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The Original Napa Valley Wine Trolley "Up Valley" Castle Tour

Name: The Original Napa Valley Wine Trolley "Up Valley" Castle Tour
Brand: Napa Valley Wine Trolley
SKU: 6938CASTLE
Price: 125.00 USD
Rating: 4.5 (178 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceNapa & Sonoma, USA

Napa Valley Wine Trolley and Castle Tour

6 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Experience California’s most renowned wine country with a fun and relaxing tour aboard the Napa Valley Wine Trolley. Travel through the picturesque vineyards of northern Napa aboard a replica of an iconic San Francisco cable car, stopping at three premium wineries to sample the local bounty. Enjoy a catered picnic lunch of farm-fresh products, and learn Napa trivia from a local guide throughout the day. Please note: You must be 21 years or older to take this tour.

Winery tour on the Napa Valley Wine Trolley
Travel on a motorized replica of an open-air San Francisco cable car
Visit three premium wineries in the northern half of Napa Valley
Enjoy a gourmet, picnic-style lunch on the beautiful grounds of a local winery
Hear fun facts and stories about winemaking in Napa Valley from an experienced guide

What's Included

Transported by a San Francisco Cable Car. The original Napa Valley Cable Car Tour.
Live commentary on board
Lunch including bottled water

Gratuities
Pick-up from San Francisco is not included
Winery fees are NOT included.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

6525 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599, USA
V Market Place 6525 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599 Departs at 10:00 am sharp. Please meet in the parking lot by the Barrel Room and behind Mini Model Bakery.

Start time

10:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Begin your wine-themed adventure by going to a designated meeting place in Yountville. Instead of traveling by public transport, enjoy a novel twist and put some fun into your vacation by traveling in a replica of a San Francisco cable car—an open-air motorized trolley.

To make the journey time go quicker, a guide provides commentary as you ride past stunning views of St Helena and Calistoga.

Then, after around 30 minutes, it’s your first stop of the day—Castello di Amorosa. During your winery visits, you can hear stories about how the wine is produced as well as choose to buy wine tastings if you wish.

The route continues with two more winery visits, with a gourmet picnic lunch included as part of the package, to help keep energy levels high in between wine stops.

Then, the day ends with a convenient return transfer back to your start point.

V Marketplace

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Minimum age is 21 years

No consumption of alcoholic beverages is allowed while riding the trolley
You MUST advise any specific dietary requirements in the Special Requirements box at time of booking
Jackets and rain protection are recommended in the winter months
Operates in all weather conditions; please dress appropriately
Napa Valley Wine Trolley operates “Rain or Shine” year-round. However, if there is a chance of rain, high winds, or unforeseen mechanical problems, we may have to substitute the trolley for a mini-bus. The Napa Valley Wine Trolley reserved the right to substitute or change tour stops at any time
The Trolley departs V Marketplace at 10:00 sharp. Do not be late.
Foreign language guides offered with notice: Spanish, French and Mandarin. Please contact the supplier directly after booking
Tasting fees are not included in this tour prices vary but are average for Napa Valley. Stops change periodically according to season.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 28 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Carolyn F

Tour guide and trolley driver, Dylan, was very personable and we had a ball on the Napa Wine Trolley. He was extremely knowledgeable and we learned so much about the area. Our guide at the castle, Kerry, was really terrific. That was our favorite stop. Lunch was delicious at Berringer -our compliments to the catering company. We had a great experience and would recommend to all!!

Reviews

4.5

178 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 178 reviews

hidden costs

Jayne_l, May 2024

The Castle tour was great but trolly driver should have told us how much wine tasting tour cost and if they had different types. The second winery was terrible and did not talk about wine just filled up glasses and at end asked for 50$ plus. Third winery was wonderful finally had someone talk about wine and was reasonably priced. You pay $$$ for the trolley tour but every winery you go in you are charged 50+. which ads up to a very expensive day. They should tell you that you can opt out of the tasting or have a one glass tasting. Lunch was very good.

Trolly through Napa

Freida_S, May 2024

This is a great way to see Napa! I’m not a big wine drinker. So the first stop had a few non alcoholic options. The last one which was the best had none but when in Napa you drink the wine! Our driver was Sam. He was knowledgeable, personable and took great care of his 30 passengers for the day! As he predicted we did get louder as the day progressed! The weather was great and the other passengers were loads of fun, on time and very interesting from all over the world!

Fantastic Fun!

