions are not optimal, the team can make the decision to change the trolley for a minibus. It is possible to take assistance pets. In addition, most people can participate in the tour without any inconvenience. You can request guides who speak Spanish or other languages in advance. Lunch is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: Not suitable for wheelchair users. Wine tasting at any winery is not included in the price, which is usually between 30 and 40 euros.

On this select tour you will have the opportunity to travel through the various wineries of Napa Valley in a modern luxury limousine. You can do the tour with a small group of your family and friends. When you book this experience you can rest assured that the limousine will only be for your group and will not be shared with anyone else.

Included in the service is the transfer to and from the hotel where you are staying in San Francisco. Right at the start of the tour you will have a complimentary bottle of wine so you can enjoy the ride from start to finish.

The guide who will accompany you on the tour will share all his knowledge about wine production and grape growing to achieve the highest quality of the final product.

It is a participatory experience where you and your group will be able to ask questions about wine production and the Napa region in general.

Details of interest

• Price: From 1,000 euros per group of up to 8 people.
• Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Means of transport: Limousine from San Francisco to Napa Valley.
• Advantages of this tour: You will receive a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine. The driver, in addition to being careful and cautious, is very knowledgeable about the wines and their production. Tipping is included as well as fuel surcharges. Assistance animals are welcome. It is accessible for prams. Overtime tour is available, but not included in the initial price.
• Disadvantages of this tour: Not suitable for wheelchair users. The tour is not recommended for pregnant women. Minimum age to enjoy the tour is 21 years old. It does not include the wine tasting fee at the wineries, nor does it include the cost of lunch. Bridge and toll fees are not included.

• Bring enough extra money so that you can get into all the wine tastings and, most importantly, buy souvenir wines to take with you.
• Dress in layers because the weather in San Francisco is quite changeable, so it is best to be prepared at all times.
• I do not recommend that you drink alcoholic beverages during the trip, but rather that you just enjoy the tasting so that you can stay sober and enjoy the tour.
• This type of tour requires a minimum age of 21 to participate in the wine tasting. Young people under this age need to be accompanied by an adult of legal age to attend the tour.
• Tipping is never or rarely included in the price of the service, so I recommend that you calculate your tip according to the quality of the tour guide. In the United States it is very important to comply with the tipping rule.

Napa is a really big and popular region, where you can visit many different places of interest. On a trip to Napa Valley you will not only have the opportunity to taste wine, but also to see beautiful scenery and see a beautiful city.

Napa Valley

Napa Valley is home to the most vineyards in all of Napa, so it's obviously a must-see if you're looking for a good wine tour of the region.

Calistoga

This is the place to see all things vineyard and winery related. Calistoga is home to the most important vineyards and wineries in the entire wine region and is also home to some of the best export-quality wines.

City of Napa

This is a city of great attractions. For a city so far from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco, it's a picturesque place where you can visit the Oxbow Market, one of the **city'**s most iconic landmarks.

I highly recommend a trip to Napa Valley because besides being a wine region by nature, it is a place that gives you the chance to taste the best artisanal cheeses, as well as different varieties of chocolate and exquisite honey.

In fact, I would include this tour among the best food tours in San Francisco for its culinary variety, and it is also an area worth visiting just outside the city for its rich cultural heritage. It's a place I wouldn't miss for the world.

The guided tour also gives you the opportunity to see what you didn't know and rediscover things you've missed if you've visited Napa Valley before.

These types of tours are ideal to share with your family or friends if you are a lover of culinary delights. I would definitely include it among the best tours and excursions from San Francisco.

The main difference between a guided tour to Napa and a self-guided tour is that on a guided tour you will be paying for information and sightseeing that you won't get on a self-guided tour.

On the other hand, there is the advantage of travelling to a place without having to drive yourself. Another advantage is the entrance to the vineyards and wineries. Normally, if you are touring Napa on your own, it is likely to be a bit difficult to get into more than one vineyard to see the inside and participate in the tasting.

If you go on a guided tour, you will only have to book one service and forget about making a separate reservation for each winery. The tour leader will make sure you visit your three, five or eight vineyards during your day trip, and all you have to worry about is enjoying yourself and listening to the anecdotes and stories they have to tell you.