Wine Country Discovery Tour
Napa and Sonoma Valleys Combo Tour
Tour Highlights
- Los Carneros wine region, famous for its elegant Chardonnays & Pinots
- Visit castle wineries & off-the-beaten-path small wineries
- Meet with wine experts and wine makers
- Enjoy a wine cave tour and barrel wine tasting
- Taste California finest cuisine in the most renowned restaurants
- Or enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch at a winery
- Visit Napa or Sonoma back roads & hidden wineries
- Return to San Francisco via Sausalito (optional)
Brief description of the tour
Your exciting journey to California Wine Country starts in San Francisco when our certified tour guide will pick you up at your hotel. You will head north and drive through the colorful Golden Gate Bridge heading to the historic Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley wine regions for a full day wine tasting experience. Join us and delight your palate with Napa and Sonoma Valley’s premium estates wines and sparkling wine. Complementary red and white wine tasting, cheese, olive oil and chocolate will be offered in Sonoma Valley. You can also choose your own wineries in Napa Valley where tasting fees may apply.
Our experienced tour guides will be in charge of organizing and booking your favorite wineries and wine tasting schedule based on your taste and preference to ensure your journey to Sonoma and Napa Valleys will be enjoyable and relaxing. Please note that wineries require reservations prior to your tour and visit. No worry, our professional tour guides know very well how to organize and manage your schedule so you enjoy quality time in California wine country
Organic, biodynamic and Estate wineries maybe available for additional fees. We can also organize private tours to visit wine caves and enjoy private or public barrel wine tasting, drive through vineyards and meet with wine growers or wine makers.
Sonoma Valley: The historic Sonoma Valley offers visitors a personal and custom wine tasting experience, in small charming wineries located off- the- beaten- path or on the main wine trail. Sonoma is less business oriented than Napa Valley and home to the Oldest Winery and Vines in California. Sonoma Historic town plaza is actually the birthplace of California Statehood and offers visitors a variety of Californian cuisine and international dishes. You can walk on this historic Sonoma square and visit the historic Mexican barracks and one of California Oldest Missions. You can also explore the local boutique wineries, shopping in charming courtyards and sample complementary cheese, olive oil and chocolate.
Napa Valley is home to California's finest wines and sparkling wines. Napa is characterized by its famous mansions, chateau wineries and fancy restaurants.The valley of Napa is divided into a number of designated wine regions called AVA (American Viticultural Area). These grape-growing regions include Calistoga, St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, Yountville, and some other outlying areas. Wine aficionados can choose between elegant chateau wineries or small boutique wineries located off the beaten path or a combination of both.
Why Golden Horizon Travel?
We offer high quality customer service and seek in every step to meet and exceed your expectations!
Included: Because we include your tax and wine tasting fees for the same competitive price. We also include complementary cheese and olive oil sampling. We offer you a full day guided tour in top of the line luxury SUVs or limousine vans conducted by certified tour guides rated as best tour guides on Trip Advisor and ratepoint.com. We offer our customers a unique and different wine experience away from the commercial wineries where you meet with wine makers or growers. We custom your tours to your particular travel needs and expectations to ensure you will enjoy a relaxing and a pleasant wine tour in Sonoma Valley. For families with kids or customers who do not drink wine, we select our wineries and itineraries to visit family friendly wineries where you can visit museums and other attractions within these wineries. We go where other tours and ground transportations don’t go. We drive you off the beaten path to visit hidden wineries and on back roads through Sonoma and Napa Valleys. During the harvest season, we drive you through the vineyards so you can taste and see how grapes are picked up manually. We can add cave and barrel tasting to your tours. We offer private and custom guided tours in 12 foreign languages. Our drivers are excellent drivers, knowledgeable tour guides, photographers, entertainers and highly trained.
Finally, our certified tour reviews on Trip Advisor and Ratepoint.com among others, speak for themselves!
