The City of Santa Maria and the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau announced the start of the third season of the Santa Maria Valley Wine Trolley, an innovative public transportation experience. The 2019 season will begin May 11, giving riders an opportunity to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.
The Santa Maria Valley Wine Trolley will run every weekend from May 11 to Oct. 13, allowing locals and visitors alike to enjoy round-trip excursions into the local wine country multiple times each weekend day.
“This is a uniquely exciting and affordable way to explore our world-class wine country,” said Jennifer Harrison, the Vistors Bureau director. “You get to head into the vineyards to taste local wines, and on your way back, you can also stop in Old Town Orcutt to enjoy fine dining, local craft beer, shopping and more — all while experiencing the charm of riding a trolley.”
The Santa Maria Valley Wine Trolley route begins at Costa de Oro Wine Tasting Room, 1331 S. Nicholson in Santa Maria. Stops along the way include Presqu’ile Winery, Cottonwood Canyon Winery and continues with a stop in Old Town Orcutt — at the corner of West Clark and Broadway — before returning to Costa de Oro.
Along the way, guests may stop at wineries and locations of their choosing, then catch back up with the trolley as it completes the loop. In other words, the experience is step on, step off at one’s convenience.
The cost per person (transportation only, does not include wine tasting) is $10 in advance or $18 when purchasing tickets at the trolley.
The wine trolley will operate on Saturdays and Sundays and run every 60 minutes from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting at Costa de Oro. The wine trolley will also run additional routes from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., but will exclude Cottonwood Canyon and Presqu’ile wineries. Wineries will have occasional blackout dates, due to private events, etc., however, the trolley will continue to run. Click here for the latest on schedules and news.
The 28-passenger trolley is an extension of the city’s downtown trolley service launched in 2015. It is equipped to accommodate passengers with disabilities, with a lift and room for two mobility devices.
The idea for the Santa Maria Valley Wine Trolley was an outgrowth of collaborative discussions between the city and the chamber.
“This collaboration is the latest example of how our community is rallying around the valley’s signature experiences to the benefit of both locals and visitors alike,” Harrison said.
Advance trolley tickets may be purchased at the following locations:
» Core Winery, 105 W. Clark Ave., Old Orcutt
» Costa de Oro Winery, 1331 S. Nicholson Ave, Santa Maria
» Cottonwood Canyon Winery, 3940 Dominion Road, Santa Maria
» Cnagy Wine Tasting Room, 145 S. Gary St., Ste 103, Old Orcutt
» Old Town Market, 405 E. Clark Ave., Old Orcutt
» Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, 614 S. Broadway, Santa Maria
» Vino et Amicis Wine Bar, 165 S. Broadway, Old Orcutt
» Woody’s Butcher Block, 700 E. Main St., Santa Maria
— Yarely Corona is a tourism coordinator for the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.