Frequently Ask Questions (FAQs)

If you are sharing the bus with others, your tour driver will take responsibility for planning the best tour day possible for the entire group. We are careful to avoid taking people to places they may have already visited, so be sure to let us know if this is the case.

• Rave reviews from previous tour groups.
• Smaller, non-touristy locations
• Excellent wines, moderately priced
• Warm & friendly service
• Perks available (cave tours, barrel-tasting, wine-maker available, etc.)
• We try our best not to visit wineries whose tasting fees exceed $20-$25 per person, though this is not always possible.

No set time. Some winery experiences take longer than others. The average is about an hour at each winery. We’ll spend a little longer at whichever of the wineries we use for our picnic lunch.

No, (sorry). You are welcome to drive in and meet us for the tour. We have a central meeting location for each tour that has all-day parking & many restaurants where guests can grab a bite to eat & relax before heading back at the end of the day.

We advise people who drive in for the day to arrange to hang out and have dinner in the neighborhood in which you’re parked before driving back to your destination. Better yet, you might consider staying at a local inn or B&B. Please contact us for suggestions.

This can be challenging, but possible. Please check out these websites for suggestions: http://www.ridethevine.com/regional-routes-schedules/route-11 or www.sctransit.com

This is a light & charming boxed picnic lunch served at one of the wineries we visit on the tour. It consists of deli turkey sandwiches on fresh sliced Ciabatta bread, home made fresh pasta or grain salad, sliced fruits (some combination of apples, pears, Asian pears, pineapple and/or watermelon), a rolled-oat dessert cake and bottled water. Sandwich condiments are served on the side.

Yes! We are rather good at accommodating a variety of dietary needs, particularly dairy and gluten restrictions. Please give us advance notice. We’ll serve a hummus & veggie sandwich for vegetarians. The rest of the lunch is already vegetarian.

Yes. Chilled, bottled water is served on the bus and also with the picnic lunch.

Yes. If you purchase a bottle of wine at the lunch winery, they will open it for you and provide you with glasses.

Yes! By popular and insistent demand, you can find our wine country recipes on our Blog for you to enjoy at home.

No taxes. No fuel fees.

You should expect to pay tasting fees at the wineries. These fees are charged by the wineries, compensating them for the wines they pour for guests, and typically run about $20-$25 per person, per winery. For more information, please read about Wine Tasting Fees and Coupons.

For any reservation of four or fewer guests, tipping is at your discretion. If you are pleased with the service and effort put forth by your tour guide, you are most welcome to offer him or her a gratuity. Your thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated. For larger groups, we’ll include a 20 % gratuity.

You may cancel the join-in tour reservation at any time up to 24 hours before the tour with no penalty. Cancellation fee of $35 per person will apply to any cancellations made within 24 hours of tour departure.

You will encounter easy-going, social people who are interested in wine, even if they don’t know much about it. They tend to become even more friendly once they’ve started tasting.

We’re not sure. Please send us a photo of yourself holding a wine glass so that we can make that determination.

Sorry, no. Your child would be confused by a group of tipsy adults singing, ‘Come on Eileen’ when they really don’t know the words. (no one really knows the words…) Fun, yes, but not pretty. Seriously, sometimes we can accommodate children, but most often not. Please give us a call if this is an issue for you.

Registered service dogs are welcome on the tour. We restrict non-registered service dogs because some of our guests are allergic to animals and because many of the wineries have dogs that are sometimes unfriendly to other animals.

Yes! We have plenty of room. By all means, buy as much wine as you like.

You may ship wine from the wineries – most of the wineries we visit are able to ship to almost any state. You can buy a wine shipper box from us on the bus for $15 (holds up to 12 bottles), fill it up and check it on your return flight like luggage. You can also buy a fabulous Wine Check from us for $70.

One person.

It varies. Our Join-In Wine Tours usually have between eight and twelve guests on board.

No way, baby! We never cancel a tour for that reason. We almost always have a good-sized group on board, though.

Sorry, no. We can’t possibly show you enough in a half-day tour. If you would like to join one of our tours late, or leave it early, that is possible. You can also request a price quote for a half day Private Wine Tour.

Our vehicles are small tour shuttles. They have perimeter seating, like a conversation pit, so guests can better get to know each other.

