CAN IT BE DONE? NAPA ON A BUDGET 🤑 UNDER $150 A DAY?

Napa on $150 a Day? Can It Be Done?

I was wasting time on YouTube today and a recommended video popped up claiming you can do NAPA ON A BUDGET FOR UNDER $150 A DAY! Hmmm, Napa has gotten really expensive, especially after Covid-19 jacked up all the tasting fees. This looked like click bait to me and like a hungry trout sniffing a wriggling worm wrapped around a treble hook I bit down hard. Before I go on let first let me say that I really like Tim and Fin. They’re entertaining, they’re fun, and they do a good job at creating compelling content, certainly better than I could. But with all due respect, I think i could plan a better Napa on a Budget day than they did.

Their strategy for keeping costs low was to only go to one winery per day. In their case they picked Castillo di Amorosa, the Napa Castle. I like the castle, and I totally get how they wanted to simulate a trip to Italy since they had to cancel their trip to Tuscany. But the castle is $55 per person for the tour and tasting. That means they pretty much blew their entire budget on one stop. And while the castle is unique, it can border on being a bit touristy. If they had asked me how to do it here is my plan.

First, I would buy a Priority Wine Pass. This is the 2 for 1 Pass. It’s $40 but you only need one per couple. Let’s see, $150 - $40 leaves you with $110.

Then I would go to these wineries:

1. Beringer: Stunningly beautiful, it’s iconic Napa. Use the Priority Wine Pass and get 2 tastings for $30. That leaves you with $80.

2. V Sattui: Tim and Finn went to Castello di Amorosa but I would instead go to V. Sattui, the original winery owned by the same person who built the castle. They have a full deli here and huge picnic grounds. Plus, you get half off one tasting so you save $17.50. If your budget is tight split the tasting and get yourself a sandwich. Let’s assume you spend $20 for lunch and $17.50 for a shared tasting, total $37.50. This still leaves you with $42.50.

3. Merryvale: Let’s do a boutique winery with exceptional wines. Use the Priority Wine Pass and get 2 tastings for $30. With that you end the day with $12.50 left in your pocket. enough for some tacos at La Esperanza Taco Truck for dinner.

The entire day comes in under $150 which includes a picnic lunch and a Napa local dinner “destination”, a taco truck. I know, you might need to search for quarters in the seat cushions in your car if you want to splurge at V. Satuii and yes, i am totally stiffing the servers on tips which is not going to give you good Karma, but you did get to visit three wineries AND if you are coming back to Napa in the next 12 months you can use the Priority Wine Pass again as it’s good for a full year.

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napa Updates for Fall 2020

New Wally Preferred Drivers, the Safe and Fun Way to Get Around Napa!

Just about everyone wants a driver these days when wine tasting in Napa. Sipping and Driving isn’t tolerated and Uber is no longer a good option since you now need to be ON TIME for reservations, something Uber was never that good at in Napa. Don’t hire a driver based solely on price - get one that has a track record of doing a good job, a driver that I’ve already vetted out for you. I don’t charge you to connect with them - just let me know when you are coming, how many people, and if you would rather have someone drive your vehicle/rental or if you want them to drive you in their vehicle. I’ll match up your needs to one of my Preferred Drivers and send you their info. Simple as that. No hassles, no upcharges, and no wondering if you’ve made a good decision or not. And driver rates are all very competitive so don’t worry about my gold plated service costing you more than a Craigslist driver. Email me to connect - from couples to bachlorette parties I have drivers who can handle it all.

Sterling $10 Off Freebie Still Available, a Local Wally Exclusive!

Yes, Sterling was hit by the Napa Glass Fire and as of mid-October is currently still closed but the main winery was not impacted and sources say that they are rushing to reopen as soon as possible. If you coming to Napa towards the end of October there is a very good chance they will be open for tastings again.

Make sure you request my free $10 off code! It’s totally free, no catches, but you do need to email me to get it.

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New Bay Area Winery Transit Service (BAWT) to Cater to Bay Area Residents Going to Napa

Residents in the Bay Area, fatigued with the Covid-19 lockdown, are flocking to Napa in droves to get a bit of normal, if only for the day. Helping to keep everyone safe while enjoying their wine tasting, Trinity SF Bay Tours has teamed up with NapaTouristGuide.com to create BAY AREA WINE TRANSIT, or BAWT, that caters to this crowd.

