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.

…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.

Book your Alcatraz Tickets Months or Weeks in Advance

If you’d like to book directly through the Alcatraz Cruises website, you’ll need to do so well in advance. High season for Alcatraz tickets is from June-August. Tickets can be sold out for weeks or even months prior to departure! In fact, June just started and tickets for the Alcatraz night tour are not available until mid/late-August. And let us tell you, that sunset from Alcatraz is spectacular, and does a phenomenal job of really setting the mood. Lucky for you, we have an allocation of Night Tour tickets, so please do read on

Find Alcatraz Tickets for Sold Out Days, or Only Several Days in Advance

Incredible Adventures is given an allotment of Alcatraz tickets from the National Park Service each month! We receive both day and night options to accommodate different requests and schedule needs. Two things that are very important to note though:

1. We MUST package these Alcatraz tickets with one of our tours. We’re a one-stop shop if you were already planning on visiting Yosemite National Park, Muir Woods, Wine Country, Silicon Valley, etc. We even can package Alcatraz tickets with Hop-On-Hop-Off options  or a quick Muir Woods and Sausalito tour if you’re without the flexibility to leave the city for more than a day. Tickets are no more expensive than buying directly through Alcatraz’s website. We’re just here to facilitate a chance to see make it over there!
2. Tickets must be arranged through Incredible Adventures at least four days in advance! We have to turn in our “manifest” to the parks service 4 days before departure. Ordering your Alcatraz tickets through Incredible Adventures works best at LEAST a week out, if not earlier.

Already in town and Alcatraz tickets appear to be sold out?

Wait… You want to go tomorrow?! Well, you still have options. They aren’t great, but you do have options!

Rise and Shine! If you are interested in lining up at Pier 33 at 5am on the morning of your desired tour date there is a last-chance option for you. Alcatraz Cruises releases up to 50 tickets the morning of the tour, on a first-come/first-served basis and subject to availability. Everyone in your party must be present to receive a ticket, so gather the troops, get a big commuter mug of coffee, and make a morning out of it. You won’t know what time of day your tour will be until you get it, so make sure you account for that in your day’s plans. All part of the experience, right?

Resellers.  The only legit way to get tickets within 4 days of the ferry tour is through Alcatraz Cruises at pier 33. But, just like at a sports arena or a music venue, Fisherman’s Wharf often has ticket scalpers offering last-minute Alcatraz ferry tickets at a high price. You may be thinking, “hmm, that seems a bit sketchy…” – that’s because it can be!  Incredible Adventures doesn’t recommend this option. ALWAYS use your best judgment. Trust your sources. There are plenty of scammers out there taking advantage of unsuspecting tourists.

Moral of the story: Plan ahead. We can help. Join Incredible Adventures on a tour to maximize your time in the Bay Area. Explore More. Explore Often. See it all! And follow these tips for your best shot at Alcatraz Tickets.

The post How to Get Last Minute Alcatraz Tickets This Summer! appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Camping Video

There are parts of the park that many people never see because of time and transportation limitations. It’s said that more than 80% of visitors only see about 7% of Yosemite National Park, which is 1,169 square miles of wilderness. On this adventure, you’ll go beyond Yosemite’s Valley floor. This is your chance to explore more! Our small-group tours have unique access to Yosemite’s High Country and the Giant Sequoias. We’ve also opened up more tours this year with five departures a week from May to October.

We provide the camping equipment, and offer sleeping bags for a small rental fee. We’ll also include five fresh meals for your crew. Experience what it’s like to Camp like a Californian as we roast s’mores around the campfire, hike to astounding vistas, and sleep under the stars.

One could easily spend months, or maybe even YEARS, in Yosemite and find a new hike or vantage point almost every day. As you can see in this camping video, there is so much to see and do! If you don’t have time in your vacation to San Francisco for a 3-day camping trip, we also offer one and two-day trips to the park that will still leave you in awe.

However much time you spend out there, be sure to FIND YOURSELF in Yosemite National Park this Summer!

The post Camping Video: Find Yourself in Yosemite National Park appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

One great thing about traveling with Incredible Adventures is that we’ll be continuing our tours to the park daily throughout the season. Our vehicles are small enough and our guides are trained to apply chains to our tires if road restrictions are enforced. Travelers can avoid the stress of driving in uncharted territories by hitching a ride in our small group biofueled mini-coaches!