Our Wine Discovery Tour Prices
By SUV: 
2 people minimum is required
| Tour Prices: Price per person | Semi-Private Tour Price per person (you share the SUV with others) |
Totally Private Tour Price per person | Tax + 2 wine tasting included |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Guest | $249.00 | $299.00 | Included |
| 2 Guests | $249.00 | $299.00 | Included |
| 3 Guests | $179.00 | $229.00 | Included |
| 4 Guests | $149.00 | $198.00 | Included |
| 5 Guests | $139.00 | $159.00 | Included |
| 6 Guests | $129.00 | $129.00 | Included |
| 7 Guests | $119.00 | $119.00 | Included |
Charter the SUV for $799 |
(for up to 7 people) | $799.00 | Included |
**Note** : Our decreased and/or discounted prices noted above are based on the number of participants in your own party on these Semi-Private tours. No discount or refund will apply when sharing the SUV or the VAN with other parties who may sign up for the same tour.
By booking a semi-private SUV or VAN tour, you agree to share the required vehicle with other customers. Also you understand that this guided tour might be narrated in two or more foreign languages in addition to English. Nevertheless, we guarantee your tour even if no other participants sign up for that tour as long as the minimum number of participants is acquired.
You may wish to consider our Private Tours if you need more privacy, comfort and flexibility and do not wish to share the trip with other customers.
Included: A full day wine tour to visit your favorite wineries in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. Complementary pick up and drop off, and all taxes are included.
Not included: Meals, wine tasting and drivers' gratuity.
Book your private tour now and get 10% off (November to April except holidays & weekends)
Tour Prices: Price per person |
Semi-Private Tour Price per person (you share the van with others ) |
Charter-totally private! Up to 14 people | Tax & Wine Tasting in Sonoma |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Guest | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 2 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 3 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 4 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 5 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 6 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 7 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 8 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 9 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 10 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 11 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
|
$129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 13 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
| 14 Guests | $129.00 | $1,759.00 | included |
Included: full day guided wine tour to visit your favorite wineries in Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Complementary pick up and drop off, and all taxes are included.
Not included: Meals, wine tasting in Napa, and drivers' gratuity.
Note: Our SUV tours are highly recommended as they offer you a full day guided tour off- the -beaten -path and on the back roads where other ground transportations don’t go.
Our Wine Country Limousine Tours
By Limousine
Our 8 and 12 passenger Limousine tours cost $ 129 per hour + 20% to cover tax & driver’s gratuity. 8 hours minimum is required per service. Each additional hour will cost $ 139 + tax. For stretch limousines, bus charter and van tours, please send us a Travel Request with the required information including your budget for each service and we will take care of the rest! We highly recommend our new 15 passenger limousine vans because they provide more room, more affordable, more comfort, leather seats, high top ceiling with dome light, excellent video and stereo system, microphone and all taxes included!
Group Tours by Bus 
We also offer guided tours to Sonoma and Napa Valleys by luxury limousines vans, minibuses and motor coaches. For all groups of 15 persons or more, please send us a travel request about your group including your budget so we provide you an accurate quote. Meals and wine tasting are not included but can be included as part of tour package deal. Golden Horizon Travel offers local and international clientele a complete leisure and Incentive wine tour packages from Corporate - Business Travel planning that includes conventions packages to leisure group tours including accommodation, ground transportation, group shuttle service and dining. Let us make your business and leisure experiences a successful one, our Goal is to Exceed your Expectations!
- Daily Departures at 9 AM
- Return 5 PM
- Duration: 8 hours approximately. Overtime is available for additional fee
- Pick-up location: San Francisco, Sausalito, Sonoma or, Napa Valley.
- Wine tasting and meals are not included
How To Book My Tour?
- You can secure your booking directly through our secure reservation page (click here) and scroll down to "Step 1-Tour Information" section to choose your tour from the "select tour" drop down where you select your preferred tour, date & number of persons. Please fill out the credit card information under section "Step 2-Cardholder Information".
