 1-800-210-3008
|
 Your shopping cart is empty |
| 1-800-210-3008
|
Your shopping cart is empty |
● Take a hot-air balloon for an unforgettable experience over Napa Valley
● Experience Napa Valley wine country and drive through Sonoma Valley
● Enjoy California coast scenic Highway 1 spectacular views and stops
● Visit Muir Woods National Monument to see the ancient forest of towering redwoods
● Check out Muir Beach Village on Highway 1 or Muir Beach Overlook
● Visit Sausalito—a charming Mediterranean-style coastal town
● Detour via Fort Baker on the way back to San Francisco (optional)
● Drive across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge plus enjoy photo stops
● Free pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in San Francisco or Sausalito
Ready for an adventure you'll never forget? A bucket-list, once-in-a-lifetime experience that's not only thrilling but also the best way to explore Napa Valley.
Join us for a hot-air balloon ride, the ultimate getaway! This custom tour includes a hot-air balloon ride over Napa Valley wine country and a visit to the iconic Muir Woods National Monument.
Note: The tour lasts eight hours door-to-door when starting in downtown San Francisco/Fisherman's Wharf area.
4:00 a.m. Pick-up Time: Your tour guide will pick you up around 4:00 a.m. or 4:30 a.m. at your downtown San Francisco hotel. Yes, it's an early start, but trust us, this sunrise hot air balloon ride over Napa Valley wine country is absolutely worth it! Weather conditions for ballooning safety are best just after sunrise when conditions are most stable. Early mornings typically provide the best chance for ideal weather conditions—a cool temperature, the rise of the morning sun, and a simply spectacular view.
For many years, we've partnered with the Napa Valley Balloon Company, founded in 1978. The company is fully accredited and FAA-certified, with experienced pilots. Their knowledge and passion for hot air ballooning ensure your safety as your balloon adventure takes you to great heights.
Unlike other balloon companies that fly in larger baskets with 24–26 people, our smaller basket accommodates only 12–16 passengers. This offers a much more intimate and personalized experience.
The hot-air balloon crew and staff will greet you in the heart of Napa Valley, within an old marketplace filled with boutiques, wine tasting rooms, restrooms, and art galleries. As you wait to ascend, complimentary hot tea, coffee, cookies, and croissants will be offered. The staff will brief you on balloon flight techniques, safety guidelines, and answer any queries.
You'll witness the inflation process of the hot air balloons before the exciting flight—an intriguing process in itself. Concerned about taking off? Statistics spanning decades show that hot air balloons are one of the safest forms of air travel, often considered safer than driving a car. You're in good hands!
Once aboard, witness an inspiring sunrise and stunning lights reflecting over Napa as the hot-air balloon rises slowly before soaring smoothly over Napa Valley wine country.
The flight duration is 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on weather conditions. Your expert pilot will share fun facts about ballooning and point out the stunning features of beautiful wineries and vineyards below. These mesmerizing bird's eye views will be a highlight of your visit to Northern California. This amazing hot-air balloon ride should be on everyone's bucket list—a truly unforgettable and once-in-a-lifetime experience.
After landing, indulge in breakfast at one of Napa Valley's celebrated restaurants or resorts before heading to Marin County to visit Muir Woods National Monument.
10:00 a.m. Muir Woods National Monument, Marin County
After just a 65-minute drive from Napa Valley, you’ll arrive at Muir Woods National Monument to marvel at the ancient, towering redwoods. Your private tour guide will accompany you into the forest, leading to Bridge 1, explaining hiking options, and sharing captivating facts about this remarkable old-growth coast redwood forest.
What to See and Do at Muir Woods National Monument? Within its 558 acres lies one of the last remaining ancient redwood forests in the San Francisco Bay Area. As you traverse Muir Woods, you'll stroll amid thousand-year-old, majestic trees in a dense, lush, and pristine old-growth redwood forest.
Hiking: Comprising 6 miles of trails, Muir Woods offers various options. There are half-hour, one-hour, and longer loops on the Muir Woods Main Trail. The longest loop, around 2 miles, passes Cathedral Grove, Bridge 4, leading uphill to the Hillside Trail, finally returning to Bridge 2. With a minor elevation gain of about 90 feet, this loop follows rugged dirt paths, offering undulating terrains. There are several other loops available—a half-mile easy loop, a one-mile loop, or a two-mile loop, which can be completed in about an hour or so, depending on your pace.
Most Recommended Loop in Muir Woods: The main and popular trail runs between Bridge 1 and Bridge 3. This loop, completed in less than an hour at a leisurely pace, is recommended. An easy, paved boardwalk connects Bridge 1 and Bridge 2, circling around the redwood creek and returning to the main entrance and parking area where you reunite with your tour guide.
