Wine tasting and cycling might seem like an unlikely pairing, but in Calistoga, combining Cabernet with cardio has become one of the valley’s most sought-after experiences.
If you’re looking for memorable things to do in Calistoga beyond the traditional tasting room circuit, a bike tour through the valley’s quieter northern reaches paired with a stay at our Calistoga bed and breakfasts might just become the highlight of your trip. Whether you’re planning a romantic escape, a weekend with friends, or even a corporate retreat, combining the thrill of outdoor adventure with the pleasure of wine tasting creates an experience you’ll be talking about long after you’ve returned home.
Your Guide to Calistoga Bike Tour Options
Calistoga Bikeshop: Local Expertise on Two Wheels
When you want a bike tour designed by people who actually live here, Calistoga Bikeshop is your answer. This locally owned shop has spent years perfecting routes that showcase the best of the region, and their range of options means there’s something for every type of cyclist.
Guided Bike Tours & Wine Cycling Tours
Join a small group (never more than eight other cyclists) led by a knowledgeable local guide who knows not just the best routes, but the stories behind them. Your day begins at 10 am at Calistoga Bikeshop, where your guide will fit your bike and walk you through the day’s itinerary. Then it’s off to explore flat, quiet roads that meander through vineyards and past historic properties, with stops at handpicked local wineries where you’ll taste estate wines and learn about the region’s winemaking traditions. Lunch can be arranged at a winery or restaurant along the route, and you’ll typically finish between 3 and 4 pm, leaving your evening free to relax or explore downtown Calistoga.
Self-Guided Calistoga Cool Wine Tour
For couples or small groups who prefer to set their own pace, the self-guided Cool Wine Tour offers the best of both worlds: a curated route with advance winery reservations, but no group to keep up with and no van to wait for. You get the freedom to linger as long as you like, take spontaneous photo stops, and create your own timeline for the day.
Road Bike Tours
For serious cyclists, Calistoga Bikeshop offers fully customized road bike experiences designed around your abilities and ambitions. This is where the shop’s passion for cycling truly shines. Their staff are dedicated riders themselves, and they love nothing more than crafting the perfect route for fellow enthusiasts.
The options are gloriously varied. Dream of riding to California’s stunning coastline? They’ll guide you there. Want to tackle grueling climbs through pine-covered mountains where the air is cool and the views are earned? They know every challenging ascent in the region. Prefer to stay on flat terrain and simply enjoy the pleasure of smooth pavement and vineyard vistas? That works too.
Mountain Bike Tours
For those who crave a more technical adventure, Calistoga Bikeshop offers mountain bike excursions on the more challenging trails of Calistoga. The local favorite is the Oat Hill Mine Trail, located less than a mile from the shop. This historic route takes you high into the Palisades that tower above Calistoga, offering stunning views and medium-technical sections of trail (plus some challenging side features if you’re feeling adventurous). Fair warning: this is a proper mountain bike ride. You’ll face over four miles of climbing right from the start, followed by additional rolling terrain if you want to push deeper into the backcountry. Beyond Oat Hill, the shop can connect you with other trails suited to your skill level and interests.
Getaway Adventures: Active Exploration Beyond Biking
If you’re the type of traveler who likes to mix things up, Getaway Adventures offers experiences that go beyond the traditional bike tour, all of which are available as customizable private events in case you’re looking for the perfect activity for a date night, anniversary, family gathering, or friend get-together.
Calistoga Sip ‘n Cycle Tour
This guided experience strikes the perfect balance between activity and indulgence. Covering about 12 miles of mostly flat terrain, the tour includes visits to two wineries, wine education from your guide, and a leisurely picnic lunch among the vines.
Bike & Kayak Combo Tours
Why choose between land and water? Getaway’s combination tours pair vineyard tastings and cycling with a kayaking excursion on the Russian River, giving active adventurers a chance to see wine country from every angle.
Vine Trail Adventures: Custom-Designed Luxury Cycling
Specializing in private, custom-designed tours for all skill levels, Vine Trail Adventures excels at creating rides that align with your specific interests and abilities, whether you’re seeking an easy roll through the valley or a challenging mountain ascent.