Once you make it to The Valley, there’s still a lot to see and do. We have single day options, but our if you have the time, we’d recommend our Overnight Hotel Stay-and Play option to experience it all! Here are our favorite Winter activities to check out on our 1 and 2-day tours to the park:

Hike to Lower Yosemite Falls

An easy 30-minute loop trail. While the falls themselves may be dry until rain or snow return, there are still plenty of educational exhibits or places to stop in awe over the nature that surrounds you!

Hike around Mirror Lake

The trail around Mirror lake is open year round and provides a unique perspective to some of the park’s most photographed icons. This hour trail made the list of our favorite Winter Activities for its base views of Half Dome.

Yosemite Museum

Too cold outside? Venture into the museum formerly known as Ansel Adam’s Gallery, to learn about the cultural history of Yosemite’s native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850-present. Demonstrations of basket-weaving, beadwork, and traditional games are presented.

Yosemite Valley Visitor Center

Strike a pose with John Muir! View the exhibit hall where you can learn how Yosemite’s spectacular landscape was formed, how people have interacted with it through the centuries, how wildlife adapts and survives, and how your national park continues to evolve.

Pro Tip: There’s a free 23-minute film that will provide a stunning overview of Yosemite’s splendor

Ansel Adams Gallery

One of the first people to capture Yosemite’s essence was Ansel Adams. Check out his gallery of photos that inspired a nation to head West and recognize the park’s significance!

Majestic Yosemite Hotel

Formerly known as the famous Ahwahnee Hotel, here’s a chance to step back to an earlier era of history as you explore the National Historic Landmark erected in 1927. The hotel provides a cozy atmosphere in which to relax and enjoy a warm drink!

View Half Dome at Sunset

Towering more than 4,000ft above the Eastern end of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome is in a prime location for some pristine sunsets!

Fireside Storytelling campfire at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel

Totally family friendly

Starry Night Skies Over Yosemite

Discover the stories of the night sky. Advanced Registration required at any tour & activity desk once you’re in the park.

Ice Skating

Half Dome Village Ice Rink is open and weather permitting, it costs $9.75/adult, $9/child. Skate Rentals are an additional $4.

Rent Snow Shoes

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can rent a pair at Half Dome Village!

Other Evening Presentations are weather permitting. Have a look at the Park’s website for the most up-to-date winter activities information: http://www.travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/evening-programs/

The post 11 Winter Activities in Yosemite National Park appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

We sent out Mari Johnson, a California native, as a tourist in her own city. Whether you’re traveling from across the world or across the Bay, a day spent in Wine Country is always a treat!

Check out the video from her day tour below:

This tour includes an educational tram ride around the Benziger Family Winery, tastings at Benziger and Imagery, lunch from Glen Ellen Market and property visits to 4-6 wineries.

The post Video Footage: An Incredible Day in Wine Country appeared first on Incredible Adventures.

Step One: Safety

The most crucial aspect of our training process is our focus on Safety. Once a permit is acquired we can begin driving practice. It is no easy feat learning how to reverse or cruise through the city in a transit van with a trailer properly hitched to the back. We focus on skills like J-Docking, Alley-Docking and Offside Parallel Parking to prepare them for their Commercial Driver’s License test that lies ahead.

However, before anyone steps into the vehicle and starts the ignition, a thorough Pre-Trip Inspection MUST occur. Required by law, every time our drivers approach one of our vans, they are to check tire pressure, fluid levels and suspension systems. They make sure that all the seatbelts buckle, turning-signals blink and brakes…. brake. Passengers boarding our vehicles can rest assured that our fleet has been well vetted.

Recently, Incredible Adventures became certified Smith System administers. This nationally recognized standardized safety training adds an extra stamp of security for our guests. 

Step Two: Knowledge

Most of our guides come to us with a respectable amount of experience already! Whether they’ve previously guided cross-country, were born in the Bay Area, or are just Incredible world travelers, we love the diversity they each bring to our tours. We have a guide that lived and worked inside in Yosemite National Park, and another that rock-climbed back in the 70’s – some of the park’s greatest years of elite climbers. Some specialize in their knowledge of Indigenous People and others might as well be certified sommeliers.

