If you live in California or are just vacationing there, why not take wine tours starting in San Francisco? The city is just next door to Napa County and Sonoma County so getting to the wineries won’t take long.
Napa County is, of course, the home of the Napa Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) or simply Napa Valley, considered to be one of the world’s premiere wine regions. Its mild Mediterranean climate, unique geography, and fertile soils have led to an impossibly gorgeous landscape and bounty of grapes for winemaking.
If you want to experience the best of the Napa Valley on the ground — and also off — you may want to try riding a hot air balloon! There are many operators out there but only Balloons Above the Valley (BATV) can give a total experience especially to those who are having a holiday in San Francisco.
One of BATV’s most sought-after tours packages is the “San Francisco and Wine Tours Package.” Carrying a price tag of $836 for two people, this package gives guests the opportunity to discover the ultimate luxury and convenience while enjoying the views of the Napa Valley from above and exploring the vineyards and wineries on the ground.
Day one:
This two-day package begins with luxury transportation inside a limousine bus that will take the guests from San Francisco’s downtown to Napa Valley. On board, guests enjoy breakfast with a mimosa. Once they arrive in Wine Country, guests will explore a couple of wineries in Napa and another two in Sonoma, as well as enjoy a picnic lunch at one of the wineries. There are sightseeing opportunities in and around the Valley — including viewing San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge from a vista point.
After the wine tour, guests will stay at the lodging of their choice. This may be a bed and breakfast establishment, or accommodations in downtown Napa, or a bigger resort.
Day two:
In the early morning hours, the BATV staff will pick the tourists up and drive them to the hot air balloon launch site. This is where you will see the balloons being inflated. When the balloon goes up, guests will hop into the basket, readying for the moment of lift off! Once settled, they will slowly lift from the ground and up into the air. From several thousand feet above ground, guests will definitely admire the quilt-like formation in the rolling hills and valleys, made by the neat rows of grapevines. As the sun rises, its rays will touch the dormant grapevines, waking them up!
As the balloon gently descends, guests will be then treated to a fresh, seasonal and delicious brunch with champagne. There, they will excitedly recount and refresh their memories of that amazing, just-concluded flight.
Tourists may have the option to return to their hotels in San Francisco or spend some time sightseeing and shopping. If the guests choose the latter, then the chauffeur will drop them off at the Napa Premium Outlets or the Oxbow Public Market which follows the post-flight brunch. Then they will be driven to the ferry terminal in Vallejo, where a ferry awaits to sail them back to downtown San Francisco.
Balloons Above the Valley’s “San Francisco Balloon and Wine Tour Package” is perfect for those who are staying in the city and have been planning to visit the Wine Country. The hot air balloon rides will definitely make your wine tour in San Francisco more enjoyable and unforgettable — who knows, you may want to come back for more!