California
Wine Country—Budget

Simple Lodging, Spectacular Service

For folks more interested in the gorgeous cycling in the California wine country than its opulent lodging and fine dining, the California Wine Country-Budget tour is an excellent choice. This trip follows a route similar to our California Wine Country - 6 Day tour, but  stays in nice motels and eats at good family-style restaurants as opposed to the luxurious accommodations and fine dining on our other wine country trips.  We begin cycling on Sunday near Sonoma, the birthplace of California’s wine industry.  Sonoma was founded in 1823 as the most northerly of the Spanish missions linking California to Mexico, and seven different national flags have flown there since.  Terraced vineyards surround quiet country roads — a beautiful place to ride.  We spend the night near the plaza in Sonoma at the El Pueblo Inn.

Old Stagecoach Road Leads to Calistoga for Two-Night Stay

Monday’s ride takes us on side roads into Napa Valley, with lunch at a winery, famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon.  Strong riders will want to take advantage of the optional route over Mt. Veeder.  All riders will have a chance to stop at wineries such as Domaine Carneros and Artesa, admiring their architecture and art as well as their wine.  We spend the afternoon riding the old stagecoach road, the Silverado Trail, built in 1852 to connect Napa and Calistoga.  On our way to Calistoga, we pass many wineries, including Stag’s Leap, whose Cabernet Sauvignon won first place in the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting, much to the dismay of French winemakers.  The event drew world attention to California wines for the first time.  We spend two nights in Calistoga at the Lodge at Calistoga.

A Taste of the Wine Country

Tuesday is a layover day.  We’ll lead a van tour of nearby wineries.  You can join us or spend the day exploring Calistoga, perhaps indulging in one of the town’s famous mud baths.  We also offer some exciting and challenging cycling options, including a great climb on a deserted one-lane road over the foothills to Pope Valley.

Wednesday takes us into the Alexander and Dry Creek valleys, where famous wineries abound.  We stop for lunch at the homey Field Stone Winery, where the manager often takes us for a private tour.  In the afternoon we ride winding, quiet roads through the serene vineyards of Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma Country.  We spend the night at the Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg, a charming town whose plaza is graced with boutiques and art galleries.

Elegant Ferrari-Carano Winery Awaits Cyclist

On Thursday we’ll cycle out of the vineyards of Sonoma County into the forests along the Russian River to lunch at Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve.  The 805-acre reserve is home to some of the oldest (1,400 years) and tallest (more than 300 feet high) trees remaining in this part of California.  Along the way, you may want to visit Hop Kiln Winery, Korbel Champagne Cellars, or several other wineries we cycle past.  After lunch, we’ll hike through the magnificent growth of redwoods in the reserve, then cycle on peaceful country roads beside the Russian River.  We spend the night in Occidental.  Before dinner you may wish to visit the well-known Osmosis spa for a massage.

Classic Wine Country Tour Concludes with Hike through Redwood Reserve

Friday we head west toward the coast via Coleman Valley Road.  This is an outstanding road to bicycle on, through open pastureland with little traffic and 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean.  The road drops us into the fishing town of Bodega Bay.  We ride along the coast for a short distance, then turn inland to finish the day with lunch at Matanzas Creek Winery and a short shuttle back to Santa Rosa.

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