What a great way to see the wine country! Ari was a very outgoing and knowledgeable tour guide. She picked us up at our hotel in Oakland and whisked us up to Napa Valley. We ended up riding to 4 different wineries ranging from large to small. Great lightweight Marin hybrid bikes. Ended up riding about 18 miles with only one hill. The suggestion o have is to pace yourself with tasting: 3-5 tastings per winery is ALOT of wine (and you still have to bike!). Ari served a gourmet picnic lunch at the 3rd winery. Cheese plate, salami, turkey, quinoa salad, bread and a arugula salad. And wine! Ari drove the van as the sag wagon so if we bought anything, we could throw it in the van. Or if you got tired, you could just ride. We were picked up at 10:15am and arrived back at our hotel at 6:15pm. Highly recommend! read more

See all

My wife and I had a fun time with the girls from Gears & Grapes. I wasn't anticipating 3 miles between wineries, but as long as you're in average shape then you should be good. If you want to go wine tasting in a different way with no wine buzz, do this! read more

This is the best way to see wine country! On my 30th birthday, Ari (owner, driver and tour guide) and Ben picked us up from the doorstep of our hotel and thus began one of the most fun days I can remember drinking wine, meeting new people, having random and hilarious conversations and just enjoying the gorgeous wineries and roadside views of the Russian River Valley. We went to 4 wineries, 3 smaller (aka we would have never heard about these on our own most likely) and one large one (Twomey-wow!!) all with gorgeous gardens and views. The lunch was perfect-lots of different veggie and grain based salads, a cheese plate, fresh bread, etc...as a vegetarian the only thing I couldn't eat was the cured meat plate (obviously). The bike ride ended up being around 10 miles and the last leg of the trip was literally a 2 mile coast....very good idea Ari! I am SO happy my husband and I decided to try this tour and will be recommending it to anyone heading to SF!! Also, as someone who literally knows nothing about wine tasting or the fancy way of doing things, I was glad that Ari taught us the polite way to ask for a second tasting of wine-just ask to "revisit" it....I highly recommending using this tip:) read more

Last Saturday I went on a getaway with gears and grapes and found it very pleasurable! biking around vineyards has always been the best way to do it for me. coasting along the country roads, glancing out at the vineyards vistas with rolling hills terminating the view, getting that fresh air in up all around you. i love it. my problem is i don't have a car, and none of my friends have cars where we can just throw a bunch a bikes in the back and head up to napa. gears and grapes came rollin up in the morning, a few friends and i threw in our bike. and we were off! easy. we were showed some very nice vineyards i had never been to in sonoma. the group of people we were with were fun and young, and our guide was animated and organized. by the end of the day i had sufficiently indulged in wine and cheese and meats, and satisfied my fix for the wine country air. our shuttle back to the city was lively(!) and seemed like took no time at all. it was nice to be dropped back off right next to me house. i would def do this again, and have saved it for future out of town guests. read more

This was my first wine-tour by means of biking and my second time tasting at the Russian River. It was an incredible experience...a sensory overload. Biking through wine country, I could smell the plants and trees, feel the fresh air and hear the birds and wind, things you'd miss riding in a car. The wineries G&GG selected were beautiful and the wine was great. Also, the catered lunch was awesome. The ride itself wasn't difficult, but long enough that I felt little a work out...and everyone in the tour seemed to be "pleasantly buzzed" but there wasn't any "drunk riding" (which was something I was a little worried about). Finally, Ari and Sam were great guides: super knowledgeable about bikes and wine and really fun and friendly. They also suceeded in making sure everyone was happy and comfortable. Everyone in the group was great too. read more

Last weekend my boyfriend treated me to a "you're turning 40" weekend. To kick it off, we enjoyed a Gears and Grapes day trip. What an awesome gift!! I had such a great time! Sam and Devin were awesome guides and really knew their way around bikes and wine. The 10-ish miles bike ride through the Russian River area was truly an enjoyable way to go go wine tasting. There were enough hills to make it feel like a real bike ride, but not too many to make it feel like a work out and not a wine tour! haha. It was truly a memorable way to kick off my 40's. read more

