French-inspired chateaus, castles, vineyards, and redwoods are some of the notable features in California wine country. Travelers seeking different ways to experience this region have several options beyond traditional tours.
One unique way to see the landscape is by taking a hot-air balloon ride with companies like Napa Valley Aloft or Napa Valley Balloons. These flights provide aerial views of the vineyards and can be booked for groups or private excursions.
Another alternative is traveling by cable car. The Napa Valley Wine Trolley and Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley offer all-day tours on replica streetcars, stopping at select wineries and including a gourmet picnic lunch. Evening dinner rides are available on the Napa Valley Wine Train.
For those looking for adventure, NorCal Skydiving in Cloverdale offers tandem skydives over Alexander Valley from altitudes between 8,000 and 15,000 feet. Options include parachuting or accelerated freefall programs.
Visitors can also explore Napa by electric tuk-tuk through Laces & Limos, which provides private tours to lesser-known wineries and often includes a chef-prepared vineyard lunch. Reservations are typically required with pickup at downtown Napa’s Archer Hotel.
Horseback riding is another way to tour the vineyards. Triple Creek Horse Outfit offers guided rides through state parks that were once home to author Jack London, ending with tastings at local wineries such as Benziger Family Winery. Sonoma Valley Trail Rides and Napa Valley Trail Rides offer similar experiences.
In Paso Robles, Third Wheel Tours provides motorcycle sidecar excursions through the countryside with stops at various wineries.
West Wine Tours runs five-and-a-half-hour trips in vintage Volkswagen vans around Sonoma and Napa Valleys, picking up guests from central locations depending on booking type.
Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga uses an aerial tram (gondola) to transport guests 300 feet above the valley floor for wine tastings with panoramic views.
Cyclists can use the 12.5-mile car-free Napa Valley Vine Trail from Yountville to South Napa—bikes are available from Napa Valley Bike Tours—and visit nearby wineries along the route such as Laird Family Estate and Domaine Chandon.
Glidesdale Adventures offers Glide bike tours—electric bikes requiring no pedaling—along roughly 15 miles of trail with stops at three wineries and a deli lunch included during one stop.
Dry Creek Vineyard hosts farm tours aboard a 4WD vehicle in northern Sonoma County where visitors learn about sustainable farming practices before sampling wines produced onsite.
Big Bus Tours operates half-day trips departing San Francisco just after midday; these six-hour tours cross iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge en route to two acclaimed Northern California wineries where participants enjoy tastings and estate tours led by wine hosts who explain production processes from fermentation through bottling.
At Belden Barns Farmstead & Winery near Santa Rosa, children receive scavenger-hunt backpacks containing field guides, magnifying glasses, and checklists while adults participate in tastings—a family-friendly option that allows everyone to enjoy their time in wine country.
Active Wine Adventures conducts hiking-and-wine outings through Sonoma’s vineyards and redwood forests followed by outdoor tastings and lunches.
