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Jan 06, 2024

Trolley wine tours in Excelsior Springs take guests on a whirlwind visit

The Excelsior Springs Trolley Wine Tours take visitors to four of the city's

The Excelsior Springs Trolley Wine Tours take visitors to four of the city's local wineries where they'll experience tastings, meals, music and more.

The tours start at 10:30 a.m. and run until 5 p.m., said Lindsay Hall, the trolley coordinator.

Each tour begins and ends in downtown Excelsior Springs at Willow Spring Mercantile where customers start with brunch and the first wine tasting.

Brunch is served in the downstairs bistro with a ham-and-vegetable quiche, spinach salad with fresh berries, fresh fruit and a caramel cappuccino brownie for dessert, Hall said.

After brunch, the trolley takes guests to Fence Stile Vineyards & Winery. Fence Stile is also a distillery, so they will be able to indulge in beers, spirits, cocktails, mimosas and sangrias. The location also offers live music, movies on the patio, FirePit Fridays and other activities.

After the first stop, the trolley heads to Van Till Family Farm Winery where guests can visit with the Van Till family and sample their wines. The Van Till's wood-fired oven pizza is available for an additional cost.

From there the trolley makes its way to last stop Shamrock Hills Vineyard & Winery before heading