I have tried going on a wine tour myself, and it is fun, but you don't learn anything. I went on a day tour with Gears and Grapes getaways and had an amazing time. I was able to bike through some of the most beautiful countryside i have ever seen, as well as stop at some obscure/ off the beaten path wineries. These places had an intimate experiences where we actually were able to talk to the master Vintner and ask question as well as learn about the process. In my opinion, this is the only way to see the wine country of California. This is the Best way to see and experience the wine growing and making process. read more

Awesome, awesome, awesome! A friend and I did the day biking trip in Napa and had a really good time. Some of the pluses -- the company picks you up in the city (choice of two pick up spots), a really nice catered lunch, and a good selection of wineries. We went to four of them and they represented a good range price-wise. Another plus is G and G only takes 10 people max. Ari and Sam took care of us from start to finish. I definitely recommend the Gears and Grapes trip not only for visiting friends/family, but also for locals. One tip: Ari and Sam tell you that if you like a wine, to go ahead and buy it. They do not return to wineries if you have second thoughts. Heed their warning!! It is true. They won't go back. read more

I bought a Groupon for a Gears & Grapes trip for my boyfriend's Xmas present, then bought myself a ticket. We booked a trip to Dry Creek Valley (in Sonoma county). We BARTed into San Francisco and were picked up at a hotel a couple blocks from a BART stop around 930. The van ride to Dry Creek Valley took between 60 and 90 minutes, and our guides, Ari and Clint, did a great job trying to get conversation going so we would have fun as a group. By 11, we were wine tasting. We stopped at 4 wineries through the course of the day, and we were also provided lunch. We were back in San Francisco by about 7pm. As I understand it, the company schedules tours to different wineries, and can tailor the trip according to your interests. Note of caution, if you're not particularly confident in your biking skills: You may want to specifically mention that when you're booking. One of the wineries we went to (Montemaggiore) was up on a giant hill - hence the name. I bike pretty often, and that part of the ride was challenging for me. I think the majority of our group ended up walking their bikes up the hill, and I think at least one person gave up and took the van up. If you're wondering what to bring or wear, don't worry if you want to bring an extra jacket / a bag to carry home things you buy. Clint led our bike ride, while Ari drove the van to each stop, so you're able to leave items in the van with no problem. Lunch was lovely - there was a cous cous salad, farro salad, fresh bread, cheese, asparagus, and the meats. Everything was vegetarian except a plate of cured meats (obviously), and I think the farro salad was vegan. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves and would love to do it again! The amount of wine and food provided were fairly generous, the bikes were in great shape, and our guides were knowledgeable and friendly. It would be a great trip for guests, or just even for local folks who want an opportunity to wine taste but don't want to be just driven from winery to winery. read more

Expensive but fun. Only the first beer is free. Bikes are good condition. Safety is skimmed over a little... Wouldn't probably recommend for new riders. It's around 7 miles in total for the Beer & Bike tour of SF, and pretty flat. We really enjoyed it. read more

As a local SF resident it's practically mandatory that you go to Napa once a quarter. There's always friends or family in town. But, this time I wanted to see Napa in a new way and make it a fun excursion for my boyfriend. This was a great date we booked through HowAboutWe. Pick up and drop off was at the Ferry Building--super convenient. We were most impressed by Ari and Anastasia's knowledge of wine and the Napa area. They were great resources and super nice too. In fact, they went out of their way to ensure we had fresh water at every turn (which when biking in the summer is very needed). The bikes are in great condition and super easy to use. None of the hills were too tough (and I don't bike in the city) and it was a gorgeous way to explore and taste wine. They had a fresh lunch prepared for us halfway through too so it was a good break in between. I can't wait to go on one of their other tours! Sonoma anyone? read more

