Camping Near San Francisco | Multi-Day Trips

Visit the high sierras on this three-day camping trip to Yosemite National Park. The Yosemite Escape Camping Tour with Incredible Adventures is the best way to see the sites of Yosemite with a local expert. Our tours include transportation from San Francisco, the Yosemite Park entrance fee, five meals, and camping equipment. Your guide will bring you to the park’s highlights, including El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Tunnel View, Giant Sequoias, High Country, and Yosemite Valley. Experience the awe-inspiring sites of Yosemite on this one-of-a-kind camping trip with Incredible Adventures. 

The Tahoe Escape Camping Tour is another three-day camping trip that departs from San Francisco. You will explore the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range and spend time on Lake Tahoe: the largest alpine lake in the United States! Spend your days kayaking and hiking while taking in the splendor of mountain views. You will spend a day in Lake Tahoe, where you will be able to browse local shops and stop for dinner. The last day is spent kayaking, hiking, and exploring Emerald Bay State Park.

Overnight Trips | Hotel Lodging

If camping isn’t your favorite activity, we offer tours where you can stay at a hotel instead. Spend the day exploring National Parks and end the night in a comfortable hotel room. These are the tours we recommend to explore the area without actually camping: 

• Monterey and Big Sur Discovery Two-Day Hotel Tour
• Yosemite Overnight Lodging Tour
• Yosemite and Tahoe Sierras Four-Day Tour 
• Muir Woods and Wine Country Overnight Combo Tour

Guided Camping Tours with Incredible Adventures

Experience the awe-inspiring natural environment surrounding San Francisco on a camping trip with Incredible Adventures. Camping near San Francisco is made easy with our knowledgeable guides, included meals and camping equipment. And for those who want an outdoor adventure during the day and comfort at night, you can choose one of our tours with hotel lodging. Embark on a unique tour with Incredible Adventures and check out all the tours we offer in San Francisco.

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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

The spread of the coronavirus around the world has left us in an unprecedented time for both business and health. Unfortunately no industry has been hit harder than the travel industry itself. As of Tuesday, April 7th, San Francisco went into a ‘shelter-in-place’ order, calling a stop to all non-essential travel.

While we believe experiencing the great outdoors is definitely an ‘essential’ experience, we stand with the local government and prioritize the health of our guides, staff and community first. Still, Incredible Adventures is a small, family-owned business. We are feeling the effects of this devastating event faster and heavier than possibly anticipated.

As of today, Friday March 20th, we are closing our doors temporarily to help curb the effects of this shutdown on our business. All of us can’t wait to get back to work; our fantastic sales team who fields our calls and coordinates our tours and bookings, our hard-working & enthusiastic guides who are the backbone of our business and our dedicated management team who work behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly.

We plan to be back in business April 7th doing the work we love- providing people with eco-friendly travel experiences and outdoor memories to last a lifetime.

Now more than ever the travel industry needs your help

It’s during challenging times like these that we are reminded of the importance of travel. Travel teaches us about the natural world, about each other and about ourselves. If you also believe in the value of travel and want to see eco-friendly, sustainable tourism continue throughout the Bay Area and beyond, we humbly ask for your support.

Booking a gift certificate with us will not only help get our wheels turning again, but will also allow you to travel with us at anytime in the future on any tour. Know exactly when you want to take a tour with us? No problem, all trips are currently open from late April throughout the rest of the year.

We can’t wait to take you on a tour and show you our favorite destinations soon.

BUY A GIFT CERTIFICATE ONLINE

Thank you for the support, stay healthy & stay home!

– Jessica & the Incredible Team

The post Help Support the Travel Industry during the COVID-19 Closure appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

With so many different trails, it’s hard not to spend at least one day hiking in Big Sur. Immerse yourself in nature and explore the gorgeous coastline, trees, ocean, and everything else Big Sur offers.

Big Sur’s Beautiful Hiking Trails

There are dozens of beautiful trails for hiking in Big Sur. These hikes will bring you through enchanted greenery or to the crashing waves, depending on what type of scenery you’d like to see. Below are a few favorite Big Sur hiking trails.

Mill Creek Trail

Mill Creek Trail is known as one of Big Sur’s most significant hikes. The 3.6-mile hike is almost completely shaded underneath giant redwood, sycamore, and maple trees, making it a refreshing hike during all four seasons. At the beginning of the hike, you’ll be surrounded by California bay trees and a rushing creek. Eventually, the trail and the creek join together, and you will be able to hike upstream the rest of the way and wade through the water.

