2. San Francisco: Redwood & Wine Country Tour with Lunch & Wine
On this full-day tour you will spend 1-hour walking in the shadows of the world's tallest trees before learning about the history, craft, and science of winemaking in California’s lovely wine country. Begin your tour with a visit to Muir Woods National Monument (or an alternative park) ahead of the crowds. Stroll along pristine nature trails and look out for native coastal ferns, clover, squirrels, foxes, and even deer. Explore the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Winemaking began here in California's wine country more than 100 years ago. Visit a vineyard, included as part of the day’s excursion, and enjoy a guided tour through a boutique winery, dependent on availability. Afterward, visit Napa Valley for even more tastings. The 3 wineries you will visit on this trip represent a variety of grapes, specialties, winemaking styles, and size of operation, giving you a well-rounded wine country experience and lots of new favorite wines to add to your shopping list. Your lunch will be a gourmet sit-down meal. Sit together with your group for a table-side presentation of local wines paired with each expertly prepared course of Californian cuisine. Make one final stop on the way back to San Francisco from the wine country at a scenic look-out point with sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz, and the Bay Bridge where you can get great photos. Please specify your choice of one item per course during the booking process, or the local partner reserves the right to choose on your behalf. All courses are paired with wine. First Course - paired with Sparkling Wine, 3 oz. • Petite cheese plate with Vella’s Mezzo Secco, double cream French brie, gruyere, and fresh fruit Second Course - paired with Sauvignon Blanc, 3 oz. (choose one) • White bean and vegetable soup topped with almond-arugula pesto • Classic caesar salad romaine hearts with the bistro’s home-made caesar dressing Main Course - paired with Pinot Noir, 3 oz (choose one) • Rigatoni bolognese braised ground beef and pork in a house-made marinara sauce • Fusilli pasta* tossed almond-arugula pesto and parmesan cheese • Chicken piccata with mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach, and caper butter sauce • Grilled vegetable sandwich with fresh mozzarella and pesto spread on focaccia with a side of baby mixed greens tossed with citrus vinaigrette