Perhaps second only to the thrill of soaring over vineyards in a hot air balloon is flying through the valley hills in an open-air sidecar. On our scenic Sidecar Tour of Temecula, we whizzed past wineries and horse farms, dashed up into the hills for magnificent views of the valley (and stunning estates), waved hello to lounging alpaca, llamas, and mini buffalo, and dropped by Snow White’s cottage. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind adventure, or way to impress a date, this tour is it.
Our pilot and Temecula local, Bryan Giardinelli, is passionate about the valley he grew up in, and brimming with knowledge of the area and places to explore. Over the roar of the engine, he explained how to distinguish old vines from new, pointed out the famous mountain peaks that surround the valley, and shared the meaning and history of the city’s name “Temecula.” He also drove past actor Jack Klugman’s former farm so we could admire the Watusi bovines, and cruised around a small lake at the site of Temecula’s first winery, Cilurzo Winery, now home to Bella Vista.
Sidecar Tours founder Jacob Chambers told Visit Temecula that he wanted to create a “fresh and innovative” experience in Temecula and turned to his passion for motorcycles to do so. He started the concept in Temecula, and there are now locations up and down the California coast, labelling themselves the “World’s First and Only Tandem Sidecars.”
Guests are driven in a sidecar built by Ural Motorcycles, a company founded in the foothills of the Ural Mountains in Western Siberia (and now managed out of Redmond, WA). If you’re picturing Harrison Ford and Sean Connery making a getaway in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade“, you’re about right. The rugged bike is a modern version of a 1940’s Soviet era design which Sidecar Tours has modified to have two passenger seats. They are more than capable of handling the rough terrain of the off-road portions of our tour and seem to handle well, too. We felt perfectly safe as Bryan expertly navigated the potholes and divots in the backcountry roads.
A highlight of the tour for this former city girl was seeing more of Temecula’s horse country along Mesa Road, and learning about Pat North Ommert, a 94 year old Temecula resident famed for trick riding, Roman riding, and jockeying. A stunt rider in “A Star is Born” and veteran of many performances at Madison Square Garden, she was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2016 and now has a local trail named after her that runs along De Portola Road.
Tours take off from Akash Winery and vary in price and duration. At the time of writing, bookings ranged from $107 per person for a 1-hour scenic tour of the valley to $229 per person for a 3-hour food tour that includes stops at three restaurants. Their most popular tour is the winery tour ($207) and they also offer also offer brewery and specialty cocktail tours. Guests can also contact them directly to design a private experience for you and someone special.
A few tips:
- The back seat is slightly more comfortable than the front and the views are equally great.
- Helmets are provided, but I recommend to either bring sunglasses or request a visor for your helmet so you don’t end up with dust from the road in your eyes.
- There is no shade out on the road, so if you need sun protection, bring a long sleeve shirt, jacket, or sunscreen.
