NAPA, Calif. — You know it’s fun to take in the wine country sights. But have you thought about trying the heights?
Whether you’re zooming down a zip line or floating through the air in a hot air balloon, there are a few ways to experience wine country.
Here are five options.
• UP, UP IN THE AIR: Multicolored hot air balloons dotting a blue sky are a signature of wine country and you can be part of the picture-postcard scene. Several companies offer balloon flights, including Napa Valley Aloft. Be aware this is a bird’s-eye view for early birds. Flights launch just after dawn when winds are calmest and temperatures lowest. Prices start at $220 for a ride in a gondola that holds 14 people followed by an optional $20 Champagne breakfast. Booking in advance recommended.
• ZIP-N-SIP: In Paso Robles, the grape-growing area along California’s Central Coast that was featured in the 2004 movie, “Sideways,” Margarita Adventures has zip lines that will have you whizzing over forests, canyons and vineyards. Their latest addition is a 2,800-foot tandem zip line, the Double Barrel, that lets you travel alongside a friend. Set on the Santa Margarita Ranch just outside of Santa Margarita, there are six zip lines in all. The tour concludes with tastings at neighboring Ancient Peaks Winery. Tickets are $109 on weekdays, $119 on weekends and holidays, $89 for youth under 18 at all times. Details at www.margarita-adventures.com.
• GLIDE IN A GONDOLA: For a brief time aloft, ride the aerial tram at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga. You get a smooth ride up a tree-studded hill and are greeted at the top with a glass of wine as you begin a self-guided tour of galleries and overlooks. Finish with a wine and food pairing on the South Terrace which has sweeping views of the Napa Valley. Open from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Admission starts at $29 and tickets can be booked through www.sterlingvineyards.com.
• HOP ON A CHOPPER: Several companies offer helicopter rides over wine country including Golden Gate Helicopters, taking off from Silicon Valley and the east San Francisco Bay area, and Wine Country Helicopters. For a different type of wine flight, Vin de Luxe in Sonoma County offers rides on a 1926 Travelair biplane in concert with Coastal Air Tours. Prices vary by season, but a Vin de Luxe “Over the Moon” tour including transportation, lunch, biplane ride to a winery for tasting and driver/guide is about $900 per couple, www.vindeluxetours.com.
• STORM THE RAMPARTS: Want to be above it all without taking to the air? Try climbing the ramparts of the Castello di Amorosa, a medieval-style Tuscan castle nestled in the hills just below Calistoga. The castle was built with 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled stone. It is probably the only winery that comes with a torture chamber. Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. March – October, closing at 5 p.m. November – February. Admission starts at $25 and includes a complimentary tasting; and reservations are recommended.