Best way to see the wine country! Agreed. Ari picked us up at our hotel and it was a nice ride out meeting the 5 other people in our group. Ari is a great guide and the equipment was all in fine shape. We really enjoyed every aspect of the tour. The difficulty level of the ride depends on your fitness level (duh) so it will test you if you have not biked or run lately. Keep in mind you will be drinking a lot of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinots if you choose the Russian River Valley. read more

This rating is for the Beer and Bike tour. I purchased the combo tour that included Alcatraz tickets for myself and my boyfriend. We were both very impressed with the bike tour. The entire time we felt safe and at ease riding the streets of San Fran, which is especially important since we were nervous going in. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we saw parts of the city we never would have seen without this tour. The group was small and it was fun getting to know our guide as well as the other 3 people in the tour. It felt less like a tour a more like a fun afternoon exploring and trying new beer with friends. We're still talking about how much fun we had two weeks later! read more

Fantastic tour! I decided to surprise that someone special with a wine tour since she's never been. We stayed up in SF the night before the tour and enjoyed a wonderful night in SF. Went to bed early to prepare for the tour the next morning. I was glad we did this because after the tour, we were really exhausted from a really fun day! Ari and Aurilia picked us up from our hotel and were immediately off to pick up the other 4 people touring with us. Within 20 minutes of being picked up we were already done picking up everyone else and on our way to the Russian River Valley! Both Ari and Aurilia were fun to talk to and we had a bunch of good wine conversation on the way up. We were stoked to get to our first winery. In totally we went to 4 really great wineries and met a lot of good people along the way. My girlfriend and I are out of shape, however, and after the first stint on the bikes, we were pooped! If you're going to go to the Russian River Valley, remember to get some good rest as the route is a little hilly. It was by no means an issue for anyone else in the group; we were simply more out of shape than we realized! The great news is if you do end up feeling a bit tired or pooped like us, they will gladly put your bikes back up on the van and you can ride to the next winery. Ari and Aurilia were very friendly, and they made sure we felt comfortable and were having fun. The lunch spread was absolutely DELICIOUS! I'm definitely a carnivore and I totally enjoyed what they had for us. The selection of meats, cheeses, breads, salads, and pasta was really a treat. The combination with great wine really made for a memorable meal with everyone. After the tour was over, we had a bunch of excellent wine in our tummies and even more wine in bottles we purchased along the way. To really exemplify how much Ari and Aurilia were thinking of us, they made sure that the car was always parked somewhere cool or if it was impossible, that the air was running so the wine didn't spoil while we were riding or while we were at the next winery! I absolutely would recommend this to anyone looking for a really personalized tour that's a bit different from the usual. Ari and Aurilia are both sweethearts and really do make this tour special! read more

My husband and I had grabbed a Groupon for this, but at the last minute my inlaws decided to come to town the weekend we had scheduled our trip to the Russian River Valley! Michelle at Gears and Grapes was really great in helping me arrange for the three of them to join us - a feat, because there weren't any more spots available. We drove up to meet them instead of being picked up in SF, simply because it meant we could sleep in a bit. We met them at DeVero in Healdsburg, and from there biked to VLM, then Thomas George, before rounding out our day at Moshin. The bikes were in great shape and Ari and the other woman running the tour (whose name I have shamefully forgotten) were knowledgeable and acted as great cheerleaders as we hauled up long stretches of hills. I'm sure it's very difficult to choose vineyards that will please everyone, but to my taste, I'm not sure I'd visit DeVero again. Moshin was certainly my favorite, and I ended up with two bottles from Thomas George as well, which the girls with Gears and Grapes let us stash in the van that they drove from vineyard to vineyard. The lunch they brought along was great for keeping up our energy (salami/speck, 3 cheeses, pasta salad, green salad, bread). I do wish we'd had more water - we all ended up with quite the headache afterward (couldn't POSSIBLY have been all that wine - heh). I'd totally recommend it if you have folks coming into town that want a more active experience. On the other hand, it IS pricey, though I know they certainly have expenses. I was glad I had found a groupon for the tour, and at that price I'd absolutely do it again. I was definitely sore in a good way afterwards, and I felt much better about being so gluttonous at the vineyards because we were working it off between stops! read more

