Unfortunately, a visit to our National Parks isn’t always synonymous with the above. In the past decade, our parks have seen a surge in visitors resulting in traffic, crowded trails and a lack of wildlife. Just as the pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, it will also change how we visit our parks.

As Yosemite National Park experts since 1993, you can trust Incredible Adventures for up-to-date information on visiting this paradise of the Sierra Nevadas. Whether you decide to come with us or visit on your own, protect this special place by remembering to ‘Leave No Trace‘ and by following all social-distancing guidelines throughout the parks.

WHAT TO EXPECT

With 83 days being mostly visitor-free, Yosemite National Park (and all U.S. parks) have had some room to breath. Alpine meadows are growing thick and wildlife has been free to emerge without the fear of humans. While you will need a day permit to visit this year (see below for permit details), you can be certain to have some room to breath yourself. For the time being, gone are the days of sitting in Yosemite Valley bottleneck traffic to enter or exit the park. This year, Yosemite will only be returning to a 50% capacity of last year’s numbers.

Even though visitor numbers will be well-below year’s past, there are still a few things to keep in mind. Yosemite National Park covers an unbelievable 1,169 square miles, with 94% of that being designated wilderness. While those are some huge numbers, most everyone that visits Yosemite visits the same contained area—Yosemite Valley. What’s more, Yosemite Valley barely makes up 1% of the entire National Park.

If you’re looking for peace and quiet, regardless of if you are visiting during a pandemic or not, make sure to visit multiple areas of the park. While Yosemite Valley is the most well known, there are numerous regions of the park which are just as beautiful but with less crowds.

What’s Open

Yosemite is currently engaging in a ‘phased reopening’. That being said, most of the park is open for visitors, minus some services. For the full and up-to-date list of what’s open and what’s not, be sure to check the Yosemite National Park Website.

As of June 11, 2020 the following areas and services are open:

• Trails: All trails are open as normal, with route modifications for the Mist Trail due to popularity.
• Campgrounds: Currently Upper Pines Campground is open at 50% capacity and Wawona Horse Camp (horse camping required) is open. All other campgrounds are yet to officially open. It is not recommended to show up to the park for an overnight stay without a reservation. Sleeping in cars is only allowed with a campground reservations.
• Hotels: Most hotels are open at a reduced capacity including Yosemite Valley Lodge and the Curry Village Tent Cabins.
• Services: Facilities and services are reduced throughout Yosemite National Park. In Yosemite Valley, the theater and Yosemite Museum are both closed. The Yosemite National Park shuttle will also not be operating.
• Roads: All roads (including Tioga Road) are now open as normal with the exception of Hetch Hetchy Road, which is only open from 8AM to 5PM.
• Sequoia Groves: There are multiple Sequoia groves around the park, all of which are currently open. Mariposa Grove can be reached by parking at the Mariposa Welcome Plaza, but once that is full you must walk the two-miles (each way) on the Washburn Trail or on Mariposa Grove Road to reach the trails of the grove itself.
• Gas: Gas is currently available in Wawona, El Portal, and Crane Flat.

It is invaluable to remember that the free park shuttle will NOT be operating this year. If you planned on a car-free visit to the park, see our recommendations below.

Wilderness Permits

Wilderness permits for overnight hikes to Half Dome and the backcountry are currently open. All wilderness permits and quotas still remain in effect. If you have a wilderness permit for anytime past June 5th, it will be honored and you will be contacted on how to receive the permit via email.

The Best Time to Visit

All seasons are unique and beautiful within Yosemite National Park. Typically, summer is hot, dry and full of crowds. If you’ve always avoided Yosemite during the summer, maybe this is your best chance to visit. If you have the flexibility, the fall typically offers warm and clear days, but more comfortable temperatures.

Don’t be hesitant about visiting Yosemite during shoulder or slow seasons. Whether it’s a foggy and cool morning or a snow-covered scene, Yosemite is a sight to behold.