To ensure consistency on our tours, we provide study material for *everyone* to learn Yosemite and Wine Country basics. We let them shadow our experienced guides and practice their guiding and narration a few times in front of their peers before the true test – their first group of eager passengers! From there, we let their personalities and creative storytelling techniques take it away to deliver an incredible product.

Our guides are also expected to value our green ethics and know what it takes to be green both on the road and back at the office. This includes recycling, composting and powering our vehicles with alternative biofuels. Ask your guide about what makes Incredible Adventures so proud to be San Francisco’s greenest tour provider!

Step Three: Hospitality and Fun!

In the end, even if you are safer than a risk manager and smarter than a neurologist, if you’re not a total people’s person, this line of duty may not be entirely for you. Tourists coming from all over the world come equipped with a diverse set of expectations, needs, sensitivities and aspirations! We train our guides on customer service to prepare them for almost any situation.

The intimacy our small-group tours provide require our guides to engage with and build camaraderie amongst our passengers. This means more flexible and customizable options as we go. We can stop at one photo stop or one winery over another depending on the group’s communicated wishes.

Incredible guides are exhilarated to lead hikes, recommend tastings and have a s’more around the campfire to involve, get to know and better serve their guests. It’s not all fun and games, but when you’re a tour guide, sometimes it’s just part of the job!

So if you thought we just hired a bunch of hooligans that got lucky with their GPS systems and Google searches – Think Again. Tour guides are all around rock&roll all-stars and we like to think we have hired and trained the most incredible of them all!

See for yourself and book a tour with us today! Experience anything from the mild to the wild and Find Yourself Anywhere.

The post Guide to Incredible Guiding 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.

Could you imagine your day getting any better? Well just around lunchtime – it does!

Here are some ways you can spend your free time in historic Sonoma Town Square:

Grab a Bite to Eat
Lunchtime’s main focus should be the act of lunch. Especially considering the 3-4 tastings on your itinerary, you’ll want some food to soak up the alcohol. Nobody wants to be THAT passenger

A couple of our favorites in the square are Sunflower Caffe as a sit-down option, Sonoma Cheese Factory for a sandwich and cheese sample, or The Girl & The Fig.

Cheese Tastings
While not an official tasting, there are definitely samples to try before you buy. Grab a toothpick and go to town. Try the Jacks; try the cheddars; try em all! We have a feeling you’ll think they’re all grate.

Drink More Wine
Don’t let lunch get in the way of a good time. Keep the wine tastings going! It’s not everyday you’re in a premium wine-growing region. Choose between free pours or pay-to-play. Maybe multitask and order a bite to eat to accompany your glass. However you’re feeling,

Have A Beer
There is a tavern and Irish Pub to take a break from tasting grapes. Sonoma is becoming more recognized for their craft brews so you may want to pair lunch with what’s on tap.

Shop til You Drop
Or at least until you’re supposed to meet back up with your guide! Browse through boutiques full of high-fashion clothing and accessories. Maybe you’ll find the shoes to match that dress you’ve been waiting to wear. Or that dress to match your shoes. Maybe a the perfect golf-themed wine bottle holder for your uncle (no kidding). Skip the cheesy souvenirs (unless it is literally cheese…) and buy yourself something nice!

Learn Something
Sonoma Town Square has a lot of history to it. It’s the site of the Bear Flag Revolt – yes that cute little bear on our state flag – and home of California’s northernmost mission, Mission San Francisco de Solano. Explore the Barracks whose first inhabitants were Mexican soldiers back in 1835!

Chocolate Tastings
Tucked away in a little alley of shops is a delightful chocolate shop sure to appease your sweet tooth. No reservation necessary, you can waltz in and sample their truffle ganache flavor of the day and taste chocolates in varying cacao percentages. Try their world class truffles filled with ganaches made of fruit, honeys, peanut butter, and you guessed it – more wine!

Our guides spend a lot of time in Sonoma Town Square. They’re friends with the locals that work downtown and know all of the hidden gems. Be sure to ask your guide for advice if you’re not sure what to do! However you choose to spend your time – we’re sure you’ll enjoy your break on this Incredible Woods and Wine Combo Tour!

The post Lunchtime in Sonoma Town Square 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.