Our shuttle buses vary in length, and are taller in height than limousines. You will be able to stand in, and walk on and off them. They have large, tinted windows, so that the views from any side of the vehicle are visible.

Incredibly, yes! Even we are amazed by how fun it is.

Tag: pets, cats

It’s possible, but let’s talk about it. Many of the smaller wineries have dogs that are territorial, and many larger wineries prohibit pets, so we’ll need to build an itinerary around those factors.

Yes.

No problem. We’ll just charge for however long you remain out.

Your tour officially begins at your scheduled pick-up time. It ends at whatever time we drop off you and your guests.

We’ll host your private wine tour in a vehicle that is dedicated to just you and whoever is in your party. Included is a friendly and personable tour driver who also happens to be a well-informed wine tour guide. The wine tour vehicle may be a car, a van or a shuttle bus, depending on the number of passengers in your group.

This differs from our Join-in tours in that your vehicle will not be shared with any passengers not in your party.

Private tours are perfect for any of the following:

• You want to have your tour day tailored to your preferences
• You want to select any or all of the wineries you’ll be visiting, or at least you want to approve them
• Sharing the experience with folks you don’t know is not what you have in mind

You can book a Platypus private wine tour by selecting one of the *packages* we offer, or by completing our *quote* form to have a customized price quote emailed to you. If that quote works for you, let us know and we’ll get your wine tour booked. 

There are a great many variables involved with wine tour pricing, but we’ve done our best to simplify the process.

Heck yes. Your guest of honor gets to spend all day with her or his closest friends in festive, but intimate settings.

We love ’em. We’ll help you plan a day that is fun and light-hearted and truly memorable, particularly for the bride-to-be.

Um…sure. What did you have in mind?

Alas, no (sorry!). We have found that too many guests are liable to get too drunk when they are consuming alcohol at all of the winery stops and in the bus, as well.

Yes we do. We operate a commercial kitchen with a very talented kitchen staff. We can provide a tasty boxed picnic lunch that you can enjoy at one of your wineries.

Yes, several. There are restaurants and delicatessens and catering options. We’re very happy to help you select whichever option is best for your needs.

Almost any of these can be accommodated by pretty much any of the lunch providers.

Yes, but it must be wine from that winery. This is a California state alcohol regulation.

Only a handful, and they are often mobbed around lunchtime. For large groups, you can work with a caterer. Wineries usually have a caterer or two that they work with, and those companies are allowed to set up meals at those wineries. We are happy to make suggestions along this line.

Yes. We can help you figure out a good location to eat it.

Yes.

Sure. Locations like the Oxbow Market, the V. Marketplace and the Napa outlets are great for shopping. There’s also great shopping on the Sonoma Plaza, the Healdsburg Plaza, Downtown Napa, and the main drags in Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga.

Yup; we can help you there, too.

Glad you asked! We can arrange olive oil tasting, cheese tasting, cooking demonstrations/ classes, art galleries, museums, zip-lining, hiking, horseback riding, team-building activities and more.

Yes, though the pricing for such tours is different.

Absolutely. You can take the ferry in both directions, or you can have us come to San Francisco to pick you up in the morning, then drop you at the dock to take the ferry back to the City at the end of the day. These options will reduce your tour fees.

As of 2023, the one-way ferry rate between Vallejo and San Francisco is $9.30.

Yes. We’ll work that timing into your tour itinerary.

If only there was a simple answer to that question! Tasting fees seem to start at $40pp, but most are more like $45-$55pp. Some charge a bit more. Some charge a lot more. Many offer up-graded tasting experiences at higher prices. Many charge a higher rate for groups. We’ll help you navigate the offerings.

No way, dude. Just kidding! You may absolutely set a limit, and we’ll do our very best to honor it

Mostly yes, but every winery has its own waiving policies. Many won’t waive for larger groups.

We do have an option for prepaying your winery tasting fees. Ask about this when you book your tour.

Yes.

Tag: Visa, Mastercard

Don’t be silly.

If we’re putting together a tour plan for you, we’ll take all of the following into consideration: Your preferred wineries (if you have any), your favorite wines, the types of experiences you are interested in. Idyllic winery locations for your picnic lunch, if you need that. How many guests in your party (many wineries have limits). Driving logistics, such as the distance between wineries and how long it will likely take to get you from one place to another. Our impressions of the level of customer service and wine quality at each winery. Other stuff, too.