My sister and I were in San Francisco on vacation and wanted to take a trip to Napa. We picked Gears and Grapes after reading favorable reviews on Yelp. The experience was a great one and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to check out some great wineries, meet fun people, and stay active while doing so. Ari was our guide and she picked us up at our hotel. She was really friendly and really helpful when it came to suggesting things to do in the San Fran area. She did a great job of facilitating conversation within our small group of just four people. We visited four different wineries throughout the day, biking a total of 14 miles or so. We had lunch when we arrived at the third winery, which was really delish. Ari had a great spread of meats, cheeses, and a few different salads to choose from. We visited a small family owned winery, 2 small-midsize winery, and Chandon, which was a huge winery. It was great to experience all of the different types of wineries out there. Ari was so knowledgeable of wine. She is a sommilier- and therefore was able to really explain things and answer questions we had. She also took pictures of us throughout the day which we could later check out on facebook! The day was very relaxed-- we had plenty of time to sit at each winery and enjoy the wine, food, and surroundings. In conclusion- Gears and Grapes was a great choice and I would definitely consider doing it again if I came back to San Francisco. The trip to Napa was great and Ari made it a very memorable experience! read more

Our day looked ominous, but turned out to be a perfect day. Thanks to Ari for being our guide and taking us out on a day that looked like it would be miserably rainy. Also thanks for working hard to meet up with us amidst all the World Series parade madness! And, thanks to Gears and Grape for being flexible and working with our schedule. Ari picked us up about 5 blocks from our hotel and drove us up to Dry Creek in a passenger van with just my wife and I. Good conversation and good views all the way up. As we hoped, the rain cleared and we were presented with a gorgeous, fall day. Cool (not cold) temperatures, mostly sunny, and gorgeous leaves changing colors. The bikes were good and well maintained. Helmets and water bottles were provided. A few minutes to adjust the seat was all that was required. (They asked for our heights when making the reservation to estimate the frame sizes needed.) We visited 4 wineries through the day with three biking stretches. I believe our longest ride was about 4 miles and mostly flat. Easy ride. Only mild challenge was a steep entrance to one of the wineries. First winery was Truett-Hurst. Nice velvety reds and friendly pourers. Beautiful grounds with organic gardens and flowers. Picnic areas set up near the creek. Second winery was Raymond Burr. Interesting to see the place that the actor started and the memorabilia. Wines were decent and the pourers a bit grumpy. Third winery was Quivera. Great wines and friendly people as well! Here is where Ari laid out out lunch of meat, cheese, crackers, quinoa salad, and mixed green/feta salad. Yummy stuff. The winery staff kept coming outside to the tables to continue our wine tasting. An added bonus...a 130 year old fig tree on the property with a ton of ripe fruit. We helped ourselves to a few for dessert. Last was Uptick. Good wines and nice memorabilia from the owner's former days in Wall Street. read more

I was visiting California/San Francisco for the first time and one of the main things I really wanted to do was visit wine country. I don't really remember how I ran into Gears & Grapes, but I'm really glad I did. Of course all the reviews on Yelp helped my decision that touring Napa with this company would be unique. At first, I was apprehensive about riding around with a bike whilst drinking wine the whole day. But, the routes aren't tough to pedal through. It definitely helps that they provide you with well-maintained bikes that you can control the resistance while you pedal up/down hills. Also, the tipsiness goes away when you ride. I feel that you get the best view riding in a bike right next to all the wineries. It is way better than riding in a van the whole time, which limits your senses in order to enjoy Napa or whatever tour you choose. Arie was our tour guide. She is super nice and friendly! I definitely appreciated when she drove my friend and I to a bus stop at the end of the day when she learned that we were getting around SF through public transportation. She went above and beyond her duty to really accommodate us in that instant (among the other instances through the day) with her thoughtful consideration to save us from riding one bus instead of two at the end of a long, yet exhilarating day of drinking and exercise :) (Thank-you so much, Arie!) Overall, touring wine country through Gears & Grapes is an experience you won't forget! The wineries that they choose to take you all have their unique beauty with really nice staff. Cheers! read more