Kim_S, Apr 2024

Sam, our guide, was incredible and we made some great friends on the trolly. Great wineries and no worries on having to drive. Highly recommend this experience!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the great review. We're glad that you had a great time with Sam, and a nice time on the wine trolley tour. Cheers!

Wine trolley fun

Dina_D, Apr 2024

This is an excellent tour! The wineries were cool and interesting and the trolley ride experience was awesome. Our tour guide Sam was amazing. He was friendly and fun which made the whole experience that much better.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We appreciate the great review. We're glad that you enjoyed the winery selection and tour, and that Sam made the experience even better. Cheers!

50th Birthday Celebration!

Elvira_A, Apr 2024

Each winery was so different than the one before it. Our lunch was excellent too! Highly recommended

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We're glad that you enjoyed the tour, and hope that it made for a memorable 50th birthday celebration. Cheers!

Fun time!

Carol_G, Apr 2024

Sam our tour guide was awesome and made it fun. Lunch was great! I would recommend this fun experience!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for the wonderful review. We're glad that you had fun with Sam on the Napa Valley wine trolley tour. Cheers!

Pricey day

Cheryl_S, Mar 2024

It was nice meeting all the people that were on the trolley. The driver was nice. But they were not there on time causing us to think we were in the wrong place. We left late so then we had NO TIME to tour the castle. That was very disappointing! I think they should give you a choice of how many samples of wine to try, that way we could have had some time to explore the castle considering we were late getting there.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We do apologize for the tardiness of the trolley, and that you did not get to fully explore the castle. We understand that the castle is one of the main attractions of the tour; and even the allocated time is never enough to explore all the faucets of such a place. Know that in future situations like that, you may always step aside from the group and ask to go off on your own if you would rather explore than taste. Depending on the circumstance, that is almost always an option unless the winery does not permit. We're glad that you enjoyed meeting people, and hope the experience and wine tastings overall were enjoyable as well.

Wine O’Clock

Monica_C, Mar 2024

Excellent driver Dennis, very nice and knowledgeable of the area the wineries we visited were unique in general but distinct from each other, So, it provided a well-rounded view of the different wines and the makers. Everything was beautiful. Only complaint is that lunch was pizza, it was delicious but for someone who doesn’t each sugar or cards it was hard to find something to eat, I also wish we had more time at each winery to take photos. I really wanted to explore the castle but couldn’t.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for the feedback, and we're glad that you enjoyed the wineries. There is a lot to explore at the castle that an hour experience just couldn't possibly cover. If ever you try one of the other trolley tours in the future, there is a space to note any dietary restrictions in which our partner restaurants will always accommodate. Cheers.

Memorable day.

Jennifer_F, Mar 2024

Great winery variety and the trolley was a fun way to explore Napa. The fees at the wineries were slightly higher than expected was the only downside. Our driver Orion was charming and delightful

Response from Host, Mar 2024

We're glad that you had a fun time on the Napa trolley tour with Orion. Cheers.

Fun time !

Sally_H, Feb 2024

Great time. Went with my cousin. Nice girl trip. It was a relaxing way to spend the day. Our tour guide Obrian was wonderful.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

We're so glad to hear that you had a nice time on the wine trolley, and we hope it made your girls trip memorable. Cheers!

What a waste

Rebecca_B, Jan 2024

We went to 3 wineries. The castle would’ve been cool, if 90% of it wasn’t blocked off for guided tours. The $60 fee to get in let you into a couple rooms and the gift shop, and maybe $15 worth of wine. Not worth it at all. The 2nd winery was pretty, we ate lunch in their large barrel room. Lunch was salad and sandwiches. $60 fee there as well and again, not close to worth it. The 3rd place was Monticello and it felt like a joke. $50 tasting fee for $10-15 worth of wine, and they made us stand for 20 minutes while we drank it. FLIES were flying around us and GETTING IN OUR DRINKS. I did the classic tour 6 months ago where the tasting fees were half the price and way higher quality of venues.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

We apologize that you were disappointed by the Up Valley tour experience. Our winery partners do their best to provide a unique and enjoyable experience for our trolley guests. It sounds like the issues were with the winery experiences, and we do apologize that they did not meet your expectations. Thank you for providing your honest feedback and bringing it to our attention.

