Private Sidecar Winery Tour Santa Barbara: Tandem Sidecars

Ride through the vines in a tandem sidecar, not a van

A private sidecar winery tour in Santa Barbara pairs you with a guide in the world's only fleet of tandem sidecars, visiting two tasting rooms over 2.5 hours with wine tastings included. The guide speaks English and leads groups of up to two passengers per sidecar. Minimum age is 21. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private sidecar winery tour

• Pick up guests
• Visit 1940’s Quonset Hut winery
• Wine tasting at first winery
• Visit family-owned tasting room
• Wine tasting at second winery

The experience

The tandem sidecars are custom-built to seat two passengers alongside the driver, so you're riding through the Santa Barbara wine region instead of watching it pass from a car window. The first stop is a 1940s Quonset Hut winery in downtown Santa Barbara, where you taste wines in the working space itself. The second takes you to a family-owned tasting room with a Terraza patio where you can sit outside or inside and work through handcrafted wines from local vineyards.

Your guide handles the route and the timing, so the two-and-a-half-hour tour fits into the rest of your day without planning. Wine tastings are built into both stops. You're not paying separately at the bar. The sidecar itself is the point. The ride is intimate and open-air, and the pace lets you talk to your guide and take in the landscape as you move between tasting rooms.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a tandem sidecar with a guide.
• wine tastings at two tasting rooms.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SundayDepartures at 12:00, 12:30, 15:30 and 16:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (21 and older) · Under 21: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Sidecar Tours Inc.

Is this one for you?Choose this if you're traveling as a pair and want to move through the vineyards exposed to the air and landscape rather than enclosed in a car.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between a tandem sidecar and a regular motorcycle sidecar?

Tandem sidecars are custom-built to hold two passengers safely, so you and a companion ride together in the sidecar itself rather than one person sitting behind the driver on the bike. This is the world's only fleet of tandem sidecars, making it a unique way to tour the wine region.

Do I need a motorcycle license or special training to ride in the sidecar?

No special license or training is required. You're a passenger in the sidecar, and your guide handles all the riding. You just need to be at least 21 years old and comfortable riding in an open-air vehicle.

What happens at each tasting room?

At the first stop, a 1940s Quonset Hut winery in downtown Santa Barbara, you taste wines in the working winery itself. The second stop is a family-owned tasting room with indoor and outdoor seating on a Terraza patio, where you sample handcrafted wines from local vineyards and can relax between tastings.

Is the tour private, or will I be riding with other groups?

The tour is private to your group. Each sidecar holds two passengers plus the guide, so if you're booking for two people, you'll have your own dedicated sidecar and guide for the full 2.5 hours.