The Sand Dollar Beach Trail

This hike is a lovely combination of beach and trail. While hiking here, you’ll be able to see up and down the coast as you take the mile-long path to the overlook. From there, you might even be able to see whales or dolphins as they move up and down the coast. Hike back down the same trail to head to the beach. Sand Dollar Beach is the broadest unbroken swathe of sand along the Big Sur, making it a great place to hike and hangout.

Jade Cove Trail

The Jade Cove Trail is a simple, flat path that loops out to the coast and down to the water so that hikers can search for jade. Hikers are encouraged to look for the trail that heads northwest out to Plaskett Rock point before heading down to the cove. Take caution, as hiking down to the cove is steep and can be treacherous. Once you’ve reached the cove, the views and the refreshing water makes it all worth it.

Monterey & Big Sur Discovery 2-Day Hotel Tour

If you’re visiting Big Sur but want to do so much more than hiking, then this tour is the right one for you. Incredible Adventures created this excursion so that visitors can have a well-rounded experience in Big Sur. Explore the coastal redwoods of Big Sur and take some photos of the breathtaking coastline. You’ll have the option of visiting the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium or hop onto an e-bike for a 17-mile tour. All of the activities will be over two days, with one night spent at a lovely beachside hotel.

Enjoy Big Sur With Incredible Adventures

We have made it our mission to create some of the best tours, for anything, all around the world. If you want to do more than just hiking in Big Sur, then book with Incredible Adventures. Our Big Sur tours are second to none – we make sure that you get a little taste of everything that Big Sur has to offer. Be at one with nature, but also with luxury and comfort as you make your way around Big Sur with us! To book the tour that is perfect for you, check availability online or give us a call at 1-800-777-8464.

The post Spend the Day Hiking in Big Sur appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

California’s Wine Country is the home of over 800 wineries, all waiting to be explored by you! Eight hundred wineries is overwhelming, which is why Sonoma and Napa Valley wine tours were created. Find the best tour for you and enjoy Wine Country as you should!

The 3 Supreme Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Tours

If you’re interested in a Sonoma and Napa Valley wine tour, but not sure which is the best, we have narrowed it down to the very best trips through Wine Country.

Muir Woods With Napa & Sonoma Wine Country

Explore Muir Woods and all of its colossal old-growth redwood trees. On this tour, you will be able to walk the winding trails among the trees and take in all of the beauty. With two separate wine tastings spread across Napa and Sonoma Valley, you’ll taste an assortment of the finest red, white, and dessert wines in North America. The tour will also take you across the Golden Gate Bridge with a stop to take photos and to lunch in the Sonoma Plaza!

Napa and Sonoma World Class Wine Tour

This all-inclusive tour includes three wine tastings from different wineries in Napa and Sonoma Valley and a 45-minute Benziger Winery Tram Tour. Aside from wine, Benziger Family Winery has baby sheep, bees, and an abundance of native plants. On the tram tour, you will be able to walk through the vineyard, see how wine is made, and visit the wine caves! The tour will also stop at the Golden Gate Bridge and serve a picnic lunch.

Napa and Sonoma 2-Day Wine Tour

If you can’t decide between the tours listed above, then this two-day tour is the right one for you. You will spend two full days in Wine Country with a total of five wine tastings in both Sonoma and Napa Valley. The tour will bring you to Muir Woods National Monument, as well as the Golden Gate Bridge. You will be able to hop aboard the Benziger Winery Tram Tour and explore the vineyard, wine caves, and the Sonoma Plaza. With a hotel provided, this Sonoma and Napa Valley wine tour is hard to beat!

Incredible Adventures

Founded on a love for the outdoors, Incredible Adventures has been aiding society in finding safe and reliable ways to connect with nature since 1993. Our Sonoma and Napa Valley wine tours are the most luxurious way to experience Wine Country and all that it has to offer. If you’d like to book through the phone, or have any questions, call Incredible Adventures at 1-800-777-8464.

The post Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Tours With Incredible Adventures appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Volunteering isn’t only helpful for others. Studies show that giving back can be beneficial for our own well-being as well. Focusing on something or someone else reduces stress and increases both self-confidence and brain function. Volunteering can also help you feel connected to your community, make new friends and get active in the process.

Finding a way to give some of your time to help our environment and community doesn’t have to be hard. Here are our favorite avenues for giving back to the Bay Area.