Nick will pick you up at your home and drive you to Napa for a day of food and wine. You can either pick your own wineries or rely on Nick and Wally to pick them for you with advanced notice. The vehicles are disinfected and wiped down and every customer not only gets a bottle of welcome sparkling wine but a mask, gloves, and hand sanitizer. At the end of the day you’re dropped back at you home, safe and sound.

Due to the virus many wineries have moved to sit down service and charge higher rates. If you are coming with 6 or fewer people you can still use the Priority Wine Pass for two for one’s. Here are all of the deals with the pass (link). You’ll find $45 savings at Grgich Hills and Charles Krug, $35 savings at Sterling, $25 savings at Beringer, and many more. If you still need a pass get it here with Wally’s discount - the pass will be $39.99 but you only need one pass per couple. The annual pass is perfect for Bay Area residents who might visit Napa or Sonoma multiple times a year.

Groups over 6 are a bit trickier as the current Napa guidelines prohibit wineries from talking groups this large. But don’t despair, there are still ways to host a larger group so reach out to me and I’ll connect you with some people who might be able to help.

Premium Experiences for Day Trippers

There are also PREMIUM EXPERIENCES for those who really love their wines. Nick will take you to two select wineries, one with food, where you’ll have extended experiences tasting Napa’s finest wines. Some experiences include a bottle of wine to take home at each stop and even offer discounts for wine purchases. Email me for more info - these experiences are becoming more popular for Bay Area people who aren’t looking for a jam packed day of one winery after another and instead want a relaxing day sipping good wine and tasting good food.

You’ll find Nick’s rates to be some of the best in the area. His vehicles range from town cars to 14 person shuttle vans. He doesn’t charge more to have additional people in the vehicle so those looking for the ultimate safety zone can rent out his largest shuttle and spread out with their small group.

To get more info simply email me and I’ll get right back to you. Remember, all wineries now require reservations so it is never too early to start booking your spots.

Local Wally's Wine Tours, Napa and Sonoma Wine Tasting Packages for Every Budget

Happy Wine Tasters on a Local Wally Wine Tour

Local Wally Launches His Wine Tour Company

Over the years I’ve been asked to offer a complete Wine Tour option for my guide. I resisted. I procrastinated. That’s because 10 years ago when I started writing this guide most people just drove their own cars when wine tasting. But times change and now drinking and driving isn’t an option, at least not a very good one. That left sending my readers to Uber or Lyft which sort of worked, though long waits and high surge pricing left a lot to be desired. Add to that Covid-19 which makes getting into a strangers car perhaps more risky than you want. AND if that wasn’t enough, wineries now require reservations and no longer offer drop in bar tastings which means you need to be on time - or risk forfeiting your tasting fee.

Introducing Local Wally’s Wine Tours

You know me - I spend my days answering emails from my readers asking what wineries to go to. I’ve teamed with professional driving companies to offer customized Napa and Sonoma Wine Tours that stay focused on giving you the best Napa or Sonoma experience. Whether you’re coming here as a couple or planning corporate event, low budget or extravagant, we have it covered. Bachelorette party? Oh yeah, we can help!

Here’s how it works -

Option 1: Priority wine Pass Discount winery tour

Whether you pick your own wineries or you let me help, using the Priority Wine Pass will get you tremendous discounts, even if you are just here for a day. It’s a two for one pass that’s only $39.99 with my discount. Visit Krug, get two for one, save $45. List Beringer, get two for one, save $30. Grigch Hills, two for one, save $50. You get the idea. Look, if you’re on a budget or just want to keep that hundred dollar bill in your wallet at the end of the day then focus your winery picks on the ones that offer discounts. As always, email me if you have questions.

Part two is to add transportation. Just let me know how many people are in your group, the date, and if you are looking for someone to drive your rental, someone to drive you in their vehicle, and if you want standard or luxury. I have a list of drivers I trust, people who have driven a lot of my readers, and I’m happy to send you their names. There’s no fee, of course. Don’t guess, let me point you to good drivers!

OPTION 2: NO WORRY WINE TOURS

Sometimes you just don’t want to hassle the details. That’s when you reach out to me for a No Worry Wine Tour. I’ve been working with drivers I know to create unique and affordable Wine Country Tours in both Napa and Sonoma, a one call and it’s done sort of thing. Here are some options:

• THE ROMANTIC GETAWAY FOR TWO

• Visit four to five wineries per day, we’ll do all the picking and reserving for you for a nominal fee.

