While we were in the area, I decided to take a trip to Napa Valley, California. I knew my son, Alex, was far too young for wine tasting but I thought he would love the surroundings and be interested in how wine was made. This seemed like a destination we shouldn’t pass up. Alex and I really like nature so I arranged for us to take a Napa Valley Bike Tour.

I signed on to a site that provided you with a map of the area, a list of great hotels and restaurants, the various wineries to visit and a bike that accommodated Alex in an attached bike behind mine. There was one other family taking basically the same trip we were and we decided to bike together. They had some older sons that Alex would enjoy playing with on rest breaks or when the adults did taste-testing at the various wineries.

We biked through some beautiful areas, with vista views that were very lovely. There was little car traffic so we felt safe on our cycling tour. The first stop was to a bed and breakfast where we found a reservation for the following night for Alex and me. They were able to further give us an idea of which wineries were the best places to visit.

The first winery we visited was a small family-run operation. The grapes were ripe for the picking and they let the kids each pick a bunch for a snack. They were very busy but offered us the opportunity to taste several of their most popular wines. There was a red wine that I liked very much. I purchased a case and had it shipped home so it would be available for me when I got home.

The biking was exhilarating but a bit hilly in spots. I was glad to be an excellent cyclist and Alex basically pedaled when he felt like it. We visited three wineries in all that day and stopped at a restaurant that featured paired wines with every meal. We got to know the other family very well and ate some great food and wine. The restaurant was rustic and had a wide variety of foods to choose from—even kid’s meals for the children.

Then we took a shortcut back to the cycling place where our tour had been set up. By that time, I was definitely ready to quit biking and pack it in for the night at the Bed and Breakfast we had signed up for. I would definitely recommend a cycling tour of Napa Valley if you are a strong cyclist. Nothing beats the fresh California air and an up-close visit to the various wineries and restaurants.