While no meeting in Napa or Sonoma is complete without a visit to at least one or two of the famous wineries, there is a whole other range of activities to choose from that’s as big as the great outdoors. Everything from horse whispering to kayaking and cycling are easily incorporated into the agenda.
Horse Sense
A 200-acre working ranch located just inland from Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, Skyhorse Ranch offers a number of team-building activities centered on interacting with and observing horses. Ranch owner Ariana Strazzi has developed Leadership & Horses, a program that has attracted corporate clients such as Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Procter & Gamble, Apple and Agilent.
Strazzi says over the years she has shifted from practicing traditional horsemanship to “seeing the horse as a sentient being who can actually guide us into a deeper connection with ourselves and our whole lives. It was then that I realized that the horses gave each person a truly unique experience that directly related to every other area of their life.”
Along with team building, Skyhorse Ranch also offers Equine Herd Dynamics Demonstrations, ranging from 90 minutes to a half day in duration, where participants observe the herd dynamics of horses. Catered lunches can be included.
Into the Wild
Located just outside Santa Rosa, Safari West is a 400-acre wildlife preserve dedicated to the preservation and education of near extinct, or extinct in the wild, African animals. The preserve offers both daytime activities and overnight accommodations in luxury tents.
The star attraction is the two-and-a-half-hour Safari Tour in open vehicles that traverse dirt paths through rolling hills where zebras, antelope, wildebeests and water buffalo roam. The riding portion is followed by a guided walk through the grounds where guests can observe giraffes, cheetahs, lemurs and exotic birds at close range.
Along with arranging customized tours for groups, Safari West offers function spaces accommodating from 25 to 250 for events. The spaces include a restaurant, Savannah Cafe, and a large patio with an African fire pit, gazebo and view of the preserve.
Roads and Rivers
Groups of happy cyclists traversing country roads lined with vineyards are a common sight in both Napa and Sonoma counties. Similarly, the region’s two major waterways, the Napa and Russian rivers, are popular spots for kayaking, rafting and canoeing.
Getaway Adventures is among the local tour operators that offer customized cycling tours and river activities for groups. Among its offerings is the Pedal and Paddle Tour, which spends the morning on a seven-mile bike ride through Sonoma’s Alexander Valley, visiting two or three wineries before enjoying a gourmet picnic lunch at Mosaic Winery. The afternoon is spent navigating the Russian River’s gentle rapids by kayak.
A less-active option for enjoying the water is offered by Napa River Adventures on guided cruises of the Napa River. Using 11-passenger motor launches, the two-hour tours begin at Kennedy Park Dock in downtown Napa, then head north past Copia and other sites reflecting the town’s past and present. The latter part of the cruise enters wetland areas, affording views of migrating birds and rolling vineyards.
Balloon Art
Drifting high above the vineyards by balloon is among the most popular outdoor activities in the Napa Valley. Local outfitter Bonaventura Balloons offers an array of tours that combine ballooning with other ways to enjoy the region.
The company pairs early morning balloon rides with a variety of options that include an oil painting workshop with an artist, a photography field trip that features a balloon flight with a master photographer, and balloon flights followed by hiking, horseback riding or cycling excursions.
Go Speed Racer
One of the nation’s premier drag strip and road courses, Infineon Raceway in southern Sonoma County is a popular spot for team-building activities offered through the on-site Jim Russell Driving School and Audi Driving Experience. Under the guidance of expert driving instructors, groups get classroom instruction in performance driving basics, then suit up and make some high-speed turns around the oval track.
Infineon also offers group ticketing for scheduled events, including NASCAR races. It also offers meeting facilities for everything from board meetings to product launches.
For More Info
Bonaventura Balloons 707.944.2210 www.bonaventuraballoons.com
Getaway Adventures 800.499.2453 www.getawayadventures.com
Infineon Raceway 800.870.7223 www.infineonraceway.com
Napa River Adventures 707.224.9080 www.napariveradventures.com
Safari West 707.566.3622 www.safariwest.com
Skyhorse Ranch 707.876.1908 www.leadershipandhorses.com