How to Visit

Visiting Yosemite National Park this year will differ drastically than years past. Basically, there are three main ways to visit until further notice.

1. By private vehicle

To visit the park in your own vehicle, Yosemite National Park has implemented a day-use reservation system on recreation.gov.  Permits must be reserved prior to your visit, with 80% being available one month in advance and 20% being available 2 days in advance. You must make sure to enter the park on the first day of your permit or risk it being cancelled. Permits last for 7 days and cost $35 per car. You do not need to pay per person, only per vehicle.

Since the implementation of this permit system, reservations have been going quickly. It is highly recommended to be logged on at 7am Pacific Time one month prior to your visit to try and get a permit. Remember, permit numbers are based on 50% capacity of last year, so as tourism picks up there will not be enough permits to go around. Once in the park though, you’ll have the freedom to go wherever you like. Since the free park shuttle is not operating this year, it will be more difficult to reach areas outside of Yosemite Valley without a personal vehicle.

Don’t forget, it is highly discouraged to come to the park and plan to stay overnight without a reservation. For comfortable and conveniently located rooms, you can easily make your reservation with us. We often times have availability even though other sites are still sold out.

For comfortable rooms nearly at the base of Yosemite Falls, be sure to check out Yosemite Valley Lodge. If you’d rather feel closer to nature, look into the historic tent cabins in Curry Village. With heated or unheated rooms and multiple occupancy styles, this rustic option involves all the best parts of camping, without having to sacrifice comfort.

2. By public transportation

As stated above, the free National Park shuttle is not operating this year within the park. Fortunately, YARTS, the Yosemite public transit service, will still be in operation with some slight changes. The public transportation connecting Highways 108,120, 140, 41 and 395 to Yosemite Valley will offer a reduced capacity service, allowing 22 advance reservations with a maximum of 30 passengers per vehicle.

It is important to remember that while you can take YARTS into the Yosemite Valley, once you are there there will be no transportation available to visit other areas of the park. Make sure to visit https://www.yarts.com/ for more information.

3. By small-group tour

By far our favorite option, joining a tour allows you to easily visit all areas of the park while not needing to have obtained a day-use permit in advance. Yosemite Hospitality will not be operating their typical bus tours this year, but there are still a few other operators to choose from, including ourselves!

Benefits of joining our tours:

• No day-use permit needed. All of our tours include Yosemite National Park entry
• Leave the stressors of driving around a mountainous and expansive park to our professional drivers
• No need to deal with parking inside the park
• During this unpredictable time, our guides have expert knowledge of what’s currently going on around the park
• Leave lunch to us. Our Best of Yosemite and High Country Tour both include a fresh box lunch we source from outside the park
• Get tips on the best trails and how to visit the park like a pro, even under time constraints

We’ve implemented many health and safety protocols in response to COVID-19. See our Health & Safety page dedicated to the subject for all the ways we are keeping you safe.

Click above to see our four NEW Yosemite tours to help you expertly explore the park during COVID-19.

Are you planning on visiting Yosemite this 2020?

The post Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Yosemite National Park in 2020 appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

“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.

It’s important to stay informed and do your part to reduce risks to yourself and others especially when planning on traveling to San Francisco during COVID-19. Here are four ways to make the most of your visit to our beautiful city while protecting yourself and others.

Take precautions as recommended by the CDC and WHO

It doesn’t matter where you might be traveling, it’s important to take all the necessary precautions to keep yourself and others healthy. Currently, the CDC recommends:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to  others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

As you can see there are many simple ways to protect yourself and others from the spread of the virus during travel as advised by official health organizations. Please visit the below links for the most updated information:

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel by the CDC
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) travel advice by WHO

Stay home if you’re feeling unwell

It’s never been more important to remember to stay home if you are feeling unwell and/or exhibiting symptoms. Regardless of if you plan on sightseeing solo or joining one of our tours, we appreciate your cooperation in reducing the spread of any kind of virus. We are currently recommending the same for our guides and staff and will be continuing to provide clean and sanitized vehicles.

