Tour FAQ

Booking a wine tour

It depends! Our wine tour schedule varies due to staffing, wineries' operating hours, weather conditions, etc. Our online calendar is the best place to see our current availability.

You may also contact us to inquire about particular dates.

We believe our guests should be allowed to decide what and how much to drink at each winery. That’s why we don’t include wine tasting fees in our price. Whether you want to experience a standard tasting, share a larger flight with others, enjoy a single glass of wine, or even try the beer and hard cider that some wineries offer–the choice is yours!

Also, some wineries discount or waive their tasting fees when you purchase a bottle of wine. If we included tasting fees in our price, you wouldn't be able to take advantage of those savings.

Maybe! Please contact us before booking, to see if we can accommodate you.

In general our guest pick-up area is limited to Alanson, Bay Harbor, Bay View, Boyne City, Boyne Falls, Harbor Springs, Petoskey and Walloon Lake.
Yes, if they are adults! Vine Ride is open to any person age 21 and over. Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate infants, children or anyone under the age of 21.
Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties are home to many fantastic wineries, but Vine Ride is dedicated to the fantastic ones right here in our own Petoskey backyard.
At this time we don't offer beer tours. However, some of the wineries we visit also brew their own beer, spirits and hard cider in addition to making wine. So even though we specialize in wine tours, many of our guests enjoy wine, beer and spirits during their experience.
Many aspects of our wine tours are coordinated in advance. However, we understand plans may change. Guests who contact us to cancel 10 days or more before their tour date will receive a full refund.

Guests who contact us with less than 10 days notice will not receive a refund--but they may reschedule their tour to another date, subject to availability.

“Rain or shine we wine!” If the wineries are open, then Vine Ride is too. Believe us, wine tastes just as good indoors as it does outdoors.

 

During the wine tour

At your front door! We pick up guests based in Alanson, Bay Harbor, Bay View, Boyne City, Boyne Falls, Harbor Springs, Petoskey and Walloon Lake–be it at a hotel, private residence, campground or other lodging.

If you’re located outside of this service area, please contact us before booking to see if we can accommodate you.

Vine Ride will pick you up approximately 10 to 40 minutes before the tour's start time. Your pick-up time depends on your location, tour group size, road traffic, etc. We'll call before coming to pick you up, to ensure you have plenty of advance notice.
Vine Ride can accommodate up to 7 people.
It depends on the season! In the spring we offer 4-hour tours that visit 4 wineries. In the summer and fall we offer 3-hour tours that visit 3 wineries. Please check our online calendar to see current offerings.

Most of the wineries we visit are located within a 15-minute drive from downtown Petoskey.

Sure! You may pick which wineries you want to visit–subject to their policies and operating hours–or you can leave the planning to Vine Ride. Please note: the itinerary must be finalized at least 48 hours in advance of the tour.
Plan on spending about 45 minutes at each winery. It depends on the size of our tour group, the overall crowd at the winery, and what activities are happening there that day.
Most wineries offer outdoor seating and an opportunity to stroll their grounds when the weather is decent. We recommend comfy walking shoes and dressing in layers based on the day’s weather forecast.

Bring a photo ID and cash or credit to cover wine tasting fees and anything else you wish to purchase. Tasting fees are typically $10 to $15 per person, per winery.

We don’t provide a meal, but we do offer complimentary snacks and bottled water. For heavier fare we suggest you purchase small plates from the wineries, or you may bring your own food to enjoy inside the tour vehicle.
No, sorry! Vine Ride does not permit guests to drink alcohol, smoke or vape inside our tour vehicle.
Tipping is optional, but appreciated. We aim to provide fantastic service regardless! A suggested tip would be $10 per guest.

If you have additional questions, please contact us.