Reviews - Wine Country Trekking

Reviews

Following are reviews in the press as well as from our customers .

Press

Runner's World: Breath Taking--It's the Ultimate Runner's Getaway

"...I'm here for an adventurous four-day, 42 mile run through Marin County, a place with a reputation for fearsome hills and arguably the country's best trail running...The parks contain forests of towering redwoods, a coastline where elephant seals bellow on secluded beaches, and hills harboring Tule elk and half the bird species in North America...The complete route from Sausalito to Inverness will visit the extremes of rigor and decadence. I'll step out of a different lodge every day in my running shoes, carrying just water, a couple energy bars, and a light shell and, with the exception of a short cab ride to a trailhead on my third morning, run to the next nights' accommodations while a taxi transports my luggage. I'll crank out nine to 12 miles a day, almost entirely on trail, with a calf-knotting couple thousand feet of cumulative vertical. Every evening, I'll plow through a five-star dinner and relax in luxurious digs...The trip was created for the author by Wine Country Trekking."

From "Breath Taking--It's the Ultimate Runner's Getaway" in Runner's World
(June, 2009)

MSNBC: Easy Kid-Free Getaways

"Face it: You're never hiking the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail, even if it's one of the ultimate child-free vacations. But a wine-tasting hike you can do. Luxury outfitter Wine Country Trekking sends clients on self-guided walks through wooded trails, country lanes, and hilly vineyards about 30 miles northwest of San Francisco. On one of its best-priced trips, Sonoma Valley Wine Tasting, you cover between six and eight miles a day. Because the tour is self-guided (maps and meal vouchers are provided), you can pick up gourmet picnic lunches from cafés and bakeries at your own pace. The itinerary of private tastings, which reads like a wine estate greatest-hits list, includes the large producer Ravenswood as well as the boutique operation of Robert Hunter. The outfitter reserves your stays at tony inns, such as the Zen-like Gaige House Inn, in Glen Ellen, Calif., and also transports your luggage."

From "6 Easy Kid-Free Getaways" in MSNBC.com
(November 14, 2008)

National Geographic Traveler: Tours of a Lifetime

“We were thrilled to discover that many outfitters share our vision that travel should ultimately not be acquisitive and superficial but connect us more deeply to the planet and to the people in it,” notes Norie Quintos, senior editor at National Geographic Traveler magazine. “The other wonderful thing we discovered is that one doesn’t necessarily have to rough it to travel authentically and sustainably.”

"Wine Country Trekking has introduced Euro-style village-to-village hiking to the New World. From San Francisco, trek to Sausalito, Muir Woods, Point Reyes, Tomales Bay, and on to Sonoma. Bring your walking shoes and nose for wine and the outfitter does the rest, including arranging private tastings and tours at wine estates, gourmet picnics, kayaking, and stays at luxury inns along the way."

From "Tours of a Lifetime (United States)" in National Geographic Traveler
(May/June 2008)

Prevention Magazine: Healthy Getaways

“Head to California for a truly special vineyard tour with Wine Country Trekking. Not only will you get to sample antioxidant-packed wines and delicious local foods, but you'll also walk off those extra vacation calories as you hike your way through the gorgeous hills of Sonoma. Take in the scenery of the private estate wineries by day, and rest your feet in first-class lodging by night.”

From "Healthy Getaways--Gourmet Getaways" in Prevention Magazine Online
(May 2008)

The New York Times: A Wild Ramble, Near the Golden Gate

"Pierce and Carmen Morris were ona northward walk markedly better organized than our own: having rambled throughout Europe, they had entrusted a local company [Wine Country Trekking] to plan their trip.

From "A Wild Ramble, Near the Golden Gate" in The New York Times (Travel)
(February, 2008)

The Chicago Tribune: Trips, Tips, and Deals

Taking a page from inn-to-inn hiking vacations in Europe, Wine Country Trekking runs independent walking tours in the San Francisco Bay area... The forays make the most of city promenades, coastal paths, mountain trails and village lanes...