See all

I went on this tour a few weeks ago for my friend's birthday. I'm not much of a bike enthusiast, and i usually go to Napa once a year in a limo with my fam. This trip totally exceeded my expectations! The ride was so beautiful and relaxing! We went on a back road with not too many cars-- i saw rabbits and birds and flowers and farms! it was so pretty and fun. my friend had a great bday as she loves wine and sunshine. we also got to go to a winery (i forget the name) that was biodinamic and organic-- so cool! I recommend this to anyone who wants to see wine country in a personal and unique atmosphere. read more

Gears & Grapes == Fun! We really lucked out on the weather (sunny, mid 60s), and Ari & Stan (our guides) took care of everything else. They picked us up on time from the Ferry Building and whisked us up to the Russian River Valley. The first winery was gorgeous, and then we hopped on the provided bikes to pedal to 3 more wineries. I liked: * the bikes & helmets were in good condition * they took care of all the un-fun bits of biking (putting the bikes on and off the van) * the wineries were very prepared for us--as soon as we rolled up, someone would start pouring samples and explaining the wine * all the tastings were prepaid, which felt luxurious--no fumbling for money or waiting to pay * there was no pressure to buy, but if we did, the van was there to store our bottles * yummy lunch set out (& cleaned up) * because they drove both ways, we could relax & enjoy the wine tasting * the group was small (10 guests & 2 guides) so I didn't feel part of a horde, and never felt rushed * Russian River wineries are more relaxed and less crowded than Napa * back into the city, they dropped us at BART A great way to wine taste and see the gorgeous scenery. read more

I highly recommend this company! I have been on 3 tours and have loved every one! The staff are friendly and knowledgable. I love to bike and I love to drink wine so this is the best experience ever! read more

I loved this tour. I live in SF and don't have a car. Used this tour to celebrate a birthday with friends. We had a great time. The guide was great and the day was perfect. Thank you for a wonderful time! read more

I'm not much of a cyclist, but I do like my wine. These guys pick you up in the city and drive you up to the wine country. My trip was to Healdsburg in beautiful Russian River - I couldn't ask for more lovely countrside. I was on my own but there were 7 others plus the guide and the driver and we all had fun. The bicycles were practically new, in great condition with helmets and water bottles. The guides made sure we were all comfortable on the bikes. The wineries were top quality and were expecting us and had private tasting area reserved. This is so much better than bellying up to a bar. At our second of 4 wineries "Gears and Grapes" had a deliciously prepared picnic lunch for us to enjoy. The van driver is always nearby for anyone who who either tires or maybe indulges too much. This is a fun and adventurous way to enjoy wine tasting. read more

Seriously the best day one could spend in the Bay Area! Whether you're a local or visiting just for the weekend. An amazing company, great customer service, with informed employees and an awesome opportunity for some wine, exercise, and to meet some new cool people! read more

we did a bike tour through the russian river valley yesterday, and it was awesome. usually the trips leave from the city, but we were already up in sonoma for a wedding, so we were told to meet at a park and ride in petaluma to get picked up. the guides ari and aurilia were great and super sweet. we went to 4 wineries and biked a total of about 13 miles. the ride was actually quite tough at times in the heat, but we were provided w/ plenty of water and a nice picnic lunch. i would highly recommend this tour! read more

Our tour had an incredibly knowledgeable staff that took us around to a wonderful selection of wineries - got to experience both small/cozy and large/well known wineries. Learned a lot about wine, had an amazing lunch, used top notch biking equipment and got to be outside in the sun - would highly recommend to all! read more