1. Volunteer with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area

One of our favorite ways as a company to get together and give back at the same time is by volunteering with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Not only do these opportunities help benefit the important natural areas so dear to us, but we always have a good time while we’re at it too.

Just recently, the Incredible Adventures crew spent a morning at Muir Woods getting our hands dirty and helping clean up the under-appreciated but always important boardwalks. These boardwalks through the park not only provide a nice terrain for visitors, but they also are crucial for protecting the coastal redwoods which we all cherish so much. In order to keep these boardwalks in good condition and safe for visitors, they must be swept and cleaned regularly, which is a large undertaking for anyone.

Volunteering with the G.G.N.R.A can offer opportunities from curb painting to beach cleanup, but ‘deck flossing’ was both a fun and satisfying activity. With the use of a sharp flossing tool, we dug all of the debris from the trees out from in between the wooden planks. This way, the rain water can drain to the root systems down below and the wooden boardwalks can stay in good condition. After digging up all the “duff,” we swept the area to provide a clear and non-slippery surface for all the visitors to the woods.

If you’re looking for a group volunteer activity, we can’t recommend working with the G.G.N.R.A enough!

2. Help out at the SF Food Bank

With a mission to end hunger in San Francisco and Marin, the SF Food Bank could use volunteer help more than ever. Currently, 141,000 people count on the the food bank each week. From morning snacks for low-income students to home delivered groceries for seniors, the food bank plays a critical role in keeping hunger at bay in our community.

It’s also extremely easy to plan your visit. With the ease of the online calendar, choose an available shift any day of the week in one of their two locations. Shifts typically last for two hours and involve sorting and packaging food. The food bank also offers seasonal opportunities and most events accept children.

3. Donate to a shelter for holiday meals

Don’t currently have the time to choose and attend a volunteer event? One easy way to give back is by donating to Bay Area Rescue Mission so they can provide meals for those in need, especially over the holiday season. All it takes is $2.05 to feed a hungry person, so donating $50 provides 24 meals and care for those in need.

Bay Area Rescue Mission is a non-profit and you can make these donations online through PayPal or over the phone.

4. Help some furry friends with Family Dog Rescue

Our furry friends need some care this holiday season too. With the help of volunteers, Family Dog Rescue is able to rescue over 1,000 dogs per year. If you’re an animal lover, this may be the most fun you could have giving back. All first-time volunteers will need to attend a short training program before beginning but after that you’re free to help by walking, grooming, training and playing with the dogs.

5. Find more creative options with Hands On Bay Area

If you’re looking for something different to try, or a volunteer outing that’s more unique, Hands On Bay Area has a plethora of option to choose from. Whether it’s gardening or trail building, their volunteer calendar is bound to have something you’re interested in.

Hands On Bay Area also organizes volunteer events for groups and companies, so you’ll be able to give back regardless of your group size.

Whatever you decide to do, your efforts will go a long way to make sure we are taking care of this wonderful city and the residents that call it home, regardless of the season.

The post 5 Ways to Give Back in the Bay Area this Holiday Season appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

In 2017 we brought thousands of guests to our National Parks, and it never gets old seeing people’s faces when they experience places like Yosemite for the first time. We sipped countless glasses of the best wine and beer in California. We nerded out at Apple, Google, Facebook and the Computer History Museum on our brand new Silicon Valley Tour. We spared the air with our biodiesel transportation. We gave back to communities in need such as Sonoma and Napa Valley. Most of all, we made millions of memories happen for every guest, which is something we are so proud of.

This year we’re focusing a lot on impact, and what it means for us as a company, and as individuals. We believe in leaving the world a better place today than it was yesterday, and as such, here are our biggest resolutions and goals for 2018:

It IS easy being green!

Incredible Adventures runs on renewable biofuels. In order to minimize the environmental impact of our business on the destinations we visit, we operate our vehicles on sustainable, petroleum-free biofuel made from recycled cooking oil and renewable plant-based stocks. However, we’re determined to go even further. From the paper we use in our offices, to the cleaning products we use on our vans, we are always striving to be kinder to the Earth.

This year we will be launching some tips for our partners and customers on how to stay green, that way we can all work together to make the world a better place.

Give back!

Last year we spent several days volunteering to clean up Muir Woods to keep the natural beauty of the park preserved. We want to double up our efforts this year, and open up opportunities to join in the fun for our customers and partners. We have some exciting upcoming opportunities, such as a cleanup of the Marin Headlands in February.

