Tour Itinerary
The day begins at 8:00am, heading north across the Golden Gate Bridge, which offers sweeping views of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island, and the city skyline. We wind our way through the coastal mountains of the Marin Headlands and past the base of Mt. Tamalpais (the highest point in the North Bay region) on our way to Muir Woods National Monument.
The coastal redwood is the tallest tree species in the world. These trees only thrive in Northern California and Oregon, due to the thick fog that blankets the west coast in the summer months. In 1908, Senator William Kent and his wife donated their land to the state, and President Theodore Roosevelt designated it as a federally protected area. Muir Woods National Monument is the only surviving stand of old-growth redwood forest in the Bay Area.
You will have 1 - 1 1/2 hours to wander amongst these towering giants. The sights, sounds, and smells of this living museum are sure to reconnect you with a natural world that was almost lost. The group will reunite before noon and travel to wine country, where we will spend the afternoon sampling fine Sonoma County wines. Taste a variety of white, red, and dessert wines at wineries such as Homewood, Robledo Family, Larson Family, Cline Cellars, and Meadowcroft, among others (tasting fees may apply).
Stop for lunch either at a winery or in the historic Sonoma town square. In the town square, you may have a chance to visit Mission San Francisco de Solano, the northernmost California mission, sample cheeses at Sonoma Jack's Cheese Factory (time permitting), and peruse the boutique shops of this quaint downtown.
Traveling through wine country, you will see the beautiful valleys where fantastic wines have been produced since before California was a part of the Union. The landscape of rolling hills laced with rows of grapevines is impressive and provides a romantic backdrop for memorable photographs. A stop at the Golden Gate Bridge is a must-do if you've never witnessed the awe-inspiring view of San Francisco from the Marin Headlands. The tour will end with a hotel drop-off at around 6pm.
Muir Woods and the Wine Country are open year round, but as you might imagine with any mountainous areas, conditions and sights can vary depending on the time of year.
The weather is warmest between May and October, with possible fog clearing by noon. Whatever time of year you choose to visit the Monument and Wine County we hope you'll be as impressed as most of our visitors, and if you have any questions simply contact us.
Detailed Itinerary (approximate)
8:15 - 9:00 am
Hotel Pick up in Downtown San Francisco and Fisherman's Wharf
9:00 - 9:30 am Head across the Golden Gate Bridge and stop at lookout point for views of the bridge, San Francisco Bay, the City, Alcatraz and Marin Headlands (depending on the fog)
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Once in Muir Woods, you will have time to do what you like, hike the trails that are in and around the Monument, sit and reflect, and check out the Visitors Center.
11:30am - 5:00 pm
We head to the Wine Country, either stopping for a picnic lunch at a winery, or in the historic town square of Sonoma (with possible tasting at the Sonoma Jack Cheese Factory if time permits). From there, depending on the group, we go to 3-4 wineries, we try to stop at ones that will give a good variety of what is happening in the Valley. From the small, one man winery, to one that has much higher production and food making, to a medium-sized family winery. Here you will get to taste their wines, learn about the region and the process and maybe even meet the winemakers.
5:00 - 6:00 pm
We start to head back towards San Francisco passing by the seaside town of Sausalito and then the Golden Gate Bridge stopping for photo opportunities (weather permitting).
6:00 - 6:30 pm
Return to your lodging in time for dinner.
INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES CANCELLATION POLICY
Minimum 20% fee charged for any cancellations once the tour is booked.
Cancellations less than 72 hours before trip departure are charged 50% of the total price.
Cancellations less than 24 hours before trip departure are charged 100% of the total price.
No-Shows are not entitled to any refund and so are responsible for the full amount (100%) of the trip price. Customers are considered a No-Show if they cancel the morning of the trip, are not at the designated pickup location at the correct time, or for any other reason miss a tour without informing Incredible Adventures at least 12 hours prior to departure (such as not giving us their hotel info).
IMPORTANT! Your reservation is not guaranteed unless and until you call Incredible Adventures at least 72 hours in advance of the trip departure to confirm.