- Lastly, it's very important that you re-enter your hotel or pick up location and the date of your tour under section "Step 3-Submit Reservation". Please check your email you entered on our reservation form to get our merchant receipt, generated ONLY when transactions are approved! We will also send you a tour voucher confirming your tour, date and pick up time.
- When transactions are not approved, we simply don't get any information with this regard and therefore, you will not hear from us. Please double check and ensure you get an email from our Merchant account sent to you from: "Authorize.Net Auto-Receipt" <emailreceipts@authorize.net>
- If you don't get an email from <emailreceipts@authorize.net>, please start over with a different credit card and enter the exact billing information related to the required credit card. You may also contact us via email to inquire about your transaction if you don't get this above merchant receipt. However, if you do receive this above email, there will be no need to contact us.
If you have a special request, you can add it under “Step 3-Submit Reservation” in the section“special request” located at the bottom of this secure and encrypted form.
Our Wine Country Discovery Tour Itinerary
9:00 AM Pick Up
Our tour guide will pick you up at your hotel in San Francisco downtown, Fisherman's Wharf, Japan town, Pacific Heights, Financial District, Chinatown, North Beach, Sausalito , and or in Sonoma or Napa Valley. We can also customize your pick time according to your own schedule and pick you up location.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Drive to the Wine Country
Drive through San Francisco colorful and iconic Golden Gate Bridge heading north on California State Highway 101. Enjoy the picturesque views over the famous coastal town of Sausalito and its beautiful house boats. Picture Tiburon and Mill Valley on both sides of the highway dominated by the imposing Mount Tamalpais. As we drive north on highway 101. You can also picture Richmond-San Rafael double decker bridge which was built back in a 1956.
The bridge measures 5.4 miles and links the East Bay to Marin County. You can see the famous San Quentin State prison that profiles at the near end of the bridge. A few miles away, you will be able to see Franck Lloyd's architectural masterpiece and National Monument known today as Marin County Civic Center. This eclectic landmark is crowned by circular domes symbolizing galaxies and infinity, has been the perfect setting for a number of science fiction movies such; Star Wars, Gattaca and THX 1138. We now exit highway 101 heading towards highway 37 East towards Napa Valley. As we cross the bridge that separates Marin county from Sonoma Valley, you can enjoy the views over Stone Tree Golf Club and the hanging houses overlooking San Pablo Bay and its picturesque lagoons. We are now coming into the southern part of Sonoma Valley as we pass Sonoma's famous Infineon Raceway on highway 12, located in the famous Los Carneros Wine Growing Region.
Los Carneros is a picturesque wine growing region that lies in southern Napa and Sonoma Valleys. In order to easily categorize and standardize the locations within the United States that produce wine, terms like these are given to geographical areas to make sure your favorite wines' grapes are authentically claiming to be from a certain Viticulture Areas. Therefore, every time a wine's label claims its grapes were grown in California's own Los Carneros Region, you know that at least 85 percent of the grapes in that bottle were grown within this beautiful region's boundaries.
Thanks to its Mediterranean climate and proximity to San Pablo Bay, Los Carneros Wine Region produces some of the best pinot noir and Chardonnays in the US.
10:15 AM - Visit Sonoma Valley Wineries
Arriving to the picturesque rolling hills of Napa Valley where you will enjoy tasting your favorite red and white wines. Our first wine tasting experience may take place in Los Carneros Wine Region in Sonoma or anywhere you wish in Napa wine regions. All wineries require appointments several days in advance. The sooner you book your wine tour, the better so we get the best wineries for you unless you book your own wineries or simply make the trip an adventure. Our private and small group tours allow you to interact with the wine experts or wine makers in certain wine regions, ask questions and enjoy your narrated and guided wine tasting tour. Our drivers are knowledgeable and will offer you a comprehensive guided tour in Sonoma Valley famous and infamous wine regions and trails. We will leave this first winery round 11 am heading to the second winery within Napa Valley or Calistoga. Our Sonoma and Napa private tours leave you the liberty to choose your own wineries and restaurant. Please note that wine tasting and meals are not included.