What Makes the Redwoods Unique? These trees have existed for thousands of years, dating back as far as 65 million years ago—a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth! They stand as the world's tallest trees and are exclusive to northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Describing their magnificence, John Steinbeck said: “The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. They are ambassadors from another time.”
Muir Beach Overlook & California's Pacific Coast Highway: After your Muir Woods hike, journey along California State Route 1 to relish a breathtaking view of Muir Beach, the Pacific Ocean, and Marin County’s coastline. Your guide will lead you to a hanging cliff offering sweeping views of Marin County and San Francisco coastlines.
Upon stretching your legs, continue along California's Pacific Coast Highway 1 towards Muir Beach Overlook before heading back to San Francisco, optionally passing through Sausalito. Numerous opportunities for photo stops and optional short hikes await, revealing the dramatic and scenic views along the coastline. Prepare to be awestruck by the picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean’s coastline.
Upon completion of your incredible outdoor adventure, your tour leader will offer the choice to return to your San Francisco hotel or visit and explore Sausalito.
12:00 p.m. Drop-off at Your Hotel in San Francisco or Sausalito
Following a photo stop at the Golden Gate Bridge, your private tour guide will drive you back to your San Francisco hotel. Alternatively, you can request a drop-off in Sausalito, where you can spend the afternoon before returning to San Francisco at your leisure via ferry. In Sausalito, relish shopping, stroll along the scenic Bridgeway oceanfront promenade, or indulge in lunch and dinner at one of its diverse eateries!
Sausalito, cherished by locals for its unique artistic vibe, rich cultural heritage, and exceptional dining choices, offers spectacular views along the Bridgeway Promenade overlooking San Francisco Bay. Delight in a meal break at one of Sausalito’s renowned restaurants, offering a taste of California cuisine, fresh local seafood, and international dishes within a few blocks.
Top restaurant options include: Salito’s Crab House, boasting Bay views and Houseboats; Poggio or Angelino Restaurant for authentic Italian cuisine; Scoma’s of Sausalito, renowned for fresh crab and seafood; The Trident and The Spinnaker, providing breathtaking Bay views; Le Garage for French cuisine; Napa Valley Burger Company, Thai Bar Bocce, Barrel House Tavern, for more casual dining; Seahorse, offering a tranquil dining experience away from downtown; and Taste of the Himalayas, Prime Rib, Sushi Ran, among others. Your tour guide will provide additional suggestions and recommendations for restaurants and attractions in Sausalito.
Note: Transportation from Sausalito to San Francisco is not included. Ferry tickets and other transportation costs are not part of the tour price.
If Sausalito doesn’t pique your interest, opt to extend your tour hours at a discounted rate. Spend quality time at your preferred tour spot, dine in Sausalito, and then get dropped back at your San Francisco hotel.
Tip and Recommendation: The balloon ride tour is weather-dependent. We strongly suggest booking at least two different tours through our secure website. This allows us to accommodate you by swapping one tour with another in case the balloon ride is cancelled due to inclement weather. Booking separate excursions increases your chances of enjoying the hot air balloon experience without cancellation due to adverse weather conditions.
Please review these terms carefully to prevent any misunderstandings.
Note: Remember to complete and submit the hot-air balloon waiver form to your driver.
This is an 8-hour guided tour (door-to-door from San Francisco) or 6 hours from Napa or Sonoma Valley. Note: Muir Woods won't be included if your tour starts and ends in Napa or Sonoma Valley.
Your hot-air balloon ride is weather-dependent and usually occurs before sunrise in California wine country, including Napa Valley. Some rides may launch from alternate sites for safety reasons: Lake County, Yolo County, or Pope Valley near Napa Valley.
For safety, the balloon crew assesses weather conditions around 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. If conditions aren't safe, we reserve the right to cancel the ride anytime. Wine country weather is unpredictable, making advance predictions challenging.
Typically, due to weather, there's a 75% chance of ride cancellation. Our office will contact you by 4:00 p.m. the day before your adventure to update you on the forecast and potential cancellation.
If the balloon ride is likely to be canceled the day before, your guide will pick you up at 9:00 a.m., proceeding with the Wine/Muir Woods tour as scheduled, returning to San Francisco at 5:00 p.m. If in Sonoma or Napa, pick-up is at 10:00 a.m., returning by 4:00 p.m.
Notes: Muir Woods side trip is optional and subject to availability. It's not included in the package if your tour starts and ends in Sausalito or San Francisco, excluding wine country.
