Planning a memorable trip to Sonoma Valley, California? Explore the very best ways to tour Sonoma Valley RIGHT NOW, along with our top recommendations on Sonoma wine tours for every travel style and budget.
Why Tour Sonoma Valley?
Just 45 miles north of San Francisco, Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of the California wine industry and home to more than 100 wineries.
From historic chateaus to award-winning newcomers, Sonoma Valley offers one of the premier wine touring experiences in the world!
You could easily spend an entire day in and around the enchanting town of Sonoma, discovering the region’s top food, wine, and art all within a stone’s throw of the historic main plaza and Mission San Francisco Solano (Mission Sonoma).
Or, dive right in to the heart of Sonoma wine country with a top-rated wine tour to some of the best wineries in the world!
Best of all, there are so many different ways you can tour Sonoma Valley – from small-group tours to guided electric trike tours, and even by hot air balloon!
Here are the very best ways to tour Sonoma Valley right now, plus our top recommendations for Sonoma Valley tours in each category.
Raring to go?
Here’s a peek at our top tour picks for 2023
- SMALL GROUP VAN TOUR ▸ Sonoma Van Rides Tasting Tour
- CITY WALKING TOUR ▸ Sonoma Food, Wine & History Tour
- PEDAL-ASSIST BIKE TOUR ▸ Sonoma Adventures
- SONOMA PLAZA TOUR ▸ Gourmet Food & Wine Tour
- TROLLEY TOUR ▸ Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley
- HOT AIR BALLOON TOUR ▸ Sonoma Ballooning Adventures
- SEGWAY TOUR ▸ Sonoma Segway
- PRIVATE LIMO WINE TOUR ▸ Apex Limousine Wine Tours
- ELECTRIC TRIKE TOUR ▸ Pushpak Motors Tours
- SIDECAR WINE TOUR ▸ Rides by Me Classic Sidecar Tours
- PRIVATE WINE TOUR ▸ Wine Nation Tours
- SELF-GUIDED BIKE TOUR ▸ Sonoma Adventures
Keep reading for all the details, including what sets each of these unique experiences apart from the pack.
12 Wonderful Ways to Tour Sonoma Valley (Plus Tour Recommendations)
Good to Know for Sonoma Wine Tours
- Minimum California drinking age is 21
- Some tours may not include tasting fees (+$30-$40 per stop)
- Occasionally, 2-for-1 tasting fee coupons are provided
- Most tours offer a generous cancellation policy up to 24 hours before the tour
- However, some tours are non-refundable, so check the policy before you book
- Some tours require a minimum number of travelers
- If your tour does not offer a full lunch (or only a light snack), we recommend eating a full meal beforehand for maximum enjoyment
- While we strive to keep tour info up-to-date, changes do happen. Be sure to thoroughly read the company/booking page for all the latest pricing, terms and info before you book.
1. Sonoma Wine Tours by Van
If you’re hoping to maximize your time in Sonoma Valley and visit the region’s top wineries in a single day, a small-group van tour is one of the very best ways to do just that!
Top-rated Sonoma wine tours generally allow no more than 8 to 13 participants per group and provide an experienced and knowledgeable driver (or additional guide) to ensure you visit wineries worth your time and money, in addition to providing local insight into the region.
Our Top Pick for Small-Group Van Tour in 2023:
Consistently top-rated and very popular with visitors to Sonoma Valley, this 3-winery tasting tour by Sonoma Wine Rides is a perfect opportunity to get the classic Sonoma Valley wine tour experience.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (49 reviews), Google Maps (64) & Yelp
- Small Group (13 max)
- Visits 3 Cellars (5-6 Hours)
- Charcuterie plate served
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $139
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- Pickup from Santa Rosa and other Sonoma County towns
Looking for a top-rated small-group tour from San Francisco? Check out this Sonoma wine tour with Edge of the World Tours.
2. Sonoma Town Walking Tours
Lots of visitors come to Sonoma Valley to visit the area’s top wineries.
But the town of Sonoma, itself, is very much worth a visit as well for its unique blend of excellent tasting rooms, culinary delights, and rich history.
There are no shortage of town walking tours available, but few offer the depth of knowledge and variety of local flavors as our top recommendation below.
Our Top Pick for Sonoma Walking Tours:
Get ready to sample everything from exceptional wines and artisanal cheeses to delectable chocolates and locally produced olive oil as you make your way around the historic core of this charming and fascinating town in this top-rated food, wine, and history walking tour by Sonoma Food Tour.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (319 reviews), Google Maps (74) & Yelp (20)
- Small Group (8 max)
- Expert local guide
- Taste top wines and artisanal cheeses, chocolates, and olive oil
- No additional tasting fees
- From $179
Good to Know:
- Tour covers about 1 mile and lasts 3 hours
- Non-refundable
- No pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point (currently Depot Park Museum)
3. Sonoma Winery Bike Tours
Touring Sonoma Valley by bike is an increasingly popular way to see the best of the region at your own pace while soaking up the area’s mild climate.
