What Should I Know Before Booking a Kelowna Wine Tour?
Before booking a Kelowna wine tour, look beyond the advertised price and the number of wineries included. The most important things to consider are what is included, where you’ll be picked up, how long the tour actually takes, which wineries you’ll visit and whether the pace suits you.
How many wineries will you visit?
More wineries don’t necessarily mean a better wine tour. If a tour tries to fit too many stops into one afternoon, you may spend much of your day getting in and out of the vehicle rather than enjoying the wineries.
Red Dog’s standard public afternoon wine tour visits four wineries. The route is designed to give you enough time at each stop to enjoy the tasting, hear the winery presentation, ask questions and take in the setting without feeling rushed.
See How Many Wineries Do We Visit? for more information.
How much time do you actually spend at the wineries?
Ask how long the tour allows for each tasting, not just how many wineries are included. A good itinerary needs to allow enough time for the tasting itself as well as getting between wineries.
Our public tours are planned around approximately an hour at each winery. That gives you time to enjoy the experience rather than feeling like you’re constantly watching the clock.
For more information, see How Much Time Do You Need at a Winery?.
How long is the entire wine tour?
Don’t confuse the scheduled winery portion of a tour with the total time you’ll be away from your accommodation.
Red Dog’s standard afternoon tours generally take about 4–5 hours from pickup to drop-off. The exact length depends on your pickup location, the other guests on the tour and the day’s route.
See How Long Is a Full Kelowna Wine Tour From Pickup to Drop-Off? for a more detailed explanation.
Where will you be picked up?
Check whether the tour company provides pickup from your accommodation or requires you to meet at a central location.
Red Dog provides door-to-door pickup and drop-off from accommodations within our designated Kelowna and West Kelowna service area, including hotels, B&Bs, vacation rentals and private residences within the pickup boundary.
Your pickup time may not be the same as the advertised tour start time. Public tours can involve several guest pickups, so pickup times are organized around the day’s route.
See Where Do You Pick Up From? and What Are the Pick Up and Drop Off Times for the Tours? for more information.
What is included in the price?
Compare tours based on what you actually receive rather than simply comparing the advertised price.
With Red Dog, our public wine tours include transportation, professional guiding, winery tastings, bottled water and a light snack. We also provide secure storage in the vehicle for wine purchases.
Before booking any wine tour, check whether tasting fees, transportation and other advertised inclusions are actually part of the price or are additional charges.
Is a public or private tour better for you?
This is one of the most important decisions to make before booking.
A public tour is a good choice if you want a professionally guided wine tour with a planned route and the convenience of travelling with other wine enthusiasts.
A private tour is better if you want more control over the wineries, timing and pace of the day. It can be particularly worthwhile for couples, families, celebrations and groups with specific preferences.
For guests who have mobility concerns, vehicle choice can also matter. Our Mercedes Metris has a low step-in height and doors on both sides, making it easier for many guests to get in and out. If this is important to your group, consider booking a private tour and asking about the Metris.
For a detailed comparison, see What Is the Difference Between a Public and Private Kelowna Wine Tour?.
What kind of vehicle will you be travelling in?
A wine tour involves several hours in the vehicle, so comfort matters. Before booking, consider the size of the vehicle, seating, air conditioning and how easy it is to get in and out.
Red Dog uses Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Metris passenger vans. The Metris can be an especially good option for a private tour when ease of entry and a smaller, more comfortable vehicle are important.
What do the reviews say?
Don’t just look at the overall star rating. Read what previous guests actually say about the guide, vehicle, winery selection, organization, pacing and overall experience.
Those details can tell you much more about what your day is likely to feel like than a list of features on a booking page.
If you’re trying to determine whether a company delivers the kind of experience you’re looking for, see How Can I Tell If a Kelowna Wine Tour Company Is Good? for more things to consider.
If you’re booking a private tour, talk to the operator first
If you’re considering a private wine tour, you don’t necessarily need to create the entire itinerary yourself.
You may find wineries online that look perfect, but an itinerary still needs to work with tasting availability, driving distances, traffic, opening hours and the amount of time you want to spend at each stop.
A good local tour operator can take your interests and preferences and turn them into a practical route. You get the wineries and experience you want without having to spend hours trying to make the logistics work.
You can start planning with our Private Wine Tour Planner.
Finally, consider the overall experience—not just the price
The cheapest wine tour isn’t necessarily the best value, and the tour with the most wineries isn’t necessarily the best experience.
Look for a combination of good wineries, enough tasting time, comfortable transportation, knowledgeable guiding, convenient pickup and a pace that allows you to actually enjoy the afternoon.
Ready to book?