For cycling enthusiasts and for wine enthusiasts, it’s an idyllic vision, hopping onto a tuned bike and pedaling down a pristinely paved, car-free corridor while admiring the beautiful outdoors. Meandering lazily through picture-perfect scenic vineyard countryside with a few fun stops along the route, makes for one of the more memorable and unexpected experiences in Napa Valley. Whether cycling for scenery or cycling for sips, Napa Valley Bike Tours has curated a menu of easy, fun, and vibrant treks throughout Napa Valley.

Established in 1987, after owner, Brad Dropping, fell in love with Napa Valley during a visit, Napa Valley Bike Tours has, through the decades, expanded, evolved, and diversified its offerings, creating resonant and customized experiences for its patrons. For those who prefer to explore and trek unassisted, simple bike and equipment rentals from NVBT are a perfect solution, with an excellent selection of traditional bikes and a large inventory of e-bikes at any of three NVBT locations, including the newest outpost located directly on the grounds of the iconic Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena.

This newly opened location was born out of mutual passion for providing guests with turnkey opportunities to explore Napa Valley. Taking advantage of the convenience that came with a newly opened segment of the Napa Valley Vine Trail, which passes directly alongside the main entrance to Krug, Riana Mondavi, third-generation family member and owner of the historic winery, partnered with Dropping to give guests even easier access to get out and pedal the bike path.

The team at NVBT has long-offered customized public or private tours with stops at selected wineries that can include wine tasting and picnics. Hence, the new NVBT location at Charles Krug was a natural collaboration. From this point, cyclists may easily access the newest segment of the Napa Valley Vine Trail, which extends eight miles north to Calistoga, passing more than 25 wineries along the way including Castello Di Amorosa and Sterling Vineyards as well as Bale-Grist Mill Historic State Park and Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, where a tiny little gift shop sells ice cream treats, making for a  perfect cycling break on a warm day.

Adding to the comfort and convenience of seeing Napa Valley via bike, NVBT offers a bike relocation service to facilitate point-to-point rides between its three locations. For example, cyclists may start a
ride in Downtown Napa and finish the ride  nine miles north in Yountville, with no need to cycle back. And, with any of the guided bike tour and tasting packages, van-support makes it easy to purchase wines without hassling with wine transport.

Perfect Blend of Sport, Culture, Food, Wine and Fun

What makes touring Napa Valley on bike stand apart from other typical sightseeing tours? Several things, in fact, including a genuine sense of community. The privilege of a true biking-through-vineyards experience is a direct reflection of the commitment and cooperation of 15 private landowners who granted easements, allowing for the Napa Valley Vine Trail to pave its winding route through private vineyard parcels.

NVBT tour guides, locals themselves, are not only skilled cyclists but are also passionate ambassadors of Napa Valley, offering insider tips and sharing the history of the place. Rides are not solely about getting from one spot to the next but rather are about sharing stories of history, landscape, and culture. And, the sense of presence in the moment is truly a part of the experience. Unlike touring via a vehicle, cyclists are almost “forced” to engage, figuratively and literally, putting down phones, holding onto handlebars, and being present using all five senses.

Whether seasoned cyclist or budding novice, NVBT offers experiences customized to fit pace and place, from public to private and from self-guided, self-paced to fully guided, curated experiences, making all cycling adventures fun. Touring through Napa Valley on bicycle is one of those rare experiences, offering a perfect blend of sport, culture, food, and wine and, most importantly, fun.