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Spring has sprung, meaning that we’re all looking for reasons to drink outdoors. We’re betting that many of you in wine country have already organized your wine tour, which means you’ve had to think about wine tour transportation.

Some places organize wine tour transportation for you, but only as part of a criminally expensive package deal. If you can, try to organize wine tour transportation on your own. You have more travel options that way, and won’t have to keep up with any sort of public crowd in order to catch a sad party bus somewhere. Here are a few of your wine tour transportation options in order of opulence:

1. Hire a limo service
There are over 130,000 limousines on the roads right now. Why not make one of these stylish vehicles and its trained chauffeurs one of your own for your wine tour excursion? You’re already treating yourself to good wine. Now treat yourself to a hassle free ride through wine country in style!

2. Rent your own party bus!
Of course, a limousine service won’t work so well if you’ve got more than ten or so guests. For a large party, a party bus is a fun and affordable option. Not to mention, renting a party bus is also a super environmentally friendly way to enjoy wine country and stay safe on the roads.

3. An A La Carte Shuttle Service
Now if you haven’t organized a tour so much as a visit to this one place you like, all the bells and whistles may not be necessary. It is perfectly acceptable for example to contribute to the growing market share of the taxi economy and pre-arrange some sort of shuttle service to and from the parking lot or a designated meeting place. This is the appropriate choice for a girl’s night on a budget or for sampling wedding venues before the big event.

How Much Will Wine Tour Transportation Cost Me?

This all depends. Your average 12 passenger limo will usually cost between $85 to $120 per hour plus tip. Party buses with seating capacities over 20 generally go for $150 per hour for week days and a little extra on the weekends. Taxis and shuttle services will definitely be cheaper and are usually based on mileage, rather than by the hour. A popular way to keep costs down on transportation is to split it evenly between guests. (Many prom dates are aware of this expense, to their pizza parlor paycheck’s chagrin).

How Can I Find the Best Available Deal?
Fortunately for you, this is a saturated market, meaning there are dozens of limo, bus, and taxi companies competing for your business. The best way to get a good deal is to first of all do your research and figure out who in your area has the best reputation. This is the internet age, so some casual Googling of customer reviews should suffice. Next, be prepared with a solid, won’t-back-out-at-the-last-minute head count, as this will help you negotiate unit pricing and give the company a better sense of your needs. Finally, know the exact date and time of your events before getting into the weeds with a company, as there could be off-season deals or weekend rates not listed on their website.