I am not much of a cyclist but gave in to my husband with the promise of luxury hotels, massages and extraordinary wine and I was not disappointed. My husband is an avid cyclist so this was the perfect getaway. I could have done without the cycling but I was able to spend the morning by the pool and get a massage while he went on his 40 mile ride and then I joined the rest of the group for a more manageable ride in the afternoon, I have to admit (but not to my husband) that the cycling wasn't half bad. The scenery was phenomenal and the tour guides made me feel comfortable on the bike. We actually ended up meeting a great couple on the tour that we may end up going back up to napa with this summer for another weekend with gears and grapes. Overall, it really was a wonderful weekend. The hotels were top-notch and the wine was phenomenal. I would definitely recommend this trip to others (even those like me that arent too fond of cycling). read more

Had a fantastic day on our Gears & Grapes adventure. Amazing scenery, great guides and delicious food and wine. The tour was organized beautifully, with just enough time in between each winery and just enough time to relax once we'd reached each destination. Our guides were super friendly and knew their stuff about both wine and the area we toured. The food they served us half way through was yummy and a perfect wine country lunch. I definitely would do this again, and I absolutely recommend it!! read more

We did the beer and bike tour which also gets you tickets to Alcatraz. The bike tour was so unique and off the beaten path. I initially booked the tour because there were no tickets to Alcatraz but we ended up loving it. Our tour guide was very cool and clearly enjoyed showing us around. You do not need previous urban biking experience but I think it's better suited for those who are somewhat active. We biked for about 2.5 hours on mostly flat road but there are hilly sections. I'd definitely recommend this tour to anyone especially over those long bus tours. read more

My husband and I scheduled a tour last month to coincide with a vacation in the Bay Area. One day prior to the tour, I had a minor accident, injuring my ankle and was unable to ride a bike. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to provide the required 48 hour notice, as the injury occurred one day before th scheduled trip. Grapes and Gears refused to refund the $337 we prepaid. Instead they offered a $200 credit for a future tour. Unfortunately, I do not expect to be in the area at all in the foreseeable future as my home is in Florida. The offer is of no value. I am dissatisfied because I am being forced to pay for a service I did not receive. Disputed the charge with the credit card company to apparently no avail. BEWARE. read more

Of course this business has a perfect 5 stars! My husband and I went to celebrate our 10 year in Napa and decided to spend our day on the Napa tour. It was so much fun I can't stand it! I have read some other reviews and agree with all of it so I will say one more thing... even if you do not ride bikes you still can go - it wasn't hard or imposable. They made it easy to bike and not like this super hard workout event! Neither of us are what you would call "in shape" and we had no problem at all- swear! You can do it too! read more

This has been the worst experience I have ever had with trying to book a service. I emailed this company 3 weeks in advance and made several phone calls and got the run around the whole time. A week ago I received an email that they should be able to confirm my reservation by the end of the day. After that I heard nothing even though I emailed and called (got a machine) several times over the past week. Finally today I called and got a person. She apologized and told me there was no room for us the day we were trying to book. She explained that they had been having some staffing problems, but really, three weeks of run around? There is no excuse for having kept us on the line for that long and then not accommodating us. The last good review this company received was over five months ago. Not sure if they're under new management or what. Zero stars! read more

This tour was amazing Danny took us to the heart of the city, local breweries and the best Mexican food after. Today the package was bundled with a trip to Alcatraz And a couple other stops that we would not have thought to go, I highly recommend taking this tour as first time visitors to San Francisco read more

We have done these tours twice...once a couple years ago and went to Russian river valley and now for our honeymoon to Napa!! Hands down the best way to see wine country! Both guides Jen and Ari were amazing and can't thank them enough! Can't wait for trip number three!! read more

I did the Napa day trip. We hit two small wineries with stops at two larger ones in between. A very nice lunch was included with our tour. The two tour guides were very nice and accommodating. I ride a bike a lot so the small hills were not a problem for me. If you are not used to a smaller hill then parts of the ride may be tougher for you. Don't worry as there is no pressure to finish fast and the van can pick you up if you don't want to pedal. For the last part, we went to a very small secluded winery. I can say enough about how amazing and intimate the tour was. If you have any kind of legs under you then you have to try this. Oh, and our group was awesome too. Just a great bunch of people! read more

