Four Lessons Learned from our First Year of Wine Country Cycling Tours and 2025 Plans

As the inaugural year of running cycling tours in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and the broader Bay Area comes to a close, I wanted to share some insights and exciting developments that have shaped our journey. The experience has been incredible, and the feedback from guests has been nothing short of amazing.

Discovering Napa Valley's Cycling Paradise

One of the most rewarding aspects of 2024 has been introducing cyclists to Napa Valley's surprisingly diverse terrain. Many guests arrive not realizing the incredible variety of riding experiences available here – including challenging climbs with breathtaking valley views, low-traffic backroads and car-free trails.

The opening of the Napa Valley Vine Trail segment between Calistoga and St. Helena in August was a game-changer for tours. This new addition has allowed for experiences suited to riders of all skill levels, while providing seasoned cyclists safe access to countless tranquil backroads and challenging climbs. There's something magical about pedaling through vineyards with the majestic Mayacamas mountains and Mount St. Helena as a backdrop.

A Year-Round Cycling Destination

One of the reasons cycling in Napa Valley is so special is that each season offers its own unique charm. Winter brings brilliant yellow mustard flowers between the vines, gushing creeks and spawning salmon. Spring with perfect riding temperatures, green hills, budding vines and wild flowers. Summer mornings start cool and crisp, leading into days of lush green vineyards. And fall... well, fall is simply spectacular with harvest activities, vineyards transformed into a canvas of red and yellow and sunlight ideal for photography.

Understanding Our Customers

Our typical guests are passionate cyclists in their 40s to 70s, primarily visiting from the East Coast, states like Illinois, Wisconsin, and Colorado, but sometimes coming from as far as London. They choose Vine Trail Adventures because the guides are cyclists first – avid riders who love sharing their expertise and enthusiasm for both cycling and the region.

The success of this approach is reflected in a perfect five-star review record. The secret? Every customer journey starts with a video call to create truly customized, private tours that match their interests and abilities perfectly. This personalized touch means guests can focus entirely on enjoying their ride, knowing all the details are handled.

Great Partners and Community Support

Partnerships have been crucial to success. We are very grateful for the relationships we have built with local wineries like Olabisi Wines and Tedeschi Family Winery , luxury hotels including Solage Calistoga and Alila Napa Valley, a Hyatt Luxury Resort , and local bike shops, such as Calistoga Bikeshop and Napa Velo. Collaboration with Visit Napa Valley and Visit Calistoga and St. Helena Chamber of Commerce has helped with marketing of our region as a cycling vacation destination. And thanks to the advocacy efforts of the Napa County Bicycle Coalition , Napa County is becoming an even safer place for cyclists.

A particular partnership highlight has been our "Ride With A Winemaker" tour, which recently earned a regional award from Great Wine Capitals for Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences. This tour, led by Olabisi Wines’ Ted Osborne, perfectly balances accessible cycling with deep dives into winemaking and viticulture, making it especially popular with guests of our hotel partners.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Based on this successful first year, several new initiatives are planned for 2025:

• Our tours will expand to include e-bikes, allowing mixed-ability groups to ride together comfortably.
• Vine Trail Adventures is becoming a registered Seller of Travel in California to offer complete cycling vacation planning services.
• I'm pursuing USA Cycling coaching certification to provide formal skills training during tours.
• In addition to our custom private tours, we will be scheduling multi-day tours in Napa Valley and beyond and potentially include European wine regions and gravel tours.
• Besides running Vine Trail Adventures, I will also be leading tours for Adventure Cycling Association in the New York Finger Lakes Wine Country (July 16th-25th) and Colorado Rockies (August 19th-27th). I hope you can join me!
• And yes, merchandise is launching, featuring our new Cycle Calistoga jerseys!

While we’re still cracking the code of social media marketing and leveraging Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), the focus will remain on what works: building strong local partnerships and creating unforgettable cycling experiences that showcase the best of wine country and the broader San Francisco Bay Area.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey in 2024. Here's to more amazing rides in 2025!