From "Trips, Tips & Deals" in The Chicago Tribune (Travel)
(November, 2007)

Customers

San Francisco to the Wine Country

Sausalito to Point Reyes Runner's Trek

Sonoma Valley Wine Tasting

Napa Valley Wine Tasting

Mount Tamalpais to the Wine Country

San Francisco to the Wine Country

Washington honeymooners, September, 2009: "Thank you so much for such an amazing vacation. We can't stop talking about what good time we had! We couldn't have asked for more--we saw more, experienced more, and had more fun than any conventional vacation I have ever been on. The trip was expertly orchestrated and attention to detail was much appreciated. We loved the [small inn], the [wine country inn], and [the winemaker]. The lunches were fantastic and always much appreciated. Thank you for an unforgettable vacation. Everyone should get to have an experience like this at least once in their life time."

Massachusetts couple, September, 2009: "...We thoroughly enjoyed the trek!! The properties were lovely and comfortable with the exception of the [small inn]...Everything else exceeded our expectations. The treks were challenging for us 63 year olds, and we opted to forego day 5. We met a lovely couple and had a lovely day. The wineries and planned tours were exceptional. Our experiences at them were wonderful. I would highly recommend this trip to others who are up to a good hike during the day with incredible views and sensory excitement and the luxury of outstanding accommodations."

Chicago and Texas friends, September, 2009: "Overall I enjoyed the Trek very much, everything done first class, well worth the money. As you may know, this was our fifth trek, to all parts of the world, and was by far the best organized and most luxurious. The lodging was all great! I thought the best part was the day in Muir Woods, although the start of some of the walks was awfully tough for me...You get what you pay for; hard work for a great Trek. The guide book was the best we've seen. Really good! ...The stop at [a private winery] was fantastic, and almost magical place. Thanks for getting us access to it. A great Trek, I've already recommended it to several friends. Thanks for everything."

London honeymooners, August, 2008: "...whenI say how fabulous the trip was. We had a wibble at the start with the[San Francisco lodging] who didn't seem to know how the trek worked,but after that it was a truly wonderful experience. A very well thoughtout and arranged holiday and one we will remember for a very longtime! Memorable points were - Gary Danko...truly exceptional and up inthe top 3 meals of all time for [my husband] and I ... - the silenceand peace of not seeing another person or car or anything for mileseach day - [Sausalito lodging]...our room was beautiful and thegentleman at reception was very jolly and friendly - the bubbly taximan who was a fountain of knowledge and had Phoebe's car from friends!- [Inverness lodging]....can I live there please? - arriving at the[Glen Ellen lodging] and going for foot scrubs/massages....very needed!- the totally amazing room at the [Glen Ellen lodging] and bottle ofbubbly on arrival ...thank you. Thank you for helping to make ourhoneymoon visit to the US the trip of a lifetime."

Sausalito to Point Reyes Runner's Trek

Illinois couple, September, 2009: "We had an AWESOME time!! This is the first time my husband & I got away for more than 1 night in 10 years! We missed our 5 kids, but it was worth it! We enjoyed the most running through Muir Woods and the [inn on Mount Tamalpais]. Thanks so much!"

New York single, September, 2009: "The trek was magnificently astonishing and relaxing at intervals. The work/rest ration was perfect. Without a doubt, I most enjoyed the Mount Tamalpais/Muir Woods day. And I appreciate the special care you took to insure my comfort and lunch food, and the kindness and flexibility you showed...I do very much expect to see you all again!"

North Carolina couple, August, 2009: "We had a wonderful time! I have traveled extensively in US, Africa, South America and would consider this one of my best vacations. The routes were obviously very well thought out with enough off the beaten path but yet never felt unsafe, lost, etc. I would love to do another trek sometime. The mileage was on the low side, but with the terrain being so hilly it was perfect. All the accommodations were wonderful, comfortable, good food and great service...I have been telling all my running friends about this great service."