Some girlfriends and I recently went on a full-day tour in Sonoma (Dry Creek Valley, I think?) with Gears and Grapes and it was the best day ever. It was the first time going to wine country that **I** did not have to be the DD!! A much better experience this way... We were picked up and left the city pretty early, but it was super easy to bring my own bike and helmet. They even aired up my tires pre-ride for me. We started out with a shorter ride, to get us warmed up - and the van even picked us up before it got too hilly! The wineries were superb - I tend to be overwhelmed with all of the options when I go up to Sonoma and it's hard for me to pick where to go. You can tell that there is a great relationship between G&G and the wineries we tried. I left the tour that day with three extra bottles of wine for my wine rack. They will not be there for long. Yum! After a full morning of biking, the catered lunch was excellent. Very good, filling food with fresh ingredients, at a perfect time to rest in the shade after a longer ride. All-in-all, a perfect day. Biking, wine-ing, eating ... all with great service. A special shout out to our driver, Mari - she is the best! Super friendly and accommodating. Thanks so much to Gears & Grapes Getaways for a wonderful day!! read more

This tour is great! I went with a group of friends, and I must say that I was nervous about the biking portion -- I'm not much of a biker, and was worried I'd be left in the dust. But the guides were amazing -- they were very patient and made me feel like I was a superstar biker! Best of all, they take you to wineries you would never find on your own -- great little spots with amazing tastings. And to top it off, the feast they served us was out of this world. I would recommend Gears and Grapes to any of my friends of family! read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY GEARS AND GRAPES! Viator was great throughout this trip, but this supplier was bad. I booked a wine bike and Alcatraz tour and they screwed me over. A week before our flight one of their representatives emailed me asking me if i had extra time in San Francisco in which i replied "no, we are booked for other tours throughout our stay." A company that has credibility would email back stating why they asked that question, but they did not. I emailed back and asked if there was an issue, and no reply from them. I called back on multiple occasions durring working hours leaving a voicemail and yet no reply. I messaged them through facebook trying to get a reply and finally Michelle Robinson got in touch with me and told me the reason they sent that email was because they might not be able to do the wine tour portion of the trip because of short staffing. Had I not tried to get in touch and just  let it go, I probably would have a completely wasted day. She then began to tell me that she "might" be able to accommodate me but would need 24 more hours to confirm and that if I wanted to cancel green dream tours,platypus , etc.. tours would accommodate me. I told her I would cancel the wine tour part because how can you trust a company that only answers the phone after you try multiple times with no reply.      I was able to get a last minute tour with GreenDream tours which by the way was amazing and ...wait for it.... they picked up the phone when you called! . I decided to let it go and just keep the Alcatraz tour with Gears and Grapes because it was confirmed. My partner and I get to Alcatraz ticket booth and the lady says that my name is not there but my partner's name is. I got there early knowing that Gears and Grapes would mess it up , and they did. We were able to go , but only because I got there early we were on time.      Gears and Grapes blamed their software, Viator, Alcatraz, computers you name it they blamed for their incompetence. AVOID THIS PLACE. read more

Ari is a phenomenal guide. She's encouraging and knowledgeable. I couldn't think of anyone better to lead this tour! I'd definitely recommend Gears and Grapes to anyone looking to experience wine country! read more

My tour with Gears and Grapes was truly outstanding! Sonoma was stunning, each small winery was quirky and delightful. With transportation to and from San Francisco (and anytime someone wanted to cut a ride short), it was really a treat to have Gears and Grapes handle everything bike-related. When we wanted to ride, the bikes were there and the helmets fit. When we wanted to taste wine (and enjoy the delicious picnic lunch provided), we didn't have to worry at all about putting the bikes away. I was also thrilled with our driver and tour leader -- they were both upbeat, energetic, on top of things, and sensitive to the tone/pace of our group. What a fantastic day! read more