A bike tour led by a knowledgeable guide combines the freedom of biking Sonoma Valley with the fun of leaving the details to a local expert.
Plus, many of today’s top bike tours offer the option of riding a pedal assist (electric) bike, maximizing your enjoyment and making for a stress-free day trip.
Our Top Pick for Sonoma Valley Bike Tour:
Top-rated Sonoma Adventures offers one of the best Sonoma Valley bike tours on offer, with the option of pedal assist (electric) bikes or regular bikes.
Join a leisurely ride on bikes built for comfort as you visit some of the area’s best cellars and enjoy delicious picnic lunch at one of the wineries.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (77 reviews), Google Maps (39) & Yelp (83)
- Pedal-assist bikes AND regular bikes
- Small Group (8 max)
- Picnic lunch included
- From $189
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- Non-refundable
- Half Day (5-6 hours)
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point
4. Sonoma Plaza Food & Wine Tour
Short on time and want to sample the best of Sonoma in one [very large] city block? Then a food and wine tour around historic Sonoma Plaza might just be the ticket!
Historic Sonoma Plaza is the largest main square in California. The plaza and surrounding blocks are rich in history and historic structures, gourmet restaurants, art galleries, artisanal shops, and tasting rooms, making it a perfect jumping off point for exploring Sonoma County.
Our Top Pick for Sonoma Plaza Food & Wine Tour:
If you’re looking for the best way to experience Sonoma in one place, the popular 3-hour Sonoma Plaza Food & Wine Pairing Tour is our top recommendation.
Your professional guide will lead you on a wine and culinary adventure featuring the best of Sonoma County. Sample world-class wines, gourmet bites, local olive oils, cheeses and more.
What We Like About This Tour:
- 5 Stars on TripAdvisor (26 reviews), Google Maps (32) & Yelp (66)
- Most efficient way to sample the best of Sonoma
- Small Group (6 max)
- No additional tasting fees
- From $185
Good to Know:
- 3 hours
- Non-refundable
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point (currently Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau)
5. Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley
Riding the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley is a favorite experience among visitors to the area, and makes for a unique and memorable way to tour Sonoma Valley wine country!
Modeled after the historic San Francisco cable cars, the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley ferries wine lovers to three hand-picked, family-owned wineries.
At the helm, a knowledgeable driver offers interesting tidbits about points of interest along the route and Sonoma Valley winemaking.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Replica San Francisco cable car shuttle
- 16 passengers max
- Lunch included
- 4.5 Stars on TripAdvisor (917), Google Maps (59) & Yelp (118)
- From $125
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- Non-refundable
- Half Day (4-5 hours)
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point in Sonoma
6. Sonoma Valley by Hot Air Balloon
If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing Sonoma Valley from high above (or just want to check another amazing experience off your bucket list), there are few better ways to do so than a hot air balloon ride over wine country!
Our Top Pick for Sonoma Hot Air Balloon Tour:
Top-rated Sonoma Balloon Adventures offers an unforgettable 3-hour balloon tour (1 hour in flight) over spectacular Sonoma Valley with full safety briefing and return transport.
While you won’t be stopping along the route to sample the region’s wine offerings, plan on indulging in plenty of intoxicating views and a champagne toast to mark the completion of your memorable flight.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (51 reviews), Google Maps (205) & Yelp (49)
- One-of-a-kind bird’s-eye view of Sonoma Valley
- Small Group (6 max)
- Coffee & Champagne included
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $320
Good to Know:
- 3-hour tour (1-hour flight time)
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point (typically Sonoma SkyPark)
7. Sonoma Wine Tasting Segway Tours
Stretching a mere 17 miles from end to end, Sonoma Valley and its bucolic country roads are ideal for touring on two wheels.
A Segway tour is a fun, low-impact alternative to biking, offering many of the benefits of a bike tour without the many of the downsides.
The best Segway tours offer knowledgeable guides who prioritize your comfort, safety, and confidence, especially when taking the reins of one of these two-wheeled modern marvels for the first time.
Our Top Pick for Sonoma Wine Tours by Segway:
Check out this highly-rated Sonoma County wine Segway tour by Sonoma Segway, one of the leading Segway outfitters and tour providers in Sonoma Valley.
Welcoming both novice and seasoned Segway riders, this 4-hour small-group wine tour includes memorable stops at some of California’s oldest wineries plus picnic lunch featuring local eats.
It’s also one of the best-value Sonoma wine tours for the money!
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (177 reviews) & Yelp (46)
- Leisurely exploring Sonoma Valley by Segway
- Small Group (6 max)
- Picnic lunch included
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $150
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- Half Day (4 hours)
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point (near Sonoma Plaza)
8. Private Sonoma Wine Tours by Limo
Celebrating a milestone birthday, bachelorette party, or other special occasion with other wine lovers? For the ultimate in style and luxury, a private limousine tour of Sonoma Valley can’t be beat!
