Move over Napa Valley — the Livermore Valley wine country sits just 30 miles east of downtown Oakland off I-580, and it's far easier to reach without a designated driver argument in the parking lot. Wente Vineyards (5565 Tesla Rd, Livermore, CA 94550), the oldest operating winery in the country, offers a full-sized food menu alongside its tasting room; Cedar Mountain Winery (7000 Tesla Rd, Livermore, CA 94550) pours Bordeaux varietals in a quieter hillside setting.
Back in Oakland proper, the Temescal brewing corridor — Drake's Brewing (2325 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612), Temescal Brewing (4115 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609), and Ale Industries (3100 Peralta St, Oakland, CA 94608) — makes a natural three-stop pub crawl without a single metered parking move between them. Your group stays in one party bus for every tasting, every pint, and every ride home. Call 415-796-8301 for a free Oakland winery tour bus quote!