Are "Luxury Drivers" in Napa WORTH IT? Why Pay More?

Coming to Napa? Are you confused over whether you can drive yourself or need to hire a driver? And how do you pick a good one? Well hey, let me help you out here with a no-nonsense response.

First, driving yourself is really risky. No doubt about it, by the end of the day you are going to be over the limit unless you really, really try hard not to have fun. Pulling people over in Napa is like shooting fish in a barrel so be smart and don’t drink and drive. OK, yes, a lot of people still do it but just like people drive home after indulging at a bar on a Friday night it’s just not worth the risk.

So just hire a driver. Easy, right? Hang on, there are so many drivers in Napa and most of them cannot legally drive your car or rental. So make sure they have the proper insurance and if you are coming with a group, with a big vehicle the license required.

Time for my disclaimer - I am happy to recommend drivers who have done a good job in the past but take no responsibility for the drivers, their behavior, their legality, etc. In other words, all of the drivers I recommend are cool people, mainly ex-tour guides who have gone out on their own, but it’s up to you to make sure they are legal. Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

So drivers can drive your rental, drive you in theirs, all for around $60 an hour on average. So why hire a Luxury Driver? Heck, what is a luxury driver?

A luxury driver is one who does more than just drive you. They act as a concierge, helping you plan your day and making the reservations for you. They typically have nicer vehicles and pride themselves on being “legal”. The luxury drivers I work with are some of the best in the valley, real wine experts who know their stuff and add to your day. If you want some Napa history as you drive, if you want some wine tasting tips, if you want some great conversation (good idea if you are hanging out with them all day) then a luxury driver is worth the extra costs. How much? Figure luxury drivers start at around $90 an hour.

At the end of the day it might cost you a couple of hundred bucks more for a luxury driver but if you hired a real concierge to do your planning you can expect to pay around $500 for this service which is included in their fees. A luxury driver will make sure that all of your stops fit what you are looking for. You won’t get the standard Beringer/V Sattui/Castle agenda - unless you want that. Usually you get deeper dives into non-touristy wineries, wineries where you might barrel taste or stroll through the vineyards with the winemaker. And it’s not snooty, I don’t do snooty and none of the drivers I work with do either.

On the opposite end of the transportation scale is Uber or Lyft which is so unpredictable that it’s hard to recommend them unless you are just going to one or two wineries and staying right on the main drag. Cell service can get spotty in Napa so an Uber can get you there but good luck calling one to pick you up. And even if you have service good luck getting an Uber to want to wind their way in the hills to pick you up. So it’s find if you want to be dropped off downtown or perhaps hit Chandon in the afternoon but not recommended if you are trying to do a complete stop by stop itinerary.

Since you made it this far if you want to get more info on a Luxury Driver just click below and I’ll connect you. No tricks, no sales pitch, they’ll answer your questions and you can decide if this is right for you.

Cheers,

Wally