Another way to give back (and score some awesome swag) is by purchasing from our Gear Shop. A portion of the proceeds from these sales will be donated to the Parks Conservancy to beautify and protect our public lands.

Grow our community

Your adventure doesn’t just stop when your tour ends! We are building out a great community of like-minded travelers, so that no matter where you are in the world, Incredible Adventures can connect you. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to constantly get travel inspo and #findyourselfanywhere.

We’re also in the midst of developing an online group in the coming weeks that will provide you with cool travel tips, special deals on Incredible Adventures trips, and a place to connect with new friends. Stay tuned for an email update when our community goes live!

Become global citizens

Incredible Adventures meets people from all over the world every single day, so that’s why we’re starting to expand beyond the USA. We’re now offering tours through the Pacific Northwest and Canada, and we can’t wait to see how much farther we can go!

The post Incredible Adventures New Years Resolutions appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

…and we are compelled to THANK her! We admire her commitment to transparency and honesty in the green community. We believe it is vital that we hold ourselves and each other accountable!

The response to this simple question (“Fueled by Biofuels? Really?!?”) is complex. As the discussion unfolded, it transformed into a teachable moment that we thought opened itself up to a larger audience, and we wanted to talk about it here.

This conversation is bigger than one driver filling up one vehicle for one tour bus company. It’s about the lack of available fueling stations for alternative fuels both in California and across the US. It’s wrapped up in all sorts of red tape at both the state and federal levels. The answer provides an opportunity to educate our communities and the next generation about renewable energies. And ultimately, our answer to ALL of our followers will be best demonstrated through our actions at the micro-level while we continue to do our best to spread the word at the macro-level.

Seeking Biofuel Station

Incredible Adventures strives to run 100% of our fleet with fully petroleum-free alternative biofuels. However, due to the lack of supply in certain areas that we visit, we’re occasionally forced to supplement. In the photo captured, our guide, Aaron, is fueling up at the Tesoro in Oakdale. There are no alternative fuel stations in/near Yosemite National Park. Many stations around California have closed or dropped their alternative fuel selections due to heavy regulations and lack of demand. Although we’re constantly researching fuel stations offering alternative fuel blends in their tanks, this proves difficult in remote areas.

Even though many of our vehicles are capable of traveling our standard routes without the need to fill up with traditional fuel, it is not always possible. It is increasingly difficult on our multi-day tours to maintain non-petroleum fuel in our vehicles throughout the entire trip. This particular photo was taken during Aaron’s overnight tour through Yosemite. Travelling from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park and back (round-trip) is impossible on a single tank of biofuel. With our mini-coaches’ smaller tanks, we maximize our usage of biofuel and supplement with diesel given the availability in the surrounding area. We train our drivers to fuel up with the least amount of petroleum fuel as possible. If you see our vehicles fueling at traditional gas stations, they are often only putting in the number of gallons it requires for us to safely return to Dogpatch Biofuels back in the city.

Supplying Biofuels

Incredible Adventures has been running on non-petroleum-based fuels since 2003. In order to secure a more consistent flow of biofuels, our owners bought Dogpatch Biofuel in 2010. It’s the only alternative fueling station in San Francisco open to the public, benefitting not only our fleet, but also the community at large. We’re proud to say that all of our vehicles leave the city for their trips with 100% renewable fuel. Since 2008 the station has sold 666,133.7 gallons of none petroleum fuel, offsetting the equivalent of 15,860.32 barrels of oil. Our dedication to reducing tailpipe emissions in our fleet and community exceeds the efforts of any other privately held transportation company.

Fighting for Biofuels

Alternative fuels are fighting for survival against strong Big Oil lobbyists and motor companies. These interests are increasing restrictions to commercial alternative fuel in California, and reducing spend on alternative fuel research. You can often find our owners on the front lines of this Big Oil battle: our company engages in the promotion and education of alternative fuels and their benefits, and the owners and staff have spent countless hours lobbying both at the local and state levels. Once we even volunteered at a Willie Nelson concert with ReVerb to advocate for renewable alternatives. Willie’s a strong supporter of biofuels!

Most recently our owner, Brian Deninger, spoke on a panel at the Green Transportation Summit and Expo in Portland. The conference encouraged municipal and private fleets to embrace the adoption of non-petroleum fuels as a tool to slow global warming and reduce carbon emissions. These efforts do not only have a local impact, but also lasting impact globally.