If you’re in San Francisco and are looking for a location to get a flu shot, visit SFCDCP for locations and fees.

Visit those attractions that would typically be too busy or crowded

With many large companies advocating their staff work from home and with many large conferences postponed, there is one silver-lining to visiting San Francisco over the coming weeks and months– it will be a lot less crowded. Typically, San Francisco is brimming with tourists and business travelers but now is the perfect time to take advantage of the fewer crowds. Get those picture-perfect photos of our streets without people in them, snag a seat on our historic street and cable cars or obtain that last-minute reservation at one of our many famous restaurants.

Don’t forget about tickets and tours either. While typically sold out far in advance, now may be the perfect time to get coveted Alcatraz tickets. Bundled with one of our tours, you’ll also be able to see the best of the Bay Area in a short amount of time. Additionally, this may be the perfect time to get some fresh air and visit our National Parks without the usual crowds. Muir Woods National Monument and Yosemite National Park are a dream come true in the slow season and some time in nature might just be what the psychiatrist ordered during these stressful times.

Look out for special deals and promotions

The travel industry is one of the many economic sectors being hit hard in light of COVID-19. Many conferences coming to San Francisco have been rescheduled and many flights from China have been paused. The lack of visitors not only means less crowds but also the opportunity to find great promotions or discounts on anything from flights to hotel rooms and even tours. Here at Incredible Adventures we are currently offering the following deals to help you get out and explore the beauty of Northern California:

• • 20% off all wine tours when booked before April 1st

Save 20% off your wine tour when you make your booking before April 1st. Travel anytime this year and use code WINE2020 at checkout. We will also waive the 6% booking fee when you call us directly to book! Discount applicable to the following:

• • • • Napa and Sonoma World Class Wine Tour
      • Muir Woods with Napa & Sonoma Wine Country
      • Redwoods, Sonoma, and Napa Wine 2 Day Hotel Tour
        
      • Alcatraz Day Tour (Day 1) + Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour (Day 2)
      • Alcatraz Night Tour and Aquarium (Day 1) + Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour (Day 2)

• • 10% off all winter tours departing from San Francisco                       

Get 10% off when you book a tour departing from San Francisco before June 1st. Use code IAWINTERWONDERLAND at checkout. Call us to book and we will waive the service fees too.

Be sure to check our ‘Deals’ page for more.

We continue to welcome you to our city and wish you safe and healthy travels.

-From all of us here at Incredible Adventures

The post Tips for Traveling to San Francisco during COVID-19 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.

You know the bottle we’re talking about. The expensive one you bought on vacation in Napa 5 years ago. The one you got as an anniversary present, or from your boss for a job well done, or that you bought for a “special occasion” that never really manifested. Yeah, THAT bottle. The one gathering dust in your cabinet.

Maybe it feels like the time isn’t right, or that you haven’t reached your goal yet, or that it’s just too “special” to open. Maybe your friends aren’t wine connoisseurs and you think you shouldn’t “waste” it. While those excuses may be legitimate for you, you may be missing out on the chance to celebrate and re-live the experiences that got you the wine in the first place.

THIS WEEKEND ONLY: save BIG on a wine tour!
Promotion ends soon.

It’s time to live a little: National Open That Bottle Night is coming up on February 28th (this Saturday). This is an opportunity to come together with friends, get creative with a special meal, and finally breathe life into that aging beverage; making new memories and savoring the old ones. Open That Bottle Night was invented by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brechter of the Wall Street Journal’s weekly wine “Tastings” column (see their article about OTBN here, and learn some tips to ensure success). They believe that “wine is more than the liquid in the bottle. It’s about history, geography, relationships and all of the things that are really important in life”.

Regardless of the age, price, or varietal, open a bottle of wine this Saturday and relive the memories that make it special.

