The Lonely Planet can only take you so far... If you want to Explore California in a fun and relaxed atmosphere then give this tour company a whirl. Not your standard tour guides, no stodgy monotone voices but experienced trip leaders that will take you down the California Coastline. The leaders are well traveled and know all the local's spots and where to go for a delicious meal. read more

Explore California - Tours Near Me

We did a day of wine tasting in Sonoma for a friend's birthday and Explore California did the designated driving for us... I was so impressed with how much Kelly (driver and guide) knew about the wineries in Sonoma. She arranged for a private tour of the barrel rooms at one winery, and at another winery she arranged for a "small" casual lunch, but we were met with an amazing intimate meal of ribs, bbq and wine with one of the wine-makers himself! This was a special occasion but it was amazing how Kelly was able to arrange for these things on a spur of the moment. If anyone ever wants to explore california, call these guys, they know what they are doing! Thanks again for a wonderful day! read more

Bryan wore many hats on our 3-day Yosemite Retreat for Basic Training. Driver, chef, menu planner, black bear chaser. He kept us well fed, out of trouble, and on schedule. He even chauffeured folks back home in SF-- door to door service! Bryan and Kelly are seasoned travel guides who handle every detail so you get to enjoy your leisure time to the fullest. I look forward to our future Mendocino Brewery Tour, Inn-to-Inn running trips, and, hopefully... a Chile/Patagonia/Mendoza glacier-hiking and wine-tasting adventure...Thank you Bryan! read more

I was on the Yosemite trip with the former two lovely reviewers. I concur on all fronts! Bryan explained to us that Jenn (Basic Training SF) had tailored the itinerary and menu to our group's tastes. The price was beyond reasonable for a group of 20 of us, food (including vegan and veggie options), transportation, and equipment provided for us. Their trips are what you want them to be, which is pretty rare. If you want to camp, they provide tents. If you want to stay in castles, they'll make sure they're not drafty or full of bats. If you want a driver, they'll cart you around to wineries or breweries or down the PCH. If you want to hike 15 miles to the top of Clouds' Rest, they'll won't haul you up the mountain, but they'll drop you off at the trailhead. ;) I'm happy to say Bryan is awesome and a total joy to have on your adventure! read more

I have a hard time giving 5 star ratings but my experience with Explore California was nothing less than wonderful! I'm a pretty novice camper but we were so well taken care of in the food and preparation department, I was able to relax and truly enjoy myself. Our guide Bryan was well versed in the camping department and the area. He put our minds at ease so we could take it all in and was able to answer our of questions while just being a fun guy to hang out with. I think its safe to say the whole group (many of us strangers) had a stellar time. I pumped to book another trip with the crew. read more

In July, my friend A. Paul from Lithuania and I took the Coastal California tour with Explore California. It was completely flawless. Picked up in San Francisco in the morning and driven via Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz to Monterey. Found very quickly that Brian was not your standard guide. Very friendly, very personable. Being a music aficionado, I was happy to find that he was open to providing a "personalized soundtrack" for the tour experience. We had plenty of time on the first afternoon to explore the aquarium and Cannery Row. Tour members are on their own for dinners, which are not included in the tour price. The hotel accommodations in Monterey and for the second night in Cambria, near Hearst Castle, were both very nice. No complaints there. The second travel day wends its way through Big Sur via the Nepenthe Cafe. Beautiful. Brian provided plenty of stops for photo ops and just to take in the beautiful scenery. He also had plenty of tidbits of information on local color, flora, etc. Finished up the day's travel at Hearst Castle. Because of traffic and our frequent stops, we missed the tour we were scheduled for, but Brian persevered and got us in the last tour of the day which was great. The third day goes from Cambria to Santa Barbara via the Danish town of Solvang for lunch. Very nice. Not as spectacular scenery-wise, but very California. We had time for a bit of browsing and a beer in Santa Barbara before Brian dropped us at the train station for the last leg, the evening train to Los Angeles. The fact that he can arrange that whole train to take you on the last leg is amazing, but demonstrates the lengths that Explore California will go to make your tour a one of a kind experience. Thank you Brian and Kelly for a trip we won't forget. Cheers! read more

