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I am happy to help you plan your trip to Napa.  If you need a free winery trip planning agenda please give me as much time as you can due to the large number of requests.  I can typically turn around a custom agenda in 3 days.

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Cheers,

Local Wally

         

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Local Wally's Blog to Napa | NapaTouristGuide.com

Read Local Wally's Blog to Napa for up to date news, features, and stories from Napa Valley. Guest Posts Welcome!

Filtering by Tag: Getting Around Napa

Is Laces + Limos Tuk Tuk Tour Worth It?

Local Wally

Try doing this with your rental car!

Is Laces + Limos worth it?

Before I answer that perhaps a bit of background on who this is, what it is, and what it’s not. At it’s most basic Laces + Limos is a Napa tour where they transport you via a 3 wheeled electric Tuk Tuk to wineries and provide a picnic lunch. But it’s more than that - much more.

The Laces + Limos is Napa winery experience starts the moment you step into their cute little tuk tuk in front of the Archer Hotel. As you leave downtown and wind your way into the back roads of Napa you’ll pass sites and scenery that you can’t appreciate from a car or tour shuttle. The wind in your hair, the sunshine, the scent of the vineyards, it’s that elusive romance of Napa, the Napa of your dreams.

Owned by Chel and Dieter, their focus is on creating unique and authentic Napa experiences. For example, everyone wants a picnic in the vineyards. In the early days of Napa you could pull off the road and lay out a blanket but try that today and you’ll most be asked to pack it up and leave. Today the simple picnic in a vineyard experience is difficult if not impossible to find if you try to do it on your own. But with Laces + Limos you can and their tuk tuks fits right in between the vineyards. Imagine parking next to a romantic table with a white tablecloth and a gourmet picnic prepared by husband Dieter, surrounded by vineyards and grapes you can pick and taste. It surpasses everything you might imagine. Let’s take a look.

Quiet. Peaceful. You’ll feel oh so special when your Tuk Tuk turns down the row of vines and you spy a private picnic table in the distance waiting just for you. The tours are either half of full days and include the gourmet vineyard picnic lunch, which is worth the price right there. Oh darn, I jumped the gun on my click bait question of whether it’s worth it or not so yes, Laces + Limos is worth it just for the lunch experience alone. I mean, if you want to experience lunch in a vineyard then this is it! So what’s for lunch?

Every bite delicious! This is the lunch for two picnic which had so much food we packed some to go at the end.

Husband Dieter is a trained and creative chef and puts together a Napa worthy picnic spread. This is no crummy box lunch, this isn’t a shrink wrapped sandwich made the day before with a bag of chips, Laces + Limos provides a lunch that lives up to the high standard for Napa’s exquisite culinary scene. The sandwich transported me back to Paris with it’s crispy baguette filled with the highest quality ingredients. Let’s see a few more food shots. And look at the view! Right in the vineyards! Amazing!

What is is, and What it’s Not!

Laces + Limos is a unique and fun way to explore Napa with transportation in a Tuk Tuk to wineries and a stop in the vineyards for a gourmet picnic lunch that is unmatched by any other tour. Winery stops are unique as well - For example, we stopped in a Ru Vango, a winery that had not yet hit my radar and surprised me with their stunning wines and hospitality. And yes, their collection of original Salvador Dali’s artwork was quite impressive as well. How has this winery not been discovered by the masses yet is beyond me. A prime seat and private experience with one other couple overlooking the vineyards, a short tour to see the winery in action, a sharp contrast to most tour winery stops where you’re fighting for attention from the host who’s bombarded with tour groups.

We joined up with this couple during our wine tasting and relaxed in the sunshine while sipping sparkling wine. How nice was this!

And winery selection varies depending on what you might be looking for. Let them know if you’re a wine collector or simply a wine lover looking for new wines to love. There’s no pressure to buy wine but you can if you like, and while tasting fees are not included the wineries are priced at a reasonable level so you won’t get that Opus One sticker shock at the end of the tasting. Here’s a few photos of Ru Vango Winery - sparkling to start, a tour with barrel tastings, original Dali art, is this for real?

What Laces + Limos is NOT is tacky and cheesy. From the moment you step into the tuk tuk you’re greeted with Napa quality snacks and a genuine smile from Chel, the owner and host. You can tell that this is a labor of love, a passion to provide visitors with an adventure they will never forget. Here are some candids I took of Chel when she was describing a Napa landmark along the way.

Luxurious, classy, and super fun. You won’t be slinking off a fake trolley car hoping no one sees you. So Laces + Limos isn’t a tacky booze fest experience, it’s tasteful and elegant. But it’s also not snooty - even someone with zero wine experience will love this as much as a wine expert. So many of Napa’s experiences are crowded and touristy (visit the castle lately?) but Laces + Limos provides an alternative to all of that and gives you an authentic experience for about the same price as a private driver.

OK, SO LACES + LIMOS IS WORTH IT? AND WORTH YOUR TIME?

Yes, Yes! Whether you’re a romantic couple on your honeymoon or a corporate group looking for something a a bit out of the box, you can’t replicate this experience any other way so it’s definitely worth both the price and your time. I’ll let them do the actual pricing but basically for a couple it’s about what you would spend for a private driver for a day but a whole lot more fun (and don’t forget the included gourmet picnic lunch!) Even if you are only here for one day, even if you’re a first timer, you should consider this. And if you have two days or more, for sure make this part of your agenda. Reach out to Chel, the owner, and tell her Wally sent you and she will personally get you all of the info you need to decide if a Tuk Tuk tour is in your future. I hope you do it - It seriously is one of the best things to do in Napa.

"WOW! Our experience was nothing short of extraordinary. From the moment we booked until the very end, everything exceeded our expectations."

"4 years later it's the one experience we did during our California trip we still talk about"

"It’s not a tour you find and book, this has been an experience, the once-in-a-lifetime kind that NOT everyone has but lucky ones will"


FRIENDSGIVING 2024

This year celebrate Friendsgiving by booking an unforgettable private tour through Napa Valley’s scenic vineyards including a curated tasting followed by a chef prepared lunch in the vineyards alongside friends and family.

 This limited-time package blends adventure with luxury, offering a unique way to create lasting memories during the holiday season. 

Here's what you should know-​​​​​​​​

  • available for up to 12ppl

  • pickup in downtown Napa ​

  • backroad scenic tuk-tuk ride

  • private vineyard lunch 

  • local wine pairings/ tasting

  • interactive holiday fun!

Click HERE for a sample menu. 

$169/ PER PERSON (MIN 4PPL)

Make sure you tell Chel that Wally sent you for special VIP treatment!

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

Local Wally

Happy Wine Tasters on a Local Wally Wine Tour

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.

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


We know how to plan a GREAT bachelorette party!

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.


*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.