It’s important to gather legislative support for wider distribution of Biofuel and alternative energies. Increasing access to fueling stations will allow our fleet to run higher volumes of alternative fuel on our tours, and will allow us to provide retail fuel customers with more sustainable options as well.

Worth the Costs

We know that doing the right thing for our environment’s future can make for tough financial decisions. We encourage business owners to make those decisions anyway! Incredible Adventures is committed to finding sustainable solutions at the state, national, and global stages, and we encourage citizens in tourism and other sectors to consider petroleum alternatives as often as they can.

As we venture to priceless destinations like Yosemite National Park, Muir Woods National Monument, and beyond, we’ve got to work together sustainably! We know that travel positively impacts our souls, but ironically (and inevitably), it causes negative impacts on our environment. We’re constantly reviewing how we can do better, and hope that consumers everywhere will do the same.

So thank you to our allies online, on the road, and across the globe that are monitoring the playing field. We need more watchdogs out there to keep us all in check. Our goal to run completely petroleum-free is ongoing – but it’s not beyond reach. Stay tuned and join us as we continue to campaign for sustainability!

The post FAQ: Fueled by Biofuels? Really?!? appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

The media likes to hype us up for Black Friday. “Save big on the Holidays” “Holiday Sales” “If you don’t buy it now, you’ll be a big, fat, broke, GRINCH come Christmas!” Instead of bringing joy, these sentiments leave both the consumer and businesses with pressure-ridden anxieties! How can you combat the corporate giants this holiday season? Two words: Get Outside! Being out amongst nature and avoiding the malls today will bring many benefits that will make you want to say “Thanks” year-round! Here are our 3 favorite reasons to  opt outside this Black Friday!

Save Money

Consumerism. Capitalism. Some other ‘ism’ that dictates how you should be spending. With less cash registers and price tags out in the wilderness, you’ll have less temptation to throw your money away. Besides a possible park entrance fee (Here’s a list of California State Parks that waived their fees today), maybe some gear and a couple of snacks, your bank account will thank you for making it outside!

Live Stress Free

You know all of those crazy videos where people get trampled running around the store for savings? Or the ones where grown adults physically fight over toys because of a sale sticker? Don’t camp overnight in line for the malls to open their doors. Put your tent to better use and camp in the great outdoors. Sit around the campfire and wake up to the fresh air and freedom to do what you please.

Support Responsible Businesses

Materialism and the selfish desire to always get ahead has employers acting all sorts of crazy this time of year. The hours start earlier and go way later. The expectation of spending time with family is pretty much out the window. Consumers expect accessibility and some employees pay the price.

Last year, REI shook up the idea of Black Friday and the crowd went wild! The president closed their stores nationwide, urged it’s employees to ‘opt outside’ with loved ones and their target market couldn’t agree more. We support businesses like REI in their efforts to respect the sustainability of their workers and the environment.

So what are you doing looking at your screen right now? Get outside! Unplug your devices. Disconnect from you WiFi and your comfort zone. Forget about Black Friday. Let’s make it a Green Friday! Find yourself in nature today.

The post 3 Reasons to Find Yourself Outside this Black Friday appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

See below to learn what’s going on, how it is affecting Incredible Adventures, and how you can help! 

Incredible Adventures’ owners, Jolie Ginsburg and Brian Deninger, have been part of the Biodiesel community since its roots in San Francisco.  This started in 2002 with our vision of having Incredible Adventures become the first fleet in the US  to power its vehicles entirely free of petroleum.  Our petroleum-free fleet helps protect our National Parks which we value so dearly and rely on for our families’ livelihood.

Over the years we have enjoyed many successes, but we have also endured many challenges, whether it be fueling our fleet or ensuring our community has access to a petroleum-free alternative.   Dogpatch Biofuels has always struggled and never been profitable. However, we have stayed the course and continue to advocate and provide a cleaner fuel to promote a cleaner planet.

We regret to inform you of our biggest challenge to date.  As of January 1, 2016, sale of Biodiesel blends above 20% is prohibited by the California Air Resource Board (CARB) regulations. Our variance from the State of California Department of Weights and Measures to sell blends above B20 does not override this new CARB regulation.

Interestingly enough, this prohibition comes on the heels of Incredible Adventures receiving a Cool California Business Award. The award is issued by CARB for California businesses who demonstrate the ability to reduce CO2 emissions and help California achieve it goals of reduced green house gases for a cleaner tomorrow.