Award-Winning “Ride With A Winemaker” Tour
This is where Vine Trail Adventures truly distinguishes itself. Their celebrated “Ride With A Winemaker” experience offers something you simply can’t find elsewhere: the chance to cycle alongside an esteemed winemaker while learning about the craft from someone who lives and breathes it every day. Currently, Ted Osborne, owner and winemaker of Olabisi Wines, leads these intimate tours, sharing insights about terroir, viticulture, and the decisions that shape every vintage. The tour concludes at Ted’s tasting room for a celebratory tasting of Olabisi wines, where the stories you heard on the ride come full circle in the glass.
What makes this tour especially appealing is its flexibility. It can be customized to match your fitness level: an easy and flat 4 to 9 miles for leisurely exploration, a moderate 9 to 20 miles for active travelers, or a challenging 20 to 35 miles for serious cyclists who want to earn their tasting.
Signature Routes
Vine Trail Adventures has perfected several signature routes that showcase different facets of Napa Valley’s cycling terrain. The Vine Trail route offers a leisurely, car-free experience along the paved path between Calistoga and St. Helena, perfect for families or those who want maximum scenery with minimal effort. For riders seeking elevation and drama, there’s Col du Calistoga, a challenging climb inspired by European mountain passes that tests even experienced cyclists with sustained grades and switchbacks. It’s the kind of ride that earns you serious bragging rights and an even more satisfying glass of wine at the finish.
Napa Valley Bike Tours: 38 Years of Valley Expertise
Operating since 1987, Napa Valley Bike Tours has spent nearly four decades perfecting the art of wine country cycling. As a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award winner with convenient locations in Yountville, St. Helena, and Napa, they’ve built a reputation for seamless, enjoyable experiences that consistently rank as guests’ favorite day in wine country, the highlight for many being the gourmet picnic lunch catered by Bouchon Bakery, Thomas Keller’s celebrated French bakery in Yountville.
Full-Day Electric Bike Tour
This is their signature experience, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. Spend a full day (or opt for their half-day option) gliding through Napa Valley on an electric bike, visiting two carefully selected local wineries for tastings and wine education.
Vine Trail Discovery E-Bike Tour
This guided experience offers the perfect introduction to wine country cycling. Join a small group led by a knowledgeable tour guide for a relaxed-paced ride, with most of the route following the car-free Napa Valley Vine Trail. You’ll start and finish at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, visit one winery for a tasting before stopping to enjoy your picnic lunch
Self-Guided Bike Tour
For independent spirits who want the convenience without the group setting, Napa Valley Bike Tours offers an elevated self-guided experience. You’ll receive a quality bike rental, a boxed lunch from Bouchon Bakery, detailed route suggestions, and, here’s the brilliant part, wine purchase pick-up service. That means you can buy bottles at the wineries you visit without worrying about how to transport them. They’ll handle the logistics while you enjoy the freedom of exploring at your own pace.
Private or Corporate Events in Napa Valley
Planning a team outing or private event? Many operators, including Calistoga Bikeshop, Getaway Adventures, and Napa Valley Bike Tours, offer custom group experiences complete with catered lunches and exclusive winery access.
Pair this guided cycling adventure with a whole-house rental at The Craftsman Inn or Wine Way Inn, and you’ve created the foundation for a truly memorable retreat. With accommodations for up to 32 guests across both neighboring properties, your entire team can stay together, enjoying private bathrooms in every room, spacious living areas perfect for morning meetings or evening debriefs, and outdoor spaces ideal for casual conversations over wine.
The logistics are simple: meet for breakfast in the dining room, head out for your cycling adventure, return to your comfortable home base to shower and regroup, then gather for dinner either at the inn or at one of Calistoga’s excellent restaurants just steps away.
Your Home Base for Cycling Adventures
Whether you’re planning a romantic cycling escape, a friends’ weekend on two wheels, or a corporate retreat that trades conference rooms for vineyard paths, The Craftsman Inn and Wine Way Inn offer the perfect launching point for your Calistoga bike tour.
Both boutique properties are located in the heart of downtown Calistoga, which means you’re never far from bike rental shops, tour departure points, and the trailhead for the Napa Valley Vine Trail.
Ready to Ride? The vineyards are waiting. The trails are calling. Book your stay and add a cycling adventure to your Napa Valley getaway.