Things to Do in Sonoma Beyond the Wineries: Our Pushpak Motors Tour!
Sonoma, California is full of great outdoor activities, but if you’re looking for something unique and fun to do, this is it! Pusk Pak motors offers tours on their electric bikes and trikes, including fully guided unique itineraries.
Our day was sponsored by Pushpak Motors, but all opinions are 100% my own! I’m super excited to share my experience with you guys, I really think you’ll love this option if you’re looking for things to do in Sonoma.
This activity is perfect for any travelers 5 years old and up. To keep kids entertained during the tour, they have scavenger hunt cards for them to do as they ride along.
BOOK your 3-Hour Wine Country Tour here!
Meet Pushpak Motors
Pushpak Motors was founded in 2021, with a focus on sustainability and guided tours through Sonoma wine country. Over the years, Pushpak motors has won awards for “Best Experience” from Viator tours, including making into the Top Ten best tours in North America!
Pushpak motors has a 100% electric vehicle fleet of trikes. The trikes are really easy to ride, super safe, quiet, and eco friendly.
When I was exploring Sonoma Square and all of it’s cute, tucked away alley ways, I found Pushpak motors at the end of the “El Paseo Courtshops” located to the right of Capo Isetta (another amazing little spot you should check out).
Photo by Wayfaring Four
About the Tours
Pushpak Motors offers several different tours for you to choose from. The tours begin at 10:00 am or 3:30 pm. You can choose from a 3-hour or 5-hour tour! They offer everything a variety of tours including wine tasting focused tours, bike and hike tours, wellness tours (without winery stops), art focused tours, and even seasonal sunset tours.
Check out their selection of tours and book HERE!
Our sonoma Day Trip Itinerary
Our ride with Pushpak was the perfect unique activity for exploring Sonoma! Here is a sample of what we did.
3 hour Wine Country tour Itinerary
Our tour was a 3-hour wine country tour that went from 10 am-1:15pm. We chose a Monday morning because we love doing excursions on weekdays because there are less crowds, especially during peak times like the summer. One downside is that some places like the Vella Cheese company were closed.
At the beginning of the day, Lissa, our guide took time with each of us to go over safety guidelines and review the features of each bike. We had a different type of bike than the other couple on the tour, and she was meticulous in making sure everyone knew how to operate everything on our bikes.
Lissa went over everything including how to enter intersections together, which gears to use, where to park, and made sure we all stayed together. After our quick lesson, we got to take a few practice laps around the parking lot before hitting the road!
Morning Stops – Sonoma history
Our first stop was just across the road at the Sonoma Mission. We stopped in front of the Mission for a few minutes as Lissa talked about the history of the Mission, as well as what the town was like during the 1850s when it was operational.
Sonoma Mission- Photo by Wayfaring Four
After the Mission, we headed up E Spain Street along the square to the home of General Vallejo. As we went up the road, Lissa stopped to talk about the history of the Valley of the Moon and give us some background information about General Vallejo.
When we arrived at the home, Lissa told vivid stories about the family of General Vallejo and his influence in the area. We then got a little time to enter the park/museum/home and explore, and our admission was included!
From there we headed down a community bike trail (no cars!) to Vella Cheese company. Sadly, they were closed but Lissa was prepared with our own private cheese tasting.
Cheese Tasting – Photo by Wayfaring Four
Afternoon stop – Capo Isetta Wine Bar
After touring the backroads of Sonoma, we returned the bikes and walked a few steps to Capo Isetta. Capo Isetta is a new wine shop on the Sonoma Square that offers wine tasting of local wines. During the tasting, Lissa brought a huge spread of snacks and charcuterie for us to enjoy, which paired perfectly with the tasting.
This part of the day was an additional cost, but it was worth every penny! After the tasting, Lissa gave us vouchers for ice cream at Sweet Scoops, just next door.
Capo Isetta – Photo by Wayfaring Four
Tips for your Ride
Where to Book
To book your Pushpak tour, you can book online or in person. If you will be visiting during a busy season like Summer or Fall, or on a weekend, be sure to book ahead online!
Where to Park
If you drove to the Sonoma Square for your tour, do NOT park along the square. The parking limit is 3 hours, and getting a ticket isn’t ideal. Park at 375 1ST St E, which only a two-minute walk away.
What Pushpak Provides
Pushpak tours will provide a helmet, the bike, and admission to actives excluding wine tasting. For our tour, this included admission to the General Vallejo Home. They also provided a morning cheese tasting and charcuterie with our afternoon wine stop!
Trike Safety
To be honest, as a nurse I was a little nervous about driving on the road in a vehicle like a scooter/motorcycle for safety reasons.
Each trike had a seatbelt on the rear seat, but ours did not have one on the driver’s seat. We were all fitted with helmets at the beginning of the day as well.
Most of the day was spent on smaller, low speed roads. The trike’s speed topped out about 25-35 mph overall. The wine tasting was reserved for the end of the day, but if you do tasting in the middle of the ride, make sure someone is a designated driver as well.
What to Bring
Check the weather before you go and dress accordingly. Bring your emotional support water bottle, wear comfortable clothes, and bring sunscreen.
You will also need a valid driver’s license and credit card for insurance before you start the day.
The trikes did have a large storage area under the seat and a basket in the front which was more than enough!
Other Tips
In Sonoma County you CAN get a DUI for riding a bike (or electric bike) above the legal limit (0.08). Each trike can accommodate two people, so designate a driver for the trike if you plan on partaking in wine on the day of your ride.
Take Aways
If you’re headed to Sonoma and looking for something to do besides wine tasting, this is a great option! It’s also a great way to experience a few wineries in a new way.
Need help finding a place to stay in Sonoma? My full Sonoma post can be found HERE.