…And hey, you’ll need some new memories, so come along with us on a Muir Woods and Sonoma Tour, a Napa & Sonoma Wine Education Tour, or even our Napa & Sonoma Overnight Hotel Tour and get a couple new bottles, bring them home, and stick them in the back of the cupboard for a special occasion*. There’s another Open That Bottle Night coming along on February 27, 2016, after all.

THIS WEEKEND ONLY: save BIG on a wine tour!
Promotion ends soon.

*Here at Incredible Adventures, we believe strongly that Wednesdays are special occasions (#WineWednesday). Also any day when traffic is bad, or there’s nothing but reruns. Also all other days. YOU make it special! OPEN THAT BOTTLE!

The post Open That Bottle! 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.

Our 

href=”https://incadventures.com/tour/yosemite-winter-day-tour/”>Yosemite 1-Day , Muir Woods and Wine, and Napa & Sonoma Wine Education tours run every day during the winter, providing a great get-away for guests who don’t have a lot of time (but would like to get a glimpse of California’s beautiful countryside). For travelers with a little more time to explore, we offer two-day tour packages (hotel stay included) of both Yosemite and Wine Country through the winter. These tours are a great way for passengers to take in everything California has to offer.

This is an excellent time of year to see Wine Country, and there’s no better way than to get a hotel right next to beautiful Sonoma Square and spend a couple of days! With our Napa, Sonoma, and Muir Woods 2-Day Hotel Tour, you can do just that! This time of year the tasting rooms are less crowded, everyone is starting to get into the holiday cheer, and new wines are being pulled out for special holiday sales (yay)!

In addition to folding up the tents from our last camping trip of the season, we’ve also completed all of our summer hotel tours to Yosemite National Park. The roads to Glacier Point and the Giant Sequoias will be closed soon, and the trails are beginning to be snowed in. Now we move to our winter itinerary, which focuses on the beautiful solitude of Yosemite Valley in the snow, as well as offering our more active guests an option for some skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice skating, and fun on the slopes! This trip includes a stay in a cozy hotel INSIDE Yosemite Valley, where you’ll be immersed in the winter beauty throughout your stay. Our Yosemite Stay & Play Winter Hotel Tour is an awesome way to experience Yosemite Park.

As the busier summer months fall away, the shoulder season is the optimal time to finally go on that wine country tour you’ve been meaning to arrange with us. Or catch a glimpse of Yosemite, made no less beautiful by the winter months. Bundle up and come away with us on an Incredible Winter Adventure!

The post Winter with IA 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.

The post Sustainable Travel: Donating Camping Gear appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

A new study called “In Vino Veritas” was presented on September 2, 2014 at the ESC Congress by Prof Milos Taborsky of the Czech Republic. This study showed that though wine DOES protect against cardiovascular disease, it only works if you exercise. The theory of heart-healthy wine consumption has been kicking around since the ’90s, but this is the “first randomised trial comparing the effects of red and white wine on markers of atherosclerosis in people at mild to moderate risk of CVD”, said Taborsky. “We found that moderate wine drinking was only protective in people who exercised”. 

Basically, a bunch of folks had to drink wine (Pinot Noir or Chardonnay-Pinot) for a year FOR SCIENCE. Sounds like a great job. Corks were collected to prevent cheating (who would cheat by NOT drinking wine?), and the participants tracked both their consumption and exercise, and maintained their regular diets. Their cholesterol levels were tested after a year.

Ultimately, it was found that wine alone isn’t a magic heart-protector, but that when paired with moderate exercise (defined as “at least twice a week”), good things happened. HDL (“good cholesterol“, which protects your heart) levels increased in this subgroup, and LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and total cholesterol levels decreased overall.

You can read a detailed description of the In Vino Veritas study and Taborsky’s findings here.

Soooooo…basically, you should probably go for a walk, and then have some wine. If you need some help with that, check out our Muir Woods and Wine Tour, our Napa & Sonoma Wine Education Tour, or our Woods & Wine Overnight tour. We’re not saying it’ll help your heart, but it sure won’t hurt to try!

The post I Heart Wine: Drinking for Health 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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