Just returned from a 3-day Yosemite camping/hiking trip with Explore California. While the fun of camping and hiking is primarily based on who you're with (we were a very fun group of 20) and the location (who can beat Yosemite?) -- what made this trip an absolute standout was Bryan and Explore California. They made absolutely sure we were well taken care of with a safe/comfortable ride from San Francisco, breakfast/lunch/dinner set up and tear down and ridic food (fig and goat cheese sandwiches, Italian sausage, dark chocolate s'mores, french press coffee!!!!) Only because we asked if we could help did we ever lift a finger. Bryan was also a joy to be around...professional to the core but also fit right into our group hanging around our campfire like a champ (ask him about his travels...he's got International expertise.) Thanks Bryan and Explore California for a weekend I will not soon forget. I don't need to wish you luck with your new company...you're already a success to us. Thanks! Shelley read more

Bryan was the guide for my bachelorette/bridal wine trip to Sonoma, and the whole experience was awesome. The van was very nice and huge, clean, great "fun" atmosphere. There were 9 of us, and it was a great trip for a reasonable price. I had gone back and forth about using this guided service vs. a limo vs. guided tour bus, and this deal is much better since you have the whole day, and you can go to as many wineries as you want, we actually went to 6!! And we were gone from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Very enjoyable experience, I would recommend for big groups wine tasting, they are so flexible. You get to pick your itinerary, or Bryan also knows the area well and has recommended itineraries for those not so brave to pick on your own. He also lets you listen to whatever you want in the van and that was cool... read more

Bryan was friendly, and he readily shared his knowledge of the California coast.

Explore California Travel's Kelly English handled it all on our 3-day tour from SF to LA! Vacations involve so many decisions ... where to stay, where to eat, where to get a good cup of coffee; Kelly handled it all! Vacations involve so many choices ... which road to take, how to get museum tickets, when to check into the hotel; Kelly took care of it all! Vacations produce so many questions ... what is that on our right, what is the history of this town; Kelly had all the answers. We had a very relaxing, informative, and fun tour. read more

Just came back from a three day camping trip to Big Sur with Explore California. What a great adventure! The food provided was fresh and delicious and the make your own lunch table was chock full of snacks and different items that turned our normally ho-hum brown bag lunch into a customized gourmet delight! The hike that Brian recommended was out of this world, and Tanner made the best dinner ever. I was hovering over the bbq, when Tanner quietly whispered, I'll slip you a snack, no one will ever know. Is that perfection or what? If you want a customized adventure that is detail oriented, timely, and fun. Go with Explore California, they won't let you down. read more

I wish Yelp had 6 stars...I got to know Explore California through my recent trip to Big Sur. I felt so spoiled and pampered all through out the camping. We woke up to a well decorated breakfast table, then lunch to go, came back from hike to a table full of wine and cheese and etc.... and BBQ for dinner. They even had Gatorade powder on table before hiking, accommodated vegetarians and I had cream cheese and smoked salmon for breakfast on my camping trip! Other than food, Bryan was driving the van very safely and he exudate passion for what he does. When I think of Explore California, I think of Bryan and his contagious smile. If you are looking for a professional, fun group to help you making your trip memorable, you are on the right spot. Try them and you will be the next one waiting for Yelp to add 6 star.;) read more

I can only say that this was by far the best camping trip I could imagine thanks to Brian and his company. If you care for quality, this company is what you need. They are very ontime and very experienced. They use the highest quality material for you. We use them in our camping trip to Big Sur with Basic Training group. Explore California was in charge of transportation and food. We ate the highest quality, yummiest meals you can imagine! Imagine having smoke salmon, cream cheese, bagels, boiled egg, peanut butter, jam, fruit, cereal, juice, milk, tea, coffee and much more for the breakfast! They brought us many more surprises for snacks and meals, and safely drove us back home. These guys are super clean and organized. Flexible and friendly.... They have a lot of passion for what they are doing which makes them different from everyone else! read more

What a wonderful experience! A group of my coworkers and I booked Explore Cali for a wine tour and it was amazing! The booking process was seamless, Bryan was really helpful in creating a plan for our tour and very flexible when we kept changing our minds. He did a great job of finding a mix of vineyards and called to make the reservations. He was so personable and even had recommendations for things to do during our visit in San Francisco. I am so happy we picked Explore Cali and will recommend them to anyone. Thanks so much! read more

