Planning a Wine Tour

Wine tours can be a blast! Especially if you take a little time to plan.

Wine tour is a vague term. For this series, wine tour means visiting more than one wineries and/or vineyards within a short period of time, like a day or a weekend. 

The first decision to make is whether you want a self-guided tour or if you’d like to hire a wine tour company to take you around to wineries. Here are some considerations for each:

Wine Tour Company

Around the Texas Hill Country (where I live), you can hire a limo or shuttle bus to take you to three or four wineries for about $100 per person. Tours vary. Some include a meal or snack. Others do not. In choosing a wine tour company, gather referrals from friends then scout websites.

+ great for out-of-area get-togethers, like bachelorette parties and reunions, or when no one in your group wants to drive

+ pick up and drop off at your hotel or wherever you happen to be

+ details, such as notifying wineries when your party is larger than six and seeing your purchases safely into the limo and back to your hotel, are handled for you

+ professional driver who knows the area’s history, upcoming events and what-to-expect at the wineries; who knows where the wineries are located (usually ~ we had a driver once who was not local and had to ask directions); perhaps most importantly, who will not be drinking 

Self Guided Tour

A Self Guided wine tour allows you to set your own schedule, can save you money and requires more research on your part.

+ great for smaller groups, like couples, and those who seek adventure

+ start and end wherever you please

+ flexibility in scheduling; you can stay as long as like at a winery or bail before you step foot out of your car (note: most of Texas Hill Country wineries close by 6:00 p.m. so be sure to get an early enough start. More tips like this one coming in part 2.)

+ itineraries and routes are easily mapped online or with a smartphone

Tally up your pro’s and con’s. If you choose to hire a wire tour company, book as soon as you know your dates so you can have your choice of companies. If you are planning your own wine tour, we’ll soon have more tips for you.

Cheers!