If you’re like many Bay Area residents, you may be surprised to learn that Livermore, for many years a sleepy remote rural area off of Highway 580 in San Francisco’s East Bay, has not only grown up to become a full fledged suburb, it now hosts a growing array of wineries.

Here’s a quick summary of how to enjoy yourself in one of the Bay Area’s up and coming wine tasting areas.  The Wine Institute in an online article in October, 2014 provides these great tips for making the most of your day.

Livermore Valley Wine Tasting by Foot, Bicycle or Train
First-time visitors to Livermore are often surprised at the numerous, closely situated wineries surrounded by open space and gentle hills of vineyards in San Francisco’s southeast bay. Cycling routes are plentiful and winery and bike path maps are available through the Livermore Valley Winegrowers. A good walking route is on Greenville Road where six wineries are within less than a mile, including Big White House Winery, McGrail and Bent Creek Winery. Another good hike is on Tesla Road where walkers can visit Wente, Steven Kent, Page Mill, Concannon and Retzlaff. Niles Canyon Railway offers a laid-back way to taste Livermore wines paired with hors d’oeuvres. The wine-tasting trains run alternate Sundays in the summer.

While the number of wineries doesn’t compare to the scope of what is available in Napa and Sonoma, this little area is a boon to those nearby who want to enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting without a long ride to the official “wine country”.