A) Incredible Adventures travels to Yosemite EVERY DAY. Many tour companies around here shut down their Yosemite operations during the snowy winter months, but we’re one of the few that stay operational year ’round! With the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years’ Day (the only 3 days we don’t operate tours), we run our Yosemite Day Tours daily, year ’round, and our Yosemite Winter Stay & Play Hotel Tours daily throughout the winter season! Our Yosemite Hotel Tours run 3 times a week in the summertime, as do our Yosemite Escape 3-Day Camping Tours.

Q2) What about all the snow and road closures in Yosemite in the winter?

A2) Yosemite is located up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, so it gets quite a bit of snow in the winter time. For us coastal-California types, this is super exciting (we’re not very used to snow down here at sea-level)! Still, it can make transportation through the mountain passes a little more complicated, so we are always well-prepared for any kind of weather. All of our vehicles are small-format (no more than 15 passengers), which makes it easier for us to get around. Every mini-coach in our fleet is prepared with snow chains, and our guides are rigorously trained to know when and how to use them safely. In the winter months, we check the road conditions several times a day, making sure that our routes to and from Yosemite are the safest and clearest available (to assure the safety and comfort of our guests, and also to maximize the amount of time you get to explore the park)!

Q3) Are there differences in the tour in the wintertime?

A3)There are  a lot of areas of Yosemite that aren’t accessible in the wintertime, and you’d be pretty miserable in the cold if you COULD get there. So, we try to format our tours to make sure you’re getting the best options for you within the season that you’re traveling! The links below will take you to our summer and winter itineraries for both our day and overnight tours:

SUMMER:

Yosemite Day Tour
Yosemite Experience 2-Day Hotel Tour
Yosemite Escape 3-Day Camping Tour

WINTER:

Yosemite Day Tour
Yosemite Stay & Play 2-Day Winter Hotel Tour

If you have any concerns or questions, you can ALWAYS contact us and we’ll help you with anything you need to fully enjoy your time in Yosemite!

The post FAQ: Winter in Yosemite 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 picks up at nearly every hotel in the city proper: hotels in SOMA, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, the Financial District, the Embarcadero, and Lombard Street are all within our pickup radius! That said, we cannot pick you up (or drop you off) at the San Francisco Airport, or at any of the nearby airport hotels. Here’s why:

It’s a little-known fact that the San Francisco Airport (SFO) isn’t actually located in San Francisco proper! Because of our city’s unique geography (we’re bordered on 3 sides by water), there’s not a lot of space for things like airports, so it got placed approximately 13 miles to the south. San Francisco has mastered this complication fairly well, with several public transportation options (and many cabs and airport shuttles) to make sure folks visiting our fair city can get here.

Because of this additional space and the long haul to the city, many “Airport Hotels” have popped up in the South San Francisco, Burlingame, and Millbrae areas. These hotels are often less expensive than hotels in the center of the city, and are ideal for business travelers and people who are arriving or departing very early (or very late) from SFO.

Still, this 13 miles from the city can be quite a long way, especially in high-traffic commute hours. This means an added 20+ minutes each direction to get to these hotels, which cuts into the precious time we have to take our guests to see the amazing views of Yosemite Valley (or worse, it cuts into your wine tasting time)! Also, commercial vehicles like Incredible Adventures’ mini-coaches are required to have special permits before they’re allowed onto airport property. Because of this, we do not have pickups available from SFO or the surrounding area.

Q2) So…How can I meet your tour, then?

A2) You have several great options:

– Some airport hotels have a shuttle into the city, or to the airport (where you can catch BART easily). Check with your concierge or the front desk; they will be able to assist you in making the best choice of transportation.

– If you’re staying at an airport hotel with a car, we can suggest a local hotel in the city proper that has very reasonable flat-rate all-day parking. Contact us and we’ll give you directions.

– You can take a cab or Uber, but make sure you check the price before you go. It can sometimes be very pricey, so unless you have a large group and are splitting the fare, be careful!

– Our public transportation systems are very reliable and are a great way to get around. We often suggest taking BART into the city and meeting us right by the Powell St station at a central hotel meeting point (usually the Wyndham Parc 55, which is right next to the station), or taking CalTrain in to the San Francisco Station at 4th and Townsend. We know navigating a new city can be tricky; feel free to give us a call and our staff will be happy to help you figure out the right transportation for you!

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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?

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