We will continue to work with CARB on the possibility of obtaining an “Executive Order” to resume B99 sales in the near future.  In the interim, we are committed to fueling our community and our fleet on petroleum-free fuel.  To achieve our goal, we are changing the fuel sold at Dogpatch Biofuels to a blend we term RB20 (80% Renewable Diesel, 20% Biodiesel).

Much like Biodiesel, Renewable Diesel is derived from both the waste stream and plant oils.  Renewable diesel is a drop-in diesel alternative with no compatibility issues.  Its emissions profile is better than traditional diesel and is not controlled by big petroleum.  With RB20, we are able to have more competitive pricing when compared with petroleum diesel.  This is due to potential volume increases at the station as vehicle engine compatibility is a non-issue.  Over the last 4 years, renewable diesel pricing is more consistent with petrodiesel than biofuel has been.

According to the Air Resource Board and the EPA, the single biggest positive impact that alternative fuels can have on air quality is in the mid-heavy duty fleets.  Dogpatch Biofuels’ RB20 is compatible with all mid-heavy duty vehicles.  With this fuel change, we have an opportunity to reduce petroleum addiction and improve local air quality. So whether you have a connection with Google Bus or know a small construction company looking to lower their impact, please have them call our office (415) 642-7378 and ask for Brian Deninger.

We ask our community to stand with us.  Whether you are a retail customer, fleet customer, traveled with us, friend, family, employee, or motivated to create a cleaner planet, please share this newsletter.  Other positive actions could include writing your representatives, putting pressure on car manufacturers to support alternative fuels, and/or demanding better products that support local business and a cleaner future.

We urge you to contact the Air Resource Board to express any concerns.  General inquiries 800-242-4450 or email helpline@arb.ca.gov.

Brian Deninger and Jolie Ginsburg
Owners of Dogpatch Biofuels and Incredible Adventures

The post The Current State of Biofuels appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

On Wednesday, March 3, California Air Resources Board (CARB), a division of the state’s Environmental Protection Agency, presented San Francisco’s greenest tour provider, Incredible Adventures, with a CoolCalifornia Small Business Climate Leader award!

CoolCalifornia’s Small Business program acknowledges steps a company takes to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize its environmental impact. To qualify for this award, a business must have less than 100 employees and be in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations. Much of what already qualifies us as an SF Green Business  made us eligible to apply.

Submissions from a wide array of businesses from all over the state were thoroughly vetted by a panel of 17 judges. Nineteen winners represented an auto body shop, a dental office, a pet cleaning company, a winery and vineyard, a hotel, a catering company, a gym and more!

Our biofuel fueled mission on the road and green practices in the office demonstrated to the committee our approach to integrate sustainable practices throughout our operations. Factors taken into consideration during judgement were our plumbing, light fixtures, recycling, composting and green purchasing policy that all align to reduce our costs and increase sustainable efficiency.

As a designated climate leader, we now qualify to distinguish ourselves as a Business of the Year at their next event. We look forward to documenting our improvements this coming year and continuously evolving our operations to proactively work with the environmental issues at hand.

Our commitment to protect the natural areas that we visit on our trips is more than just the physical award or a few paragraphs for the blog. We are leading California towards a healthier economic future. We look forward to the day when green business becomes less of a trend and more of our reality. Less award recognition necessary – we’ll just all do what’s right! But hey, in the meantime – our beautiful, shiny, heavy, blue and perfect award made of recycled glass sure does look nice at our receptionist’s desk

Congratulations to all who shared this prestigious honor!

We are proud to be grouped  together with such an incredible crowd!

The post CoolCA Small Business Climate Leaders appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Check out their video interview here!

It was the middle of the night when our owner, Jolie Ginsburg, woke up with a harsh realization: Our petroleum tours to the natural gems surrounding San Francisco were harmful and unsustainable. She woke her partner, Brian Deninger, up and confessed her unwillingness to be complacent on the matter any longer.  From then on, they vowed to only use alternative fuels whenever possible.

And we did! Today, our growing fleet sets the standard for sustainability by running on 99.9% biofuel!

Click here to learn why IA chooses eco-friendly biofuel alternative fuel!

