Bayside Limousines can help you make your next Vineyard or Winery tour a complete success. Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Western Maryland Wineries and Vineyards are normally clustered together by region, making a multi-location wine tasting excursion a breeze.
We will help you choose from many great wineries for your ultimate wine trip, but we recommend 3 as the optimal number. This will allow your party to relax and fully experience each wineries' ambiance, favorite wines, outdoor activities, and history. Autumn foliage provides brilliant scenery to make your event even more relaxing and inspiring in the fall.
Follow these steps when you need to know how to plan a tour in your wine region:
- Reserve a limousine, shuttle bus, or any car from our fleet based on your number of passengers. It is the safest way to travel and makes it a day to remember.
- Plan to visit wineries early. For a perfect wine tour, make sure to arrive at your first vineyard by 10:00 am. Coordinate pickup and drop-off times during your wine tour accordingly.
- Decide on the wine regions you want to visit, and choose your vineyards in the particular wine sub-region. Keep in mind that too many wine stops can make you feel rushed. For example, if you plan a Southern Maryland wine tasting trip, we recommend you choose from the following vineyards in this region:
- Cove Point Winery/Cove Point Vineyard
- Fridays Creek Winery
- Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery
- Port of Leonardtown Winery
- Running Hare Vineyard
- Solomon's Island Winery
- Thanksgiving Farm
The most important thing is to never drink on an empty stomach. Be sure to plan meals and snacks during your wine trip carefully, including water. Not all wineries have food available, so you may need to visit a local restaurant for lunch.
Best Tips For Planning The Perfect Wine Tour
Organizing the perfect wine tasting trip can be difficult if you have no idea where to start. Of course, one of the most important aspects is reserving a limousine or shuttle bus for you and your friends. That way, no one has to be the designated driver, and you can drink a bottle of your favorite wine without any worries as you will be in the capable hands of our drivers.
However, planning a wine tasting tour involves various other factors that you need to consider. Here are a few tips you should follow when organizing a wine tasting tour for your friends:
Determine How Many Wineries You Want to Visit
How many wineries and wine regions your tour will include depends on your personal preferences. Some people only want to taste at one winery (but when you visit just one during the entire trip, you can’t really call it a “tour”), while others prefer visiting as many as possible.
As we already mentioned, we feel that the optimal number of stops on your wine tasting trip should be 3. That way, you will have plenty of time to enjoy each winery and savor your favorite wines while relaxing and getting the true wine tasting experience. When you try to cram 5 or 6 wine tastings in one day, you will spend more time traveling than actually enjoying the vineyard.
Don't forget to check out different winery websites, so you know which ones you want to visit and which ones have food. Take a look at your travel time, and all the activities and wines each vineyard offers. Also, make sure you include some extra time for shopping in winery gift shops after leaving the wine tasting room.
Visit Early in the Day
The best idea for satisfactory wine tasting experiences is to arrive at a vineyard by 10:00 am, with glass in hand.
Having an early start is always a good decision, especially during the tourist season. That way, you won’t have to worry about drinking in a packed tasting room. Most people prefer a calm and relaxing atmosphere while drinking their favorite glass of wine, and crowds in tasting rooms can negatively impact this experience.
Another benefit of early arrival is having the attention of the wine expert. Any winemaker is happy and proud to discuss their wines and always looks forward to talking about the wines with curious visitors.
If your group arrives early, you can learn a lot from the winemaker about wine production, the techniques used to make a wine's specific taste, the history of the vineyard, what makes the wines special, the grape variety used, the local culture, and other valuable information.
On the other hand, if you arrive at the winery in the afternoon, the tasting room staff won’t have enough time to talk with you about wines in detail. Of course, our limo and shuttle bus drivers are at your disposal no matter the time of the day you end up choosing, but for the ultimate experience, visit early.
Choose the Right Time of the Year for Your Wine Tasting Trip
Keep in mind that the best time of the year for wine tasting tours is during the summer and fall. Of course, these are the busiest months in most wineries, but for a good reason - they are simply the best for a wine tour.
However, the time of the year also depends on your personal preferences. Some people prefer winery touring during the colder months, while others could never imagine planning a trip to a winery in the winter.
Make Sure to Book Your Visit in Advance
When planning to visit a winery, don’t forget that wineries usually have limited availability. Most of them are family-owned and run, so they often need to arrange the wine tours depending on who is available to guide the tours and wine tastings. Waiting until the last moment or arriving at a vineyard without any notice may lead to disappointment.
If you want to have a great time without worrying about potential complications, make sure to plan ahead and book your visit at least one or two weeks in advance to be sure the winery has a guided tour available. This is especially important during the peak season.
Don’t Forget to Bring an Empty Box
If you are new to the wine-tasting world, the chances are that bringing an empty box with you hasn’t even crossed your mind. When visiting different wineries to taste unique wines, you will probably want to take a bottle or two home with you to drink.
If this is the case, you will want to avoid these wine bottles rolling around the vehicle. Bring a cardboard box and toss it in the limousine or a shuttle bus. It will keep the wine bottles safe and secure until you return home.
Make Smart Clothing Choices
Finally, another wine touring tip we want to share with you is to choose what you will wear carefully. Going wine tasting with your friends is exciting, and of course, you will care about how you look - after all, you’ll take a bunch of pictures that you’ll surely post on Instagram. So, looking good will probably be your top priority.
However, we advise you to make some smart choices, such as wearing comfortable shoes as opposed to high heels, and not dressing too fancy. Wearing your best whites is also not the best idea you can have, especially when tasting a glass of red wine. You can be sure red wine will leave stains you may have trouble removing.
Another general rule is to bring a sweater even on a hot summer day, as wine cellars can get very cold, and you will want to stay warm and comfortable. Also, check if the wineries have a dress code you need to follow during the wine tastings.
A wine trip can be a great team bonding experience, a family fun day, a friends' day out, or a girls' trip. Whether you choose to visit on a Sunday to avoid the crowds or create a private weekday gathering, the most important aspect is the plan, and a personal driver from Bayside Limo to make it happen. Cheers!