bus tours

`Tis the season for giving. While we think that nothing is better than the gift of a winery train tour, chauffeured tour, or a beer tasting tour through beautiful San Diego, we also like to give back. In fact, it's one of the things we're most proud of! Did you know that a portion of all of our money made goes to San Diego's underprivileged children and teens, and another portion goes to people struggling with health or financial challenges? So every time you buy a tour, you're not just having a great time, you're also helping out people who need it.   If you prefer to donate directly, here are some of our favorite charities:   Summit4StemCell, tour guide Marti's organization of choice, is part of the Parkinson's Association of San Diego and supports non-embryonic stem cell research in…

San Diego Beer and Wine Tours invites you to join us November 14-18, 2012, for the week-long wine and culinary celebration: San Diego Wine and Food on the Bay's 9th Annual Classic! It's San Diego's premiere event for foodies and oenophiles, and that means we'll be there. Join San Diego Beer and Wine Tours for a great time with star sommeliers, wine makers, beer mavens, and some of the biggest names in the culinary arts. Be sure to stop by and sample the superb local wines by winemaker Tony Tiso of La Serenissima Vineyards, Warner Springs, San Diego (love your wines Tony!) and Bernard Guillas Executive Chef of La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club (mmm…Bernard you keep us coming back for more).   There will also be a taste-off for the "Chef-of-the-Fest" competition and some of San Diego's famous food trucks.  It'll be five days of…

We're now less than a week away from one of the most hotly-anticipated events of the beer world.  San Diego Beer Week is a way for San Diegans to celebrate the amazing beer culture surrounding us, and for people all over the world who are visiting spectacular San Diego.  Celebrate BEER WEEK with us at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours with the Ultimate Beer & Food Walking Tour. Beer Week starts November 2nd, and runs through the 11th. Yeah, we know, that's nearly a week and a half, but who's counting?  Its official kickoff event is the San Diego Brewer's Guild Festival on Saturday, November 3rd, when Mayor Jerry Sanders will help tap the first keg.  The rest of the long week is studded with all kinds of beer-related events, pairing classes, brewery showcases, and Q&A with some of the…

Let’s talk about the top best things to do in San Diego. Utter the words San Diego to a person from out of the area and immediately images of palm trees, beaches and pristine weather fill the imagination. To so many, San Diego means visiting some of the most beautiful beaches in California, but this city has so much more to offer for a holiday getaway or staycation. Great activities abound. You’ve heard of a beach vacation yes, but how about a “beer vacation”? To describe San Diego as a Mecca for craft and micro brews is an understatement. A more accurate description would be: The Land of Fantastic Beer. San Diego’s beer history dates back to 1989, when Karl Strauss opened the area’s first brewpub in over 50 years, and it was only a matter of time until other…

It's September, the time the weather changes and the leaves start to turn (okay, maybe not so much around southern California, but we're practicing poetic license here) and stores sell out of backpacks and notepads. San Diego Beer and Wine Tours are champions of education and learning.  While we celebrate going back to school, whether you're heading off to college or graduate school or sending your kids to kindergarten, we don't think that education needs to stop when you leave the classroom.  We also think that learning should be fun.  In that spirit, we're offering $5 off our San Diego Wine Country Tour or our Beer and Food Walking Tour.  Not only will you be learning the history of San Diego's craft beer and wine, we'll also throw in some brewery and vintner science and before you know it, you'll…

We’ve already covered how to dip your toe in the unfamiliar waters of wine if you’re a beer lover. Now if you’re a wine-drinker trying to unravel the mysteries of beer, we can help you! We have consulted the greatest craft beer experts of our time, who by a lucky coincidence work here, at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours, for ways to navigate the seas of San Diego’s craft beer scene with ease. If you love deep, plummy reds like pinots, we think a darker beer with coffee notes will be right up your alley, like Alesmith’s Nautical Nut Brown Ale. (We love this beer!) A stout or a porter, like Rogue’s Chocolate Stout, will also make your palate sing. If you like your wines (reds or whites) really dry, you’ll probably love bitter ales like IPAs. One of…

  Let’s say you’re a beer lover trying to figure out what all the fuss is about wine. We recommend going by the beers you love, of course. The good news is, if you're a microbrew fan you're already well on the way to learning to appreciate the nearly-infinite varieties of wines!   If you love ales or lagers: Try dry white wines such as Napa Valley or Sonoma chardonnays, such as the Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay. The dryness and mouthfeel of the wine will provide a tasty and familiar way to quench your thirst on hot days. If you love bitters or IPAs, you're already learned to that astringency is your friend, so sip on a verdicchio.  Tannins should also be a treat for you, so try a bordeaux on for size. If you love stouts: You want more…

What do freaks, geeks, zombies, vampires, and scantily clad superheroes all have in common? They're all very thirsty people. We know this well. If you're one of them, you know it, too. On July 12th through the 15th, 2012, these strange and startling characters will be descending on San Diego for ComiCon. ComiCon is an annual convention that was originally for comic book collectors and fans. (Hence the name.) Since the 1990s, however, it has swelled into a four-day extravaganza that fills San Diego with superfans dressed as their favorite characters, zombie flash mobs, Hollywood producers looking for ideas and actors looking for parties, and a few dazed-looking tourists. You may want to don your bat wings and get away from the spectacle for a while and enjoy different fruits of San Diego – like the best of our food and…

Congratulations, Grads! You've pulled your last all-nighter and aced your last final. You're getting ready to don your cap and gown and go for a night out on the town to celebrate your achievement. But is something missing? Something indefinable? Could it be… you miss learning? Exactly. You're a graduate now, and educated people don't go around mindlessly drinking. Oh, no. They learn about what they're imbibing, and study their drinks thoughtfully. Lucky for you, Graduate, La Jolla Wine Tours and San Diego Beer and Wine Tours are here to help. We'll help you be a lifelong learner by teaching you best way to pair wines, beers, and food, and give you some history lessons besides. Come have some fun with us! You've earned it – and we promise there won't be a test later.  In vino doctrina! Brooke B., Professor

One of our favorite days of the year is here – it's National Wine Day in the United States, and we'll definitely be celebrating! How are you going to celebrate? If you need ideas, we've got plenty. You could learn about local wineries on one of our walking tours, you could sit back and enjoy a coastal train tour, or a take a guided tour with us through San Diego's Wine Country.  Don't know your blends from your varietals? If you want to more fully appreciate National Wine Day, why not throw yourself a tasting party? We'll lend our expertise and put together a great dinner to go with your drinks so you can pair like a champion.  Happy Wine Day, with love from everyone at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours! Brooke B., Wine Lover