Well, for instance, how far in advance are you booking your tour? Many wineries will book up as we get closer to your tour date, particularly on Saturdays and particularly in the Summer and Fall. Wineries are more likely to book up in the later afternoon, so we need to be very proactive about locking those appointments down early, too.

That’s kind of a tough one, but we can help you through it. First, we’ll encourage you to reach out to your friends and let them know it’s kind of important that they commit sooner. That may motivate some of them. With the wineries, it’s easier to work with a tighter range than a really wide range of possible attendees.

Sure, probably. We’d need to know what those plans were, to be sure. And we can perform your dinner transportation if you need that service.

Almost all the wineries are open from 10am to 4pm or 5pm, so use that as your guide. Also, wineries tend to get busier and busier later in the day. If you want to visit a popular winery, have us book it as early in the day as possible, that way you’ll avoid the crowds and probably have a better experience there.

Great question! Like all California transportation companies, Platypus Tours is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission and the California Highway Patrol. We are subject to regular terminal inspections, during which our vehicles and our compliance documentation are thoroughly inspected. We are very serious about safety and compliance, so we have always passed these inspections with flying colors. Our vehicles are all safety-inspected by a certified mechanic every 45 days. Additionally, drivers are required to inspect his or her vehicle before every tour. Brakes and oil are serviced regularly. All servicing and inspections are documented. All of our commercial drivers undergo regular physical examinations, as well as random drug testing and disclosure of their driving history. There are restrictions in place for how many hours they may work in a day and how many days they may drive in a week. I could go on and on… I live & breathe this stuff. These regulations are strict, but very sensible, and we applaud our state for being so proactive in keeping the public safe.

No. Go before we leave. Seriously, there are restrooms at each of the wineries, so we are almost always close to our next set of facilities.

Yes, but not on all of our vehicles. Please let us know about this need when you book your tour so that we can be sure to assign the best vehicle for you.

This term means the seating has been configured along the perimeter, so it has the feel of a conversation pit. Most of our vehicles set up this way, and it has always been a big hit with our guests. This makes it very easy to interact with your fellow passengers.

These vehicles have a combination configuration, including side-facing seats, front-facing seats and a table with four seats facing it. Our guests tend to break up into smaller, more intimate sub-groups on these buses, and multiple conversations can be transpiring at the same time.

The short answer is yes. Some Napa Valley wineries are close enough to some Sonoma Valley wineries to include on the same tour without spending an excessive amount of travel time. Others are not. We can help you work it out.

We serve three regions: the Napa Valley, the Sonoma Valley, and North Sonoma (comprised of Russian River/Dry Creek/Healdsburg area/Alexander Valley)

The regions are similar to one another in many ways, so travel time is probably the biggest consideration. If you are staying in one of the regions, it makes a lot of sense to tour in that same region. If you’re driving in to meet the tour, pick the one closest. As a general rule, North Sonoma tends to be the best value for tasting fees and wine purchasing. There are some other differences, so ask us and we’ll help you figure out which is best for you.

Are you hoping to get to all of them? We don’t know anyone who has managed that! Technically, there are probably over a thousand in Napa County and Sonoma County combined. However, many are not open to visitors. Our tours visit just over two hundred different wineries per year.

It varies, but most pour four to eight tastes.

Yes. We are happy to our best to secure your appointments at whichever wineries you ask for. You may select any or all of the winery stops.

There is no single winery that would be best for everyone. Once we’ve discussed what types of wines you like and what types of winery experiences you are interested in, we can begin suggesting wineries that we think would please you most.

Yeah, I guess I should expand on that. Here are some examples: Wine and food pairings, wine cave visits, wine barrel sampling, meeting with winemakers or owners, vineyard visits, old vintage tastings, facility tours, cheese pairings, chocolate pairings, historic estates & chateaus.

Typically, one hour, up to ninety minutes.

10:00am to 4:00pm, though many are open until 5, and a few don’t close before 6.

It depends on how much time you’ve chosen for your tour. It’s hard to see more than four in one day, though.