The post Biodiesel: By All Means appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Since our previous GM (Gussy Haun) made the move to grad school in South Carolina in December and transitioned to managing our group contracts, we’ve been on the hunt for the right person to join our team and fill her role. JD comes to us with a lot of industry experience, and a passion for Adventure Travel and sustainability. Here’s a little bit about JD (you can learn about all of our staff and guides on our Staff Bio page):

JD found his way to the mountains of Steamboat Springs, Colorado from the hills of Kentucky in 1995. He quickly began to expand his knowledge and love of the wilderness as a white water rafting guide, a rock climber and an avid backpacker. Moving south to continue his education at Fort Lewis College in Durango turned out to be a perfect fit as it was situated near all of the outdoor activities he loved and the study of the surrounding geology was absolutely enthralling.

In the spring of 2000, after guiding raft trips for four years, JD began his career as a North American Tour Leader spending most of that decade guiding people from all over the world to the highlights of the USA, Canada and Mexico as well as Guatemala and Belize.

After several years on the road as a guide, JD took a more serious role in transportation working with Con-Way Truckload and became a Certified Director of Safety through the North American Transportation Management Institute. He served as an Operations Assistant Manager, then the Fleet Safety and Compliance Manager and Head of Department for an international tourism organization.

The sense of adventure and care for the environment is still strong for JD, as he pedals his Surly LHT to work most days and with the recent purchase of a 37 foot sailboat, he’ll often be found exploring the San Francisco Bay under the power of the wind and, of course, the occasional use of some of that sweet recycled cooking oil from Dogpatch Biofuels when he has to crank up the diesel.

JD says, “There’s a lot of positive change happening in tourism and transportation right now. I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the Incredible Adventures team, our partners, and our clients up the path toward true sustainability and meaningful adventure.”

Welcome to the team, JD!

The post Meet Our New General Manager: JD Boyle! appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Tomorrow, over a hundred world leaders in many fields (including President Barack Obama) are gathering for a Climate Summit at the UN headquarters in New York to begin work on a global agreement to address climate change. The Climate Summit’s website says “The Climate Summit will be about action and solutions that are focused on accelerating progress in areas that can significantly contribute to reducing emissions and strengthening resilience – such as agriculture, cities, energy, financing, forests, pollutants, resilience and transportation.”

“By promoting climate action, it aims to show that leaders across sectors and at all levels are taking action, thus expanding the reach of what is possible today, in 2015, and beyond.”

To kick things off, more than 300,000 people showed up in New York for the People’s Climate March over the weekend, making it the largest climate-focused march in history. This march filled 4 miles of streets around Columbus Circle and Central Park West and got a LOT of news coverage. Among the crowd were politicians, policymakers, and famous environmentalists – including Leonardo DiCaprio. Leo was recently named a “Messenger of Peace on Climate Change” by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, joining the likes of Edward Norton, Michael Douglas, Charlize Theron, and Jane Goodall (to name a few influential folks that also hold the MOP title). Leonardo will be speaking at the summit tomorrow as well.

Things are starting to change. In the news this week, it was reported that the Rockefeller family is divesting of their shares in fossil fuels, and have pledged to invest in cleaner alternatives. According to the New York Times, “their actions…could help spur international debate, while the shift of investment funds to energy alternatives could lead to solutions to the carbon puzzle.” (read the full article).

At Incredible Adventures, we use biofuel fuel made from locally-sourced, 100% recycled waste vegetable oil to run our fleet of mini-coaches. We think protecting the environment from global warming and traveling the world shouldn’t be conflicting goals, and are dedicated to finding ways to travel responsibly. To see so many people taking to the streets (and putting their money where their mouth is) to bring awareness to these environmental issues is encouraging and inspiring!

The post People Don’t Care About Climate Change? Think Again. appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

We believe strongly in responsible tourism and sustainable travel. In order to minimize waste and support our community, Incredible Adventures has several ways that we reuse and donate these items:

1. FIX IT: We order new parts (instead of buying whole new sets) to decrease waste and make the most use out of our gear. If we wind up with equipment that’s too damaged to donate or pass on, we’ll take any usable parts off of them, so that we can repair our equipment.

2. RECYCLE: We then try to recycle anything we can. San Francisco has launched a zero-waste initiative that now includes textiles, and we’re very excited to have new options for safely and responsibly recycling these items when they’re too worn to use or donate!

3. DONATE: There are many programs in San Francisco dedicated to providing shelter, food, and safety to the low-income and homeless populations in the city. We donate all of our usable sleeping bags and blankets to Project Homeless Connect to be passed down to people in need. Side note: the PHC office also saves all of their single-side printed paper for us to re-use for our own internal printing needs (so that we’re only using new printer paper when it’s necessary)!