Furthermore, the Wine and Muir Woods tour segment in this package is non-refundable if the hot air balloon ride is canceled. If the balloon is canceled the day before, the tour runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If canceled on the same day, the tour ends around 1 p.m.
If you opt to proceed despite the risk of balloon cancellation, your guide will pick you up at the scheduled time (4:00 a.m. in San Francisco) as this day is reserved specifically for you.
This refund applies only to the balloon ride portion of the tour:
○ If you cancel your hot-air balloon ride 7 business days prior to the trip, you’ll receive a $190 refund each, which will be credited back to your credit card in 8 business days. This policy only applies to the hot-air balloon portion of the tour.
○ The $190 refund is also applicable and refundable if the balloon ride is cancelled by the pilot or the balloon company prior to the balloon ride.
○ However, if the balloon ride is not cancelled by us or the balloon company, and you don’t wake up or show up on the date of the balloon tour, you will not qualify for this $190 and any other refunds.
○ 91% of the total amount will be refunded to your credit card if you cancel your trip at least 16 business days (weekends and holidays are excluded from this number) prior to the scheduled tour date. The remaining 9% covers the required transaction fees (4.5% for the booking transaction and another 4.5% for the refund transaction). Our cancellation policy is far more generous than that of most other tour companies. (weekends and holidays not included).
○ 50% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled at least 8 business days prior to the scheduled tour date (weekends and holidays not included).
○ 15% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled at least 6 business days prior to the scheduled tour date (weekends and holidays not included).
○ No refund will be offered if the tour is canceled within 5 business days of the scheduled tour (weekends and holidays not included). This includes no-shows.
If we are unable to reach you before 4.00 p.m. the day prior to your balloon tour because you don’t respond to your email or cell phone you provided when you booked this tour, or because you decide not to return our calls, your driver will still show up to pick you up for the tour at 4:00 or 4:30 a.m. as scheduled. If you don’t show up, this will be deemed a no-show and therefore, the entire cost will be non-refundable as per our refund terms and cancellation policy.
We are extremely transparent about these terms and policies. Unforeseen weather conditions are, unfortunately, beyond our control. We do not profit from the hot-air balloon adventure itself—our goal is to stand out from the crowd as part of our philosophy to offer our valuable clients unique experiences. However, we have to cover the required extra fees to pay the pilot, our amazing team, tour guide, and staff who wake up early to follow up with your hot-air balloon crew, even if the balloon ride is cancelled.
In addition, the tour guides who commit to this very early departure have to wake around 2:30 a.m. and remain on duty until the pilot calls them to confirm or cancel the balloon ride. Please do not be disappointed if we are required to cancel the balloon ride at the last minute: your safety is our main concern. Our drivers are humans and go to bed incredibly early to be able to show up at your hotel at 4.00 a.m. Please do not make any last-minute changes after 4:00 p.m. the day before your departure/tour. We will not even get your message until the next day after 9.00 a.m. Monday to Friday!
A private 8-hour tour with door-to-door service when both starting and ending in San Francisco, a semi-private hot-air balloon ride (each basket accommodates up to 16 persons and may be shared), a guided tour covering Napa Valley and Muir Woods National Monument, all relevant taxes, Muir Woods online reservation, parking permits, and associated fees.
Gratuity for your tour guide, meals, Muir Woods entrance tickets, wine tasting fees, and overtime charges.
This custom tour is conducted by luxury SUV with a professional tour guide
The trip is totally private and the price is per person.
| Tour by Luxury SUV | 1 person | 2 persons | 3 persons | 4 persons | 5 persons | 6 persons | 7 persons |
 |
$1,419 | $969 | $779 | $729 | $629 | $589 | $549 |
This tour is totally private and conducted luxury van (deluxe minibus).
The price is per party (per group) and not per person (this is not a public tour you can join)
| 1 to 5 persons | 6 to 7 persons | 8 to 10 persons | 11 to 12 persons | 13 to 14 persons | By VAN (minibus) |
| $3,359 | $3,889 | $4,759 | $5,519 | $5,999 |  |
Included: Pick-up and drop off in San Francisco downtown or Fisherman’s Wharf, or in Sausalito. All applicable taxes, a private 8-hour guided tour with a professional tour guide when leaving from San Francisco(6 hour guided tour when leaving from Napa or Sonoma Valley.
Not included: The price does not include meals, Muir Woods Redwood park entrance fees, driver’s gratuity, overtime, wine tasting fees and optional activities or features. (it’s customary to trip the tour guide 15% in the US)
1-800-210-3008
© Since 2004 DBA Muir Woods Tours & Adventures, 101 California Street Suite 2710, San Francisco, CA 94111 © Copyright-All Rights Reserved
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15