We did a day trip - wine tasting in Sonoma and I have only great things to say about the whole experience! Kelly (our wonderful guide and DD) was super knowledgeable and arranged tastings for us at four different wineries. We toured the cellars at one place, met the winemaker at another, had a fabulous lunch and great wine, and learned a lot along the way! I would recommend Explore California to anyone interested in getting a taste of California wine country. They make it happen with ease and comfort and great wines in between! Hope to be back soon! read more

I used Explore California to plan a sparkling wine tasting tour with my girlfriends in Napa/Sonoma. Kelly assisted in the planning by researching possible venues for us to visit and had a possible itinerary in place when she came to pick us up. Sadly, it was rainy that day, yet Kelly's excitement, music, and laid back approach made the day one I will never forget! If you're looking for a flexible and fun transportation service to tour wine country in then this is your best bet. read more

We recently went to the wine country with Explore California, and had an amazing time! I have lived in the bay area my whole life, and thought I already knew a lot about the area, but Kelly took us to some amazing wineries that were totally off the beaten path, and everywhere we went people were happy to see us, because we were with her! It was an awesome experience, much more than just a "tour" with a driver, it was super fun, informative, and customized to our needs. I would recommend it to anyone, you will not be disappointed. read more

I just completed the California Coastal tour with Adam as our guide. I had an excellent time and would absolutely recommend this trip. There were 6 people total on the trip (myself, my friend, and 2 lovely Australian couples.) You will cover a lot of ground and Adam was an extremely knowledgeable and accommodating guide. I would definitely take another tour with Explore California! read more

I did a one day wine country tour with explore california and it was awesome. Our guide was not only knowledgeable, she was really fun too, and really well connected - we felt like friends visiting the wineries, not tourists! It was way better than the other days I have spent wine tasting in Napa, with Explore California everything was perfectly planned out, including an awesome (and really well timed!) lunch stop with a sit down tasting. I would recommend this tour to anyone, the service is really friendly and genuine, and fun! read more

Just got back from a great weekend in Yosemite that was run by this new tour company. For anyone in this area or those planning to visit, I highly recommend checking them out. All food, drinks, and transportation are handled by them. They'll cater to just about any type of trip you have in mind from day trips to Napa, to multi days in the mountains, coastal, etc...awesome time. read more

I will never go camping with out Bryan again. EVER! Coming from San Francisco, you tend to get a little spoiled living in the city. Even though I had purchased all the latest gear from SB- I would have easily traded it all in, in exchange for Bryan. The only complaint I have is that he doesn't do manicures and pedicures, because everything else was pretty much on that level of awesomeness and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. He provided amazing lunches for us for our 8 hour hike (who doesn't enjoy a turkey, pesto, arugula sandwich at the top of Clouds Rest Yosemite? or make it yourself trail mix?). Each morning we awoke to a Jewish deli of sorts (shalom! from the bagels, schmear, and lox) and french pressed coffee. He set up, took everything apart, and the company and services were above and beyond anything I ever expected from a guide. Cannot wait to use him/ and or Explore Cali again for the next trip. read more

I can't say enough about Explore California! They may be a newer company, but their years of experience really show and make for a great trip. We were impressed by their organization, extensive knowledge about wine, vineyards and the area. Plus Bryan seems like a fun guy to hang out with next time we're on the west coast! Do yourself a favor and book a trip with these guys. read more

I have used several transportation tour companies in wine country and beyond. After my first experience with Explore California, other companies no more! Kelly was fantastic. Her laid-back attitude was refreshing, approachable, and made planning and execution easy. The lunch she prepared was delicious and exceeded any meal we would have otherwise purchased. Thanks Kelly and Explore Cali for making our day so carefree! read more

Fantastic wine-tasting experience with Kelly. Warm and personal, filled with information, and the lunch is phenomenal, even for our vegan participant!! 2nd time on this trip and I'd do it again. read more

We had a fantastic experience with Adam as our guide for a bicycle ride in Monterrey and hike through Henry Cowell State Park with a beautiful lunch served in between! We had all age groups and varying abilities and there was absolutely no problem accommodating everyone. Thank you Adam for such a great trip! read more