11:15 AM – Visit the Second Winery in Sonoma
The second winery will offer you different wine varietals from smooth fruity wines to full body and bold wines. Red and whites wines will be offered by a wine expert or sommelier dedicated to you. We choose our wineries in the same geographic wine growing region so the traveling distance between two wineries doesn’t exceed 25 minutes. This allows you to enjoy quality and extra time within the wineries. Our tour itineraries are designed and written by our tour guides and our operation team to ensure your tour to California Wine Country will be successful and memorable.
12:20 PM - 1:45 PM Lunch Time in Napa or Sonoma
Delight yourself with European and California finest dishes
Lunch in Sonoma: Sonoma historic downtown is known as Sonoma Historic Plaza and considered as the birthplace of the Statehood of California. The square is pure marvel of Spanish-Mexican architectural style with some western touch. Sonoma Plaza is the perfect mix of a rich historical tradition and modern sophistication. Located in the center of one of the most chic Wine-Growing Regions in the entire World, the city of Sonoma's historic town square manages to have retained its small-town personality in the middle of a burgeoning wine Empire.
Complete with spas, upscale eateries, a relaxing open-air plaza and courtyards, and home to the old barracks and Mission(the most northerly of the 21 historic California Missions). This town focal point is a true testament to the blend of old times and modernity that characterizes the entirety of the Sonoma Valley.The plaza is home to the finest European and Californian dishes. Our operation team and tour guides have just jointly added the below section for you so you choose your favorite restaurant prior to the trip. We will escort you to the restaurant to ensure you will get the best table without reservation (except with the "Girl and the Fig Restaurant" that requires reservation):
Della Santina's Trattoria –Rated by our customers: *****
This is probably the best restaurant in term of quality and quantity on the square. Prices are reasonable and the food is delicious. You can enjoy lunch and dinner in the cozy atmosphere in the back patio, which is covered in grape vines and wisteria, and surrounded by balustrades that are planted with assorted flowers. Don’t miss their enoteca wine tasting room. If you are looking for fine and traditional Italian cuisine, this is your best shot! www.dellasantinas.com/
The Girl and the Fig: Rated by our customers: *****
It is an American restaurant serving French style cuisine. According to their reviews, this is a good place for dining but not easy to get a table for lunch without reservation. The price seems somehow reasonable for certain customers but pricy for others.http://www.thegirlandthefig.com/
El Dorado Kitchen: Rated by our customers: ****
This restaurant offers a stone courtyard for outside dining, a relaxing lounge with a fireplace for cocktails. El Dorado Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner daily. Executive Chef Justin Everett describes his food as “farm driven” .Others consider it as a California cuisine with French influence. http://www.eldoradosonoma.com/
La Casa- Traditional Mexican Cuisine : Rated by our customers: ****
Sisters, Ana and Marisela, long time Sonoma residents and Latina’s are bringing the smells and authentic traditional cuisine from Jalisco region of Mexico to La Casa in Sonoma Valley.
http://www.lacasarestaurant.com/
La Salette- Contemporary Portuguese Cuisine. Rated by our customers: ***
restaurant offers contemporary Portuguese cuisine. It’s the realization of Chef Manuel Azevedo’s dream to bring Portuguese cuisine throughout America and the Wine Country.
http://www.lasalette-restaurant.com/
The Plaza Bistro: Mixture of American European cuisine. Rated by our customers: ***
Offers Italian –American mixture of casual and classic cuisine.http://theplazabistro.com/
Sonoma Cheese Factory: Rated by our customers: ***
Offers casual BBQ, ribs, sandwiches, burgers, cheese, gelato, and a gift shop
http://www.sonomscheesefactory.com/
Swiss Hotel Restaurant: Italian modern cuisine. Rated by our customers: ****
A full service restaurant featuring modern renditions of classical Italian fare as well as pizza from a wood burning oven. www.swisshotelsonoma.com
Sunflower Café: Salad and sandwiches Café. Rated by our customers: **+
Salad and sandwiches and vegetarian food. This almost a self service cozy restaurants. Customers can eat in the back yards in warm sunny days.
http://www.sonomasunflower.com/
Basque Boulangerie: French Bakery: Rated by our customers: ***
Basque Boulangerie Cafe, Sandwich/Sub and Pastries Place in Sonoma
For more information about Sonoma Valley restaurant, feel free to visit this link:
http://www.goldenhorizontravel.com/sonomavalleyrestaurants.htm
Lunch may also take place anywhere in Sonoma Valley in one of the above restaurants or as a picnic lunch within a winery in a different location within the valley.