New York couple, August, 2009: "We had a great time in California last week on our trek! Sausalito was adorable and the [Sausalito hotel] was a fabulous way to start out the vacation. Our only regret was that we should have spent more time there...The hiking was well-marked in our guide book so we really didn't run into any problems during our hikes. Luckily we're fairly active people as some of the hills on the first day were pretty steep. Views, scenery and lunches were all good! We were pleased with all of the inns that we stayed at and the actual hikes. Mary was really wonderful to work with us! We called wanting to make some rather last minute changes...and she was able to make some fantastic appointments for us. Overall, we had a memorable vacation and are telling our friends and family how much fun we had. Thanks again!"

Sonoma Valley Wine Tasting

Canadian couple, September, 2009: "My husband and I enjoyed our trek. We loved the variety of winery visits. The step by step instructions were useful and ensured we did not make a wrong turn, although as Canadians, we would have appreciated the segments in kilometers to gauge the time it would take us to walk each segment.
The wineries: The outdoor tables at [a public winery] were a lovely place to relax and eat our picnic lunch. We learned a lot about wine and cheese pairings at [a public winery]. We were prepared a delicious and plentiful romantic lunch at [a public winery]. People passing by gave us looks of envy and asked if we were on our honeymoon. The visit to [a public winery] provided nothing special...The garden tour at [a private winery] was a different and pleasant way to enjoy some really nice wines.
The trek: The walk [in Glen Ellen] through the vineyards was the best walk segment of the trek. We felt like we were walking where no others were allowed. The walk through the old cemetery seemed ghoulish at first but was a delight. We were expecting more walks through vineyards, however we were pleasantly surprised that the roads taken were usually quiet and picturesque.
The inns: We enjoyed our stay [in Sonoma]. The fire fountain 'patio' was a great place to relax after dinner and star gaze with a glass of wine. We appreciated breakfast in the room--it's more relaxing eating breakfast in cozy bathrobes at our leisure. The [Glen Ellen lodging]--what can we say? the room was jaw-dropping beautiful!"

Midwest USA, 3 couples, October, 2008: Highlights (not necessarily in order):
- [A private winery] was a knock out--beautiful spot, interesting host, great wines
- Hikes were great--would like signs or info about plants and ecosystems
- Sonoma's square within walking distance a huge plus--very appealing and low key
- Visit with Diane was both informative and completely enjoyable. Weloved her comment that she tends to enjoy wines made by people she likes
- Picnic lunches delicious
- Liked the [private winery]--lovely host, very relaxed, lovely picnic spot
Obviously we had a grand time--hope you find these comments useful :-)"

Ontario, 2 friends, October, 2008: "Overallwe had a great time, thought that it was well organized and a greattrip. Everyone we met was very nice. What did we enjoy the most? Hard to say, so much was good. The treks through the more naturalareas were nice. Liked the private wine tastings better than thenon-private. We felt the wine tasting at [a public winery] was alittle rushed and impersonal. The lunches were all nice and it wasdelightful to have a picnic lunch on a relaxing hillside. It was agood combination of walking and wine tasting for the most part. Therestaurants were all great. No complaints there.
Minor thing--The trip seemed set up for couples, i.e. there was onlyone bed in the rooms. Not so terrible when I was traveling with mysister, but it would be nice to have the option of two beds."

Virginia couple, July, 2008: "Myhusband and I thoroughly enjoyed the trek. It was just enough hikingnot to be completely exhausted, but feel invigorated each day. Whilewe enjoyed the hiking, we loved visiting [a private winery]. Thegarden tour was fantastic and meeting [the owner] was a delight. Wealso enjoyed the tasting at [the winemaker's] house, he is a verycolorful character. We loved the [Glen Ellen lodging]. Weliked the private tour at [a public winery]...very interesting andinformative. Also the private tasting at [a public winery] waswonderful. Asyou can see there wasn't much we didn't like. At [a public winery]they weren't sure who we were and what to do with us, but at everyother place we were welcomed with open arms. Wewere slow hikers and probably should have started out earlier in themorning as we were a bit rushed by the end of the day. This wasespecially true on the last day, which was the one day we should havearrived at our lodging with enough time to enjoy the surroundings. Thanks for a great adventure. We would love to do it again."