Our Top Pick for Sonoma Valley Limo Tour:
Highly-rated Apex Limousine & Wine Tours offers this superb 6-hour private limo tour of Sonoma wine country for a truly unforgettable California wine tour.
Work together with your experienced chauffeur to create the perfect wine tour itinerary based on your own tastes and interest, and enjoy complementary champagne, cocktails, and soft drinks from the onboard minibar.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (540 reviews), Google Maps (57) & Yelp (37)
- Private luxury tour (up to 8 passengers)
- Complementary onboard drinks
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $799 (per group)
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- 6 hours
- Pickup offered from area hotels (see link above for details)
9. Electric Trike Tours
Looking for a unique, memorable, and environmentally friendly way to tour Sonoma wine country? Then you’ll want to check out this 5-hour electric trike guided wine tour from Pushpak Motors!
This tour specializes in introducing riders to under-the-radar wineries and points of interest across magnificent Sonoma Valley.
Trikes take minutes to learn how to ride and tours are led by a certified guide.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (56 reviews), Google Maps (37) & Yelp (23)
- Fun & unique e-trike experience
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $185
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- 5-hour guided tour (2 wineries)
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point
10. Classic Sidecar Sonoma Wine Tours
Get your motor runnin’ and head out on the highway to explore Sonoma Valley with an exhilarating classic motorcycle sidecar wine tour by top-rated Rides by Me.
Your knowledgeable guide and driver (you’re cruising in the sidecar) will introduce you to three outstanding wineries, topping off a memorable day with a delicious picnic style lunch.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Perfect 5-Star Rating on TripAdvisor (33 reviews), Google Maps & Yelp
- Thrilling motorcycle sidecar experience
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $350
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees
- 6.5 hours (3 wineries)
- No Pickup – Arrive at designated meeting point
11. Private Sonoma Wine Tours
If you’re dreaming of the classic Sonoma wine tours experience, but value personal attention and privacy, then a private tour of Sonoma Valley is the way to go!
Our Top Pick for Private Sonoma Valley Tour:
Wine Nation Tours offers one of the best private full-day wine tours in the area, complete with concierge service.
The concierge service will preplan your wine tasting adventure across Sonoma Valley (and even Napa Valley) in consultation with you and your group.
What We Like About This Tour:
- Private Sonoma & Napa wine tour (up to 6 passengers)
- Full refund up to 24 hours in advance
- From $645 (per group)
Good to Know:
- Does not include wine tasting fees or lunch
- 8 hours
- See link above for pickup location details
12. Self-Guided Bike Tours
Last, but not least, on our list of best ways to tour Sonoma wine country is a self-guided tour by bicycle.
Of course, you could tour Sonoma using your own car or bike as many visitors do.
But the big advantage of renting your bikes from a highly-rated local outfitter like Sonoma Adventures is that they will provide you with local knowledge and tips for planning the best route for your Sonoma wine tour on two wheels.
Sonoma Adventures offers well-maintained hybrid bicycles as well as extras such as helmets, handlebar bag, map, lock, and water for your day out.
They also offer saddlebags and group bike delivery for an additional cost.
Which of these Sonoma wine tours is the best?
We’ve done the hard part narrowing the list of top Sonoma wine tours from hundreds to just twelve. Now, it’s over to you!
Any one of the tours we’ve highlighted above could be considered one of the best Sonoma wine tours on offer right now.
But with the wide variety of ways to experience Sonoma Valley (by balloon, bike, van, limo, trike, Segway, sidecar, on foot…), and breadth of tastes and interests of visitors, it’s impossible to select one in particular.
We recommend choosing the type of tour that speaks to you and your travel style.
One thing’s clear – whichever one of these Sonoma wine tours you end up choosing, it’s sure to be one heck of a great day out in spectacular Sonoma Valley!
Thanks for Reading Our Handcrafted Guide to Sonoma Wine Tours!
You could try to seek out the best wineries yourself (Lori and I have attempted this many times in various wine regions around the globe with mixed results) –
– or, better yet, get some extremely knowledgeable locals to guide you in selecting the best Sonoma wineries to visit right now (and take care of the driving too!).
We’ve reviewed dozens of Sonoma wine tours and selected what we believe to be the very best on offer right now (that you can book online) – resulting in this hand-crafted guide to top Sonoma wine tours!
This is the shortlist we’d use ourselves to plan an unforgettable trip to Sonoma Valley if we were putting one together right now.
Thanks for reading and don’t forget to share this guide to the best ways to tour Sonoma wine country with your favorite wine tasting crew.
Article cover photo by Sebastien Gabriel on Unsplash.