Average Wine Trolley Tour

Melissa_H, Dec 2023

Loved the wineries we went to. Didn't like the fact that we had to pay entry/tasting fee for each place. Lunch that was provided was ok, which was a half deli sandwich & plain salad. Thought the $125 paid for the tour would give us more perks: free tasting, gourmet lunch, etc. Basically it was only to pay for the ride in the trolley car, which was nice, but don't recommend during the colder months. We went in November, after Thanksgiving.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We're sorry that your expectations were not met, yet are glad that you enjoyed the trolley and wineries.

Nice trolley, friendly driver, but expensive

Michelle_H, Dec 2023

The trolley was very nice and the driver was friendly. He gave some interesting info about the area on the way up the Napa Valley. The lunch was tasty. The issue we had was with the price of the trolley ride, it would be nice if we could have a deal on tasting prices. An average of $50 per tasting on top of the price of the trolley was a lot. All of which was up front in the listing, but we wouldn’t do it again. Three wineries in six hours, $300 in tasting fees for two people on top of what it cost for the trolley…it was a lot for what we experienced. It would have been nice to have chosen wineries with tours, and a little more of an experience. Overall, a friendly trolley ride, but for the money, we wouldn’t do it again.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We appreciate the honest feedback, and apologize that it wasn't what you were expecting. We're glad you enjoyed the lunch and the trolley ride. Wishing you a joyful holiday season.

Fun day on the trolley and at the wineries!

Teresa_R, Nov 2023

We enjoyed the trolley ride as much as the tours! Met new friends. Orion and Dennis were great. Thanks for a wonderful day!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

we are glad to hear that you had a wonderful tour with Orion and Dennis. Thank you for the great review.

Had I known ahead.. would have went solo to tasting room than spending the extra $$$

Lisa_B, Oct 2023

Disappointing experience! The fees mentioned being extra to wine taste were higher than expected and we didn’t get any time to see the castle. Castle wines did however have the best selection in tastings. Lunch provided was a half deli sandwich on a flimsy paper plate with a bag of chips. We ended up going off the group across the street on our own to drink. Poor choice of winery to tour. Lastly, 3rd winery was just ok. Better presentation and walked out into the vineyard which was cool. The Trolley driver was cool, the ride was nice and enjoyable just not the tastings or value.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Lisa, Thank you for letting us know about the tour. Our lunch provided by farmstead next door is usually a big hit and the do serve who sandwiches. I will look into why this was only half. The caste is a great stop for us but sometime when the group has a lot of questions the educator at the castle takes up too much time not leaving time for a self guided tour. I have already reached out to them. Glad you liked the driver and the ride. We will look into changing up the tasting stops immediately.

First impression bad, still good tour

Anthony_B, Oct 2023

First impression was bad, Driver was 15 to 20 minutes late and didn’t apologize for being late he seemed crabby told us he would leave us if we weren’t at the trolley on time at the various stops somewhat rudely. Considering he was late. We felt rushed at the castle not enough time to tour the castle should’ve allowed us more time since he was late. The wineries and the people at the wineries were fantastic and I will say the driver was very knowledgeable all in all a good trip, but I didn’t feel obligated to tip the driver

Response from Host, Oct 2023

We apologize for the tardiness of the driver and that you felt rushed throughout the day. We have been told that it would be nice to have more time at the castle; there is a lot to see, and we are sorry if you didn't get the amount of time you would have liked. We are glad that you ended up enjoying the trip and wineries. Thank you for your honest feedback.

Vacation

Gregory_B, Oct 2023

I met some amazing people and the staff at the wineries weren’t very nice. I would definitely recommend going to the wineries to any of my friends and family.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you very much. We are glad you enjoyed.

Great Experience on the Wine Trolley

Deanna_C, Oct 2023

This was a great experience of Wine Country if you don’t want to drive!! Ryan our tour guide made this experience even more memorable!! You have the option to wine taste at 3 different wineries and sight see most of the Napa Valley Vineyards! You do have to pay for the wine tasting separately from the ride but it’s optional to participate. I think it’s worth the trip especially for first time visits💜

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you for the great review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the Trolley, and that Ryan made it memorable for you.

Very open air ride

Luis_S, Oct 2023

All three of the wineries that we visited. Castello di Armorosa, Merryvale Wineyards, and Monticello. Great weather, Late September, and no worries driving in California.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Glad you enjoyed.

Wine tour

AudreyA_M, Sep 2023

The castle was beautiful, and we enjoyed the tasting. We visited 3 vineyards on the tour. A little chilly, but not bad in the center section of the trolley.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

We are glad you enjoyed the castle. We appreciate the review.

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