Set dates, set routes, small groups. Claim a seat and we handle the rest of the day.
🍇 Next tour: Saturday, August 15 — Sights & Sips along Route 66, seats still open.
One seat at a time
The easiest way to spend a day in Midwest Wine Country
Public tours are our pre-arranged trips available for sign up. We pick the date, plan the route, book the tastings and drive — you claim a seat for yourself, your partner, or a few friends. You'll ride with a small group of 8–12 people who came for the same reason you did.
There's no group to organize, no designated driver to nominate and no afternoon lost to researching wineries. Pick a date that works and we'll take it from there.
How it works
How a public tour works
Each tour is built fresh around the season and what's happening at our partner sites — some are built around regional wine events — so routes change through the year and the calendar holds the details. The shape of the day stays the same.
Step 1
Pick your date
Every tour has its own route, region, duration and price. Browse the calendar and choose the one that fits.
Step 2
Reserve your seats
Booking takes a couple of minutes. Reserve one seat or bring the whole crew, up to what's left on that date. Groups run 8–12 people in our XL Sprinter van.
Step 3
Meet the van
One central pickup and drop-off point, picked for parking and transit access. Pickup details and important reminders are emailed 3–5 days ahead.
Step 4
Enjoy the day
Three or four stops with a guide who knows the makers by name. Tastings, gratuity, transport and food are already covered — only bring a card for any add-ons.
Half day
From 4 hours, 3 stops
An afternoon out. Three tasting rooms, light snacks on board, and you're home in time for dinner. A good first tour if you've never done one.
Full day
From 6 hours, 4 stops
The whole region, unhurried. Four stops, a sit-down lunch, and time to actually talk to the people pouring. Some dates add an orchard, a meadery or a roadside detour.
Upcoming tours
Pick a date and grab a seat
Every route, stop list, time and price lives here. Tours run Spring through Fall and are released about eight weeks ahead — popular ones fill quickly. Pick a date to see where it goes, then book right from this page.
Don't see a date that works? Build a private tour for your own group instead, or join the mailing list and we'll send new dates first.
Your ticket covers
All-inclusive means all-inclusive
- Roundtrip transportation in a private van with secure storage for your bottles
- Driver, fuel and tolls
- Tasting fees at every stop, gratuity included
- A local guide with you the whole day
- Lunch on full-day tours, light snacks on half-day tours
- Bottled water on board
Not included
- Bottles, glasses and merchandise you buy to take home
- Food beyond what's listed for your tour
- Gratuity for your guide and driver, if you'd like to leave one
Destinations
Where you'll end up
Illinois has more than 100 wineries, and dozens of them sit within two hours of Chicago. We work with wineries, meaderies, breweries and vineyards across Chicagoland. Every tour includes visits to three to four stops.
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Good to know
The practical details
| Group size | 8–12 guests per tour, the capacity of our XL Sprinter van. You'll be riding with other guests you haven't met yet — that's part of the fun. |
|---|---|
| Pickup & drop-off | One central meeting point per tour, chosen for parking and transit access. Pickup details and important reminders are emailed 3–5 days before your tour. |
| Duration | Half-day tours run a minimum of 4 hours with 3 stops. Full-day tours run a minimum of 6 hours with 4 stops. Exact timing depends on your pickup point, the stops and the traffic. |
| Age | All guests must be human and at least 21 years of age at the time of the tour. Bring valid ID. |
| What to bring | Your ID, comfortable shoes, a layer for cellar temperatures, and a card if you want to take bottles home. |
| Rain or shine | Tours run rain or shine since tastings are indoors. If driving conditions turn unsafe we'll cancel and contact you the day before or the morning of. |
Questions
Public tour FAQs
What's the difference between a public tour and a private tour?
On a public tour you buy individual seats on a date and route we've already planned, and you'll share the van with other guests. On a private tour, your group books the whole vehicle and we build the route around what you want. Public tours are the simpler, lower-cost way to go if it's just you or a few people.
Can I book just one seat?
Absolutely. Plenty of guests come solo or as a pair. You can book anywhere from one seat up to the number still available on that date.
Who else will be on the tour?
A small mixed group — usually couples, friend pairs and a few solo travelers, mostly from around Chicagoland. Groups are typically 8–12 people, which keeps things relaxed enough to actually talk to the winemakers.
Do the same tours repeat?
Not often. Each date gets its own route, built around the season and what our partners have going on, so guests who come back a second and third time see somewhere new every time. The calendar above is always the current, complete list of what's running.
Where do we meet, and is there parking?
Each tour has a single central pickup and drop-off point, chosen for free or low-cost parking and access by Chicago transit. You'll get the exact address, and pertinent reminders by email a few days before the tour.
What if I'm running late?
Call us. We'll wait up to ten minutes at the meeting point, but the day is timed around reservations at each stop, so we can't hold the van longer than that. If you're not there at the scheduled start, the booking is treated as cancelled.
Is lunch included?
Yes on full-day tours — we stop for a proper sit-down lunch and it's covered in your ticket. Half-day tours include light snacks on board rather than a meal.
Can I buy bottles to take home?
Please do — supporting these producers is the whole point. Purchases are on you, and every van has secure storage so your bottles ride safely until drop-off.
What if I don't drink, or I'm cutting back?
You're still welcome. We can either give you a discount to ride along without drinking at the wineries, or arrange non-alcoholic substitutes for you at each stop. Let us know when you book and we'll sort it out.
What happens if a tour doesn't fill?
Every tour needs at least six guests to run. If we don't reach that, we'll contact you at least seven days ahead and you can move to another tour or take a full refund — your choice.
What's the cancellation policy?
Cancel more than 14 days before your tour and you'll get a full refund or a credit toward a future tour, whichever you prefer. Inside 14 days, seats aren't eligible for a refund or credit — but someone else can take your spot with written notice to us.
Is the tour accessible?
Boarding the van requires the use of stairs. Some of our partners are also historic buildings with steps and uneven floors. Tell us what you need when you book and we'll be straight with you about whether that tour works — and if it doesn't, a private tour lets us build a route around the sites that do.
Can I bring my own drinks on the van?
No open containers in the vehicle — Illinois law, and it keeps our insurance and our partners happy. Bottles you purchase travel sealed in storage. One other thing worth knowing: a cleaning fee of $250 minimum applies if there's a biohazard incident or the vehicle is left in an unreasonably dirty state.
Do you run tours in winter?
Public tours run Spring through Fall. Winter dates may pop up occasionally for holiday markets and cellar events — the mailing list hears about those first.
Have a group of your own?
Book the whole van instead
If you'd rather pick your own date, your own stops and your own company, a private tour is built around your group from the start. Everything that's included here is included there, and we'll handle the planning either way.