Alberta couple, July, 2008: "Wehad a FANTASTIC time; it was a truly memorable and wonderful experience– nodoubt about it! The accommodations were luxurious, the restaurantswerelovely, and the views afforded by the trekking were stunning. While allthreedays had their highlights, our favourite day was the third, when we gottovisit the smaller family vineyards and wineries...Especially wonderfulwas being joined by [the owners] to taste their lovely wine in theirbeautiful garden. Ican’t think of anything that you can do differently. I think thatideally, theweather would have been a bit cooler, but obviously, there’s nothingyou couldhave done about that! Wehave been telling many people that THIS is the way to see Sonoma,so you may get an increase in your customers from Edmonton. THANKYOU all for everything that did to make our first anniversary trip sowonderful."

Napa Valley Wine Tasting

New York honeymooners, August, 2009: "We had a great time! We couldn't have imagined anything better. We enjoyed everywhere that we stayed. We enjoyed the walks and hikes. The food was excellent, and the wine was even better!! We didn't want it to end. We really enjoyed the variety in the wineries. We got to taste at large commercial places as well as the smaller ones. We liked the personal tours at the smaller places as we got to ask all the questions on our minds and they were more than happy to answer them. The car service was always waiting for us and the drivers were very nice. The inns were all extremely nice...both accommodations and staff. The restaurants were all really nice and the food was excellent. We had such a good time and we thank you guys for making our honeymoon truly special!!!!"

Connecticut couple, April, 2009: "A very nice vacation overall, one of the best that we have had. Wereally enjoyed having things setup for us and we did not feel pressuredto visit all the wineries. We enjoyed the variety the most, both in thewineries that were selected for us to visit and in the places westayed...Thank you again for arranging a very memorable and enjoyablevacation. And thank you for getting us reservations for The FrenchLaundry!!"

New York couple, April, 2009: "Wereally enjoyed our trek ...and want to thank you for paying such closeattention to detail--maps to and from San Francisco and Sausalito,vouchers for meals, reservations at restaurants, tastings, etc. Because we didn't have to worry about these details, we felt veryrelaxed...
...Our favorite winery by far was [a private winery]. Marla waswonderful! She taught us so much about the winemaking process. It'shad a huge effect on how I see farming in general.
...We loved the variety of places we stayed--whether with countrycharm, soothing with neutral peacefulness, or contemporary. Somethingto please everyone. All in all, it was a great trip!"

Mount Tamalpais to the Wine Country

Alabama couple, November, 2008: "We had a really greattrip--enjoyed it thoroughly. We thought everything was well plannedand executed. [We enjoyed the most] the combination of the hiking andthe gorgeous/interesting hotels/inns. We enjoyed every single hotel alot--such variety, but all great. All the hiking was great--maps anddirections were great."

Chicago, 2 friends, July, 2008: "Weloved the trip and enjoyed the hiking, I think we got to see a lot ofthings that we would not have had we not hiked it. Not having totransport our bags and finding them in our rooms after checking in wasgreat. The [Mount Tamalpais and Glen Ellen lodging] were great, foodwas really good at both. We also appreciated the effort you made tocorrect our bed situation and loved the champagne at the pool. I wouldhave liked to have done the last day of hiking winery to winery, but wewere too sore and the hotel was too nice to contemplate doing anythingelse but sit at the pool! I enjoyed all the hiking, but I think 2 daysof 9 plus miles a day was a bit much for us. ...Thanks again foreverything."