• DEEP DIVE NAPA FOR WINE LOVERS

• Discover the hidden boutiques with a true Napa wine expert. He’ll pick the wineries and make all the reservations for a nominal fee.

• SONOMA AND RUSSIAN RIVER, THE NEW FRONTIER

• Budget wine tasting now means getting out of Napa. Lucky for you I have some experts in the Sonoma and Russian River area who can take you to the best the area has to offer, all at an affordable rate. Yes, we’ll pick the wineries and make the reservations for a nominal fee.

• THE ULTIMATE BACHELORETTE PARTY EXPERIENCE

• I do a lot of bachelorette parties! I now can offer everything from budget events to luxurious extravaganzas and can even set up large groups, something that’s very hard to do during these Covid times.

• CORPORATE EVENTS, WEDDING PARTIES, THE BIG ONES

• Big events require big wineries willing to let you do a “take over” of their facilities. Do it yourself and pay big bucks. Or let me help and I’ll connect you with wineries who not only will allow you to host your big event at their winery but will offer you a discount since you’ve come through me.

OPTION 3: The Premium Experience

Coming from the Bay Area and just want to spend a few hours sipping wine, eating good food, and forgetting about Covid-19 for awhile? Then don’t winery hop where your risk goes up at every stop! Instead go to ONE winery but make it a good one, a long drawn out experience with the best wines and gourmet food to pair it with. I’m working with a small handful of premium wineries who cater to the higher end wine lover. Costs aren’t that much more than a standard day in Napa but the experience is over the top luxury, a feast for wine lovers and an experience that you won;t soon forget. Email me, of course!

COMING WITH A LARGER GROUP? In our Covid times it’s not as easy as you might think to book wineries with groups over 6 - but it can be done! Just email me. I’ll hook you up with some wineries who claim they can take larger groups and you can work it out with them. Do this as soon as you can as there are seriously only a handful of wineries who will take large groups and they book up fast.

Keeping Within Your Budget is My Goal

I know wine tasting can be really expensive so I do my best to keep transportation prices as low as they can go and stick to wineries that are within your budget. Not on a tight budget? Well I also know the very cool “over the top” experiences as well and can help you get discounts if available. In the end I try to keep everything super simple and give you the most bang for your buck, no matter what your budget is.

To get my rates you simply email me and I will get right back to you - pronto!

Spread out in a 14 person vehicle, just one of the many options if you use one of my preferred drivers.

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We know how to plan a GREAT bachelorette party!

Wally’s Bachelorette Party planning!

Did you somehow raise your hand and offer to plan a Bachelorette party in Napa and Sonoma and now have no idea how to do it? Make it easy on yourself and let us do it. Here are some tips:

• If you want to keep costs down keep your group size to 14 or under. A Ford Transit fits 14 but once you go over this number you have to rent a much larger vehicle.

• Wineries that offer two for one’s cap the number of people who can come in together with wine passes. If you are on a super tight budget keep your group ideally to 6 and make it an even number since you get two for one tastings. Note that due to Covid a lot of wineries are limiting group discounts to groups of 4 or less so bottom line, reach out to me and let me help. The rules keep changing and I can give you the latest info. Do I need to say it again? I don’t charge for advice so ask!

• Don’t ask anyone in your group what wineries they want to go to! Trust me, no one will ever agree on winery selection. If you want to keep it super simple I work with the owner of the Priority Wine Pass and between the two of us we know the wineries who will take your group. Best yet, we can get you discounts (yes!!) if you let us book it. So no extra fees for you, no extra work searching for wineries, a discounted rate, let me pass on my connections to help you shortcut the process. And as always, I never recommend places I don’t love. No dumps. No rip offs.

• Plan way ahead, set it and forget it! Give us as much time as you can as wineries that allow large groups (and specifically bachelorette parties) are not as common as you might think and fill up fast. As soon as you can, book it, reserve it, done!

• COVID-19 UPDATE: Wineries are limiting groups to 6 or less but larger groups can be done - email me for more info. I can connect you to wineries that might be able to take larger groups.

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*Standard Disclaimer: While I am happy to make driver recommendations I am in no way am I accepting responsibility or legalities should things not go as planned. Do your due diligence when choosing any driving company when it comes to safety, insurance, and licenses.