Reviews

Small groups.  Big praise.

 

95% of our over-1000 Trip Advisor reviews are 5-star.

★★★★★

We have consistently received the Travelers Choice Award and the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor.  Here is just a sampling of comments from our passengers…

Yosemite

Would we do this again? Absolutely! We loved every minute of it (even the journey to and from the park). Phil was excellent throughout – incredibly knowledgeable, with a contagious passion for Yosemite. The tour was true to the itinerary and we were lucky enough to enjoy opportunities for additional stops as the park was very quiet. If you are wondering if it’s worth the drive from San Fran, the answer is yes – it’s a long day but the combination of Phil’s thoughtfully considered soundtrack, local knowledge and even a Yosemite-themed movie on the way home (onboard the bus) made the time outside Yosemite itself fly by. Well worth the money and the highlight of our time in San Francisco!
Leigh H

Brian the tour guide and driver got in touch with me a few days before the trip to make sure I had his
number, email, confirmed where and when he was picking me up and let me know what the van would look like so I’d easily be able to spot it. On the way up to Yosemite Brian let us know what our plan was and was really informative about Yosemite. The tour was well planned and well timed. I felt like we saw lots of Yosemite and had a great day. The small tour group size worked perfectly for getting to places quickly and efficiently. I would highly recommend this tour especially to travellers on their own.
Thea M

I am a frequent traveler and this experience will stand out among my excursions. I cannot say enough
about what an amazing day my husband and I had on this tour. Phil was our tour guide and he was simply wonderful. He truly went above and beyond to cement this as one of the best days we have ever had. I would book with this company again no question.
Ova40

Woods and Coast

The tour was awesome and Brian was so great, he arrived on time and went out of his way to make sure everyone had a great time. When at the beach I wanted to gather some sand but had difficulty walking so Brian took a ziplock bag out of this vehicle and gather samples for me. I was a solo on the trip and he made sure that I never felt that way. The trip was informative, fun and educational all at the same time. Would recommend a million times and please know that it made my day to have such a nice driver and person. He understood customer service and had a great personality!
NETMT

My teen daughter and I had an amazing at with our guide Phil in his small group trip up North. Phil made our day when he picked the most awesome spot for pics of the Golden Gate Bridge! Back in the van we stopped for snacks in Guerneville before entering Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. We are so glad we chose this more secluded park over Muir Woods. We had plenty of time to wander the trails here where we even spotted deer! Then it was back to Guerneville for a quick bite before we headed to the coast to get in some beach pics. From here we stopped in Bodega for some salt water Taffy and then we all recreated the famous schoolhouse scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. Last stop was Sausalito for some more free time before we were dropped off back in San Francisco. Highly recommended small group tour! You won’t be sorry!
Tracy C

Paul, our tour guide, was as much of a teacher as a tour guide. He knew something about everything and made the tour of Armstrong Redwoods a great experience! Even as we were leaving the city, he was pointing out and giving the details and history of many areas that we would have otherwise overlooked. He was kind and respectful to our group and especially helpful in assisting with getting my walker in and out of the bus when we stopped. Don’t hesitate to book with Best Bay Area Tours.
Bvia2015

Woods and Wine

The redwoods and wine country tour was perfect. Phil picked us up from hotel right on time, early actually. Taken straight to golden gate photo op which was perfect, 2 other cars in parking lot, fabulous photo opportunity. Decent ride, about an hour to Armstrong woods = AMAZING. Quiet, beautiful, awe inspiring — everything you have ever imagined a redwood forest should be. Spent around an hour or more wondering around and enjoying the forest. Then of to the wineries, about a 15 minute drive to the 1st winery — Small, quaint, authentic, enjoyable. Second winery was little bigger, some very nice wines, bought some to take home. Final winery was more mainstream, beautiful tasting room, a few extra samples on the house/ This tour is worth every penny. What made it priceless was Phil our guide/driver. Phil loves his job and it shows. Very informative, keeps things moving, great tunes and jokes. Definitely want to try the other tours offered.
Trav8169

A few days before the tour, their tour guide, Brian, reached out to me via text message to solidify plans. On the day of the tour he arrived on time. Our small group was only six people so we were able to get on the road quickly to Sonoma. The ride out to Sonoma was informative with Brian sharing documentary footage and teaching us about the history of the area. The Armstrong Preserve was incredibly impressive, and quite similar to Muir Woods, but much less crowded. Lunch with excellent, the wineries were exceptional, and everyone had a blast! I would not hesitate to book this tour again. I know I made the right decision going to Sonoma with Best Bay Area Tours.
BytonY

Paul was knowledgeable, entertaining and helpful. He pointed out many sites as we drove to our destinations. The redwoods were amazing. We stopped for coffee at a cute little cafe on the way. Our lunch was delicious also. The three wineries were very nice and each a little different. Harvest Moon is family owned. Very quaint. Taft Street wines were delicious. Kendall Jackson is well known and larger than the others, but still made you feel comfortable and relaxed.
Magg1958

Charters & Groups

We recently booked for a day wine tasting and Phil was an extraordinary host and guide! Phil was awesome in helping us plan the itinerary and finding great choices that met our group’s particular tastes. We visited La Crema, then a fabulous food and wine pairing lunch at Kendall Jackson, followed by a tasting at Three Sticks. Phil created a fun, super comfortable, COVID safe adventure for us to enjoy. His playlists were so great he had us singing along to a number of them. A great day was enjoyed by one and all, and it was so amazing to find safe ways to be together, wine taste freely, and not worry for a moment about any driving! Excited to book again soon!
Melindazumski