Lunch in Napa Valley: Napa Valley is home to the most elegant restaurants and California finest dishes and international cuisine. Yountville is one of Napa Valley’s wine growing regions, and is home to the most famous restaurants where you may enjoy your lunch. Saint Helena is also renowned for its local restaurants and fine cuisine
Including the famous Culinary Institute of America among other fine local and international restaurants. There are also a number of casual and local restaurants in Napa Valley you may enjoy, in or outdoors.
Some of Napa Valley Famous Restaurants
Auberge du Soleil, Chandon Etoile, Bouchon, Hurley's restaurant, Rutherford Grill, Solage Calistoga, Press, Bistro Jeanty in Yountville ,Allegria Napa, Napa Redd, the French Laundry, Mustards Grill, Go Fish, Bottega, and Bistro Giovanni. You can also enjoy a picnic lunch within a winery in Napa Valley. For more information about Napa restaurants, you may check out this link:http://www.goldenhorizontravel.com/napavalleyrestaurants.htm
2:00 PM Taste Napa Top Premium Wines
After lunch, you can choose your third winery or sparkling winery in Napa Valley on the famous wine trail 29 or on the Silverado Wine Trail. You may also require a guided tour to visit a wine cave to see where and how wine is aged. Optional guided tours are available to visit a sparkling (champagne) winery in Napa and enjoy cave and barrel tasting. You may simply relax and enjoy a glass of champagne or wine in an overlooking winery in Napa Valley. We know very well Napa Valley and both famous and hidden wineries. We will escort and guide you to Napa Valley most famous wineries, wine regions and boutique wineries based on your taste and expectations.
3:00 PM Visit Chateau Wineries in Napa Valley
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM Fourth Winery
Napa Valley wineries are considered among the top wineries in the world thanks to its geographical location, rich and volcanic soil. The valley of Napa offers the perfect conditions “Terroir” for wine growing where vines express themselves beautifully!
You can now choose between tasting more wine or, sparkling wine (champagne ) in a small winery located off- the- beaten- path or within castle wineries offering spectacular views over Napa Valley vineyards. You may also require a cave wine tasting experience on the beautiful Silverado Trail. Our tour guide will book it for you and will be in charge of organizing your schedule unless you prefer your own itinerary, and visit your own wineries.
If time permitting, we will offer you one more wine tasting with or without a tour within one of our favorite wineries in Napa Valley Wine Country. You can also add overtime to your tour. During the harvest season, our tour guides drive our 4x4 SUVs through Napa Valley vineyards and back roads to picture how grapes are picked up manually and eventually taste the grapes directly from the vineyard. Our driver will start now heading back to your hotel unless you want to add overtime to your trip.
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM Back to San Francisco
Our tour guide will now drive you back to San Francisco via Napa and Sonoma Valleys after such an amazing wine experience in Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Country(road may vary depending on your location). An optional side trip may take you to Sausalito where you can decide to either stay with us or enjoy the picturesque Sausalito and return to San Francisco on the ferry (tickets are not included).
We often choose to make a last photo stop at Marin Headland , a view point overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay Area.
5:00 PM Drop Off
Our tour guide will drive you back to your hotel with an optional side trip via the famous Pacific Heights, the most expensive district in San Francisco and California. The Pacific Heights is home to celebrities and gorgeous mansions. This will depend on your hotel location. Thank you for your interest in Golden Horizon Travel.
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