Beer & Wine: Tours Galore
Beer & Wine: Tours Galore
A THRIVING BEER CULTURE and dozens of wineries are reason enough for many folks to explore San Diego. Whether by foot, train, limo or jeep, get to know San Diego’s beer and wine scenes with these one-of-a-kind tours:
Movie Expert Expedition
Grab a wingman for Scavengers Beer and Adventure Tours’ Top Gun Tour. Get picked up in Carlsbad and visit three to four craft breweries (Ballast Point Brewery, Green Flash, Alesmith and Hess Brewing) near Miramar, where the Top Gun movie was set — in a Swiss Military Vehicle, no less. (Sunday, 10:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m., $109 per person)
Walk the Distance
Skip the hassle of shuttling from place to place with San Diego Beer Tours’ Walking Downtown Brewery Tour. Get a taste of some local brews and see the city lights, with stops at Karl Strauss, Rock Bottom Brewery, the Yard House and the Beer Co. (Friday and Saturday, 6-10 p.m., $40 per person)
Connoisseur Caravan
Consider yourself a hops hot shot? Brew Hop’s The Beer Connoisseur Tour travels to and from your designated location to three or four different breweries of your choice, including the famous Stone Brewing Co. Make your last stop a brew pub, and keep the fun going long after the tour ends. (5 hours, prices start at $119)
Guzzle and Gobble
What’s beer without a few bites to eat? On La Jolla Wine Tours’ Beer and Food Tour sample everything from ambers to stouts at local stops like La Jolla Brew House with sides of mac and cheese, burgers and pizza. With fun games and prizes included in the cost, this tour is pretty party-perfect. (3 hours, $68 per person)
Vino Voyage
Travel to the Temcula Wine Country in style with San Diego Wine Tour’s customizable tours. San Diego area pick-up and drop-off is offered for groups of 15 to 56 people, so the only decisions you’ll need to make are which of the 20-some available wineries you’d like to visit. (6 hours, prices start at $125 per hour)
Sip and Stroll
Lace up your walking shoes for a leisurely tour in the Gaslamp Quarter. Sip on a handful of different vinos as you learn about the wine culture and history of San Diego. Visit wine bars like Bon Vin, Bacchus and Vin de Syrah. (Sunday, 3-6 p.m., $69 per person)
All Aboard
Take a train ride along the coast as you explore some of San Diego’s best boutique wineries. The guided tour, which begins in Carlsbad, boasts great views and 18 samples of local wines from wineries like Carlsbad’s Witch Creek Winery. An inside look at the winemaking process makes this tour an eco-friendly wine-lover’s dream. (Monday-Saturday, 1:40-7 p.m., $88 per person)
Jeep Jaunt
Wine, cheese and chocolate beside the water — what more could you ask for? Seabird’s jeep tours, offered for both public and private groups, include three stops, a full lunch and free pick-up or drop-off in Carlsbad, Encinitas and Del Mar areas. Choose from a coastal view or a vineyard view for this unique guided tour. (Wednesday-Saturday, 10:15 a.m.–3 p.m., prices start at $109 per person).
San Diego Life: By Sarah Weinberg