This week, Incredible Adventures also donated roughly 30 sleeping bags and some tents to SFUSD Starr King elementary school’s 5th grade class camping trip.  This school serves a large population of low income families, and camping trips like this can help inner city kids get in touch with nature and learn more about the environment.

We’re happy to be able to provide assistance to our community, and are glad that the equipment we accrue can go to good causes.

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A. Incredible Adventures uses a petroleum-free biofuel fuel. This this isn’t yet common in the industry and isn’t directly influenced by gas prices, but we’re still at the effect of market prices for our fuel, and sometimes even subject to limited supply. The surcharge is designed to adjust for fluctuating fuel/operation prices during the tour season. Generally the surcharge is about $10 per-tour and is limited to the tours with the longest drive-times (our Yosemite Tours). If your tour has an additional fuel surcharge, it will be clearly stated on the website or in the brochure.

We believe that protecting the environment from harmful emissions (and not being reliant on oil) is worth the additional cost of using an alternative fuel, and worth the extra work we do to maintain biofuel as a viable alternative in our industry. Our hope is that we can always be clear with our guests about these sorts of additions so there are no surprises, and make sure our clients know exactly what they’re getting, and what they’re paying for it.

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You’ve seen it in the news, in advertisements, on the television, and in your local stores. With the mainstream media *finally* recognizing the devastating effects of global warming and conscious consumers demanding change, being green is “cool” these days and everyone’s jumping on-board.

Corporate “greenwashing” is rampant. You may see the words  “Sustainable”, “Eco-Conscious”, “Good for the Environment”, “Smart Choice”, or “Responsible”, but….how do you know what that means? How do you quantify “green”?

1. Know Where You Stand. If you don’t know enough about the issue, how can you make an informed decision? Knowledge is power, and knowing the details can help you choose the businesses and causes you support. Learn where your boundaries are, and know enough to stand up for them when they’re challenged. Here are some Biodiesel Basics to get you started.

2. Do Your Research. Just because a company says they’re doing something to combat climate change doesn’t mean they’re doing it, or that they’re doing it the way you think they are. Go to the source (if you can) and find out what actual steps they’re taking. Look up reviews and articles to see what people are saying, and ask questions directly if you can’t find the anwers online. Here’s a great resource for finding more local San Francisco Green Businesses while you’re visiting!

3. Beware of Greenwashing. There’s lots of ways to look responsible without having to actually BE responsible (usually by paying someone to do it for you). In our industry, the most common form of this is buying Carbon Credits in order to “offset” transportation emissions (read: exhaust from their vehicles). The thing is, pollution is pollution, so even if you’re planting trees or buying credits from a company that’s decreasing its emissions “on your behalf”, that stuff is still going into the air. It shouldn’t be about someone doing less damage, so you can do more damage and “it’ll balance out”. We ALL need to be doing our part. Incredible Adventures’ Biodiesel Tours are carbon-neutral right out of the tailpipe (no carbon credits needed here)!

4. Walk the Talk. If you want to use these words, be prepared to show you know what they mean. You can learn more about Incredible Adventures’ sustainability efforts here: What Does it Mean to be Green?

The post Let’s Talk About Greenwashing appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Incredible Adventures has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence for the fourth consecutive year! This prestigious award, which honors outstanding service in tourism and hospitality worldwide, is given only to the top 10% of businesses that consistently achieve exceptional traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. There’s a lot of tourism in San Francisco, so to be labeled as “excellent”, well, it feels pretty darn good.

One of our co-owners, Brian Deninger, says “As a small, family-owned company, we are very proud to accept this distinguished award. We have offered petroleum-free tours from San Francisco for more than a decade. In the past 4 years alone, we’ve run over 2 million miles on Biodiesel alternative fuel; offsetting over 65,000 barrels of oil in that time. Our recognition on TripAdvisor shows that you don’t have to travel at the expense of the environment.”

At Incredible Adventures, minimizing our impact on the destinations we visit is second only to the satisfaction of our passengers. To be recognized for the quality of our service empowers us to pursue our ethos of responsible tourism. When you come with us to Yosemite, Muir Woods, or Napa & Sonoma Wine Country, you know that you are traveling responsibly.

We strive to provide experiences for our clients that are sustainable, unique, and also FUN! It’s with the help and feedback of all of you out there that we can continue to do so, and we thank you for keeping us “Excellent”.

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