Things to Do Napa Valley: Napa Valley Bike Tours & Rentals | Tour Napa Wineries by Bike

• There's no better location in wine country to start your ride: Our shop is located in the heart of the vineyards and surrounded by flat to gently rolling roads. And with this list of more than 40 Napa Valley wineries within within 5 miles of our shop in Yountville, you'll have no shortage of touring options.
• You'll benefit from our local connections & experience: We've been visiting local wineries by bike since 1987 and it's fair to say that in that time, we've developed great relationships and have gotten to know many great off-the-beaten path wineries. We're eager to share our knowledge to enhance your experience!
• Reap the rewards of our local knowledge: Our Tour Guides and shop staff reflect a diverse array of local knowledge and expertise. All of our Tour Guides are eager to take novice tasters under their wing and arm them with helpful tools, tricks and often some pretty strange vocabulary, too ("Say, this wine really has great legs!"). Our team also includes an entertaining mix of local history buffs, backyard botanists, ecological enthusiasts and even some garage winemakers. Everyone on the NVBT team shares a commitment to enrichening your wine country vacation by imparting knowledge that will deepen your appreciation of the world-class wines that are made here. We're pretty pleased with ourselves when you have a "That's cool! I didn't know that!" moment with us.
• You can choose from a wide range the support options delivered by a great team: A key characteristic of everyone you'll meet at NVBT is a shared commitment to doing everything we can to make the day you spend biking with us the single most favorite thing you did during your vacation. We love sharing the place we live, work and ride with visitors who want to see and taste the best of what this beautiful area has to offer.
• You'll ride on top-notch bikes: We buy a brand new fleet of Specialized bikes every year; our rental bikes are professionally maintained by our professional mechanic. We replace all of the stock tires with high-quality, puncture-resistant tires to greatly reduce your chance of getting a flat.

Depending on traffic, Yountville is 1 hour and 15 minutes to 2 hours drive from San Francisco. » Click Here for a Map

Although public transportation exists between San Francisco and Napa Valley, it's not recommended since the trip takes about 3 hours one way. Public transit directions: From the San Francisco Ferry Building, you can take the Baylink Ferry to Vallejo, then take the Vine Bus Route 10 to Yountville.

On any of our casual guided bike tours or self-guided routes, you'll pedal an average of 2-4 miles between stops at boutique vineyards. Our most popular routes designed for the casual tourist are between 10-16 miles. We also have longer route recommendations for experienced cyclists.

Tour guests are always welcome to ride along in the support van if/when you no longer want to cycle. Rental guests should be aware that we are unable to provide pick-up service if you bike farther than you can ride back.

This is a difficult question to answer until 3-5 days before your scheduled tour. We realize that you want to make arrangements for the other days you will be in the valley. We can offer for you to let us know where you have appointments scheduled and we will avoid duplicating those wineries on your bike tour.

Wine tasting fees range from $10-$25 at most of the wineries in the Napa Valley. Most wineries waive tasting fees with a minimum purchase (minimum purchase varies by winery).

• Tasting is optional
• Couples may share a single tasting
• Your fees may be waived with a minimum purchase (varies by winery)

• On a full-day bike tour you'll visit 3-4 wineries.
• On a half-day bike tour, you'll visit 2 wineries.

On a Guided Bike Tour, you'll enjoy a catered picnic lunch that includes a selection of deli sandwiches, fresh salad, fruit and varying accompaniments (e.g. olives, garlic dip, hummus, etc.) and a well-deserved dessert. On a Self-Guided Bike Tour, you will order your box picnic lunch (deli sandwich and choice side salad) when you check in in the morning.

The typical range is $10-15 per person for half-day bike tours and $15-20 for full-day tours. Tips are shared between your Bike Tour Guide and Van Support. Self-guided tour guests will often tip their support person (who delivered their picnic lunch and picked up their wine purchases) between $5-10 per person.

By far, the vast majority our guests ride our Specialize Sirrus road hybrid. This touring bike offers all of the efficiencies of a road bike, while being comfortable for the casual rider. For experienced cyclists we offer high-performance road bike, which can be outfitted with clipless pedals for $6. For more information and photos of our bikes, please visit the Bike Rentals page.

If you have your own bike, we're happy to act as your "touring center." Our shop location in Yountville has plenty of free parking and is the best place in wine country to start your ride. We don't offer a discount for guests riding their own bike on our guided tours. If you wish to ride your own bike on a guided tour, we ask that you carry a repair kit with everything needed to fix your own flat. Also, some tours require us to load bikes on and off our support vans; we cannot be responsible for scratches or other damages that may be incurred. Moreover, while riding your own bike with us, you will be responsible for any required roadside maintenance as well as any parts or tubes as needed.

It depends on what the goal of your ride is. If you want to "play tourist" and visit the wineries, cycling shoes are a bit "overkill" - especially on our guided bike tours; not to mention, depending on the type of cleats you have they can be downright awkward to walk in. However, if you're planning to get a good workout ride in while you're here, by all means bring your shoes. We have an inventory of pedals to match your cleats (for a $6 flat wrench fee). And, if you forget your shoes, we do have shoes with standard SPD cleats available to rent for $15.

Cool mornings make “layering” the best choice for most activities in the Napa Valley. Beyond that, your main focus should be comfort. Casual shorts or capri pants are recommend. Denim is probably the only fabric we recommend avoiding due to its thick seams. If you'll be wearing long pants, keep in mind that the right pant leg will need to be cinched or rolled up to avoid getting caught (we have Velcro straps you can borrow, if needed). We recommend wearing closed-toe shoes or sandals that are securely strapped on your feet.

All of our signature bicycling routes include a combination of cycling along lightly trafficked country roads and portions of some busier thoroughfares including Hwy. 29 and Silverado Trail where there is a 6-8 foot wide shoulder. We have been biking safely along these routes since 1987.

There are no designated biking trails that are completely removed from traffic - although the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition is working diligently to change that! Visit vinetrail.org for details and to lend your support.

For a biking experience that takes you off-road through the vineyards and away from traffic, check out the Cycling In the Vineyards Tour.

Napa's quieter country roads, aka the "Cross Roads":

Bike lane on Hwy. 29:

Bike lane along Silverado Trail:

See the Weather page for average temperatures and rainfall by month.

We tour rain or shine. On days with light/intermittent rain, we can provide rain jackets to keep you dry and comfortable. In the unlikely event of heavy rain, your guided bike tour may be converted to a chauffeured van tour, and your Tour Guide will go out of his way to visit some special wineries that we wouldn't have been able to visit by bike.

We find that most families with children enjoy the flexiblity of a self-guided tour or bike rental, since you can choose your route and decide if/when to include winery visits along your route. While there are not always kid-centered activities available at the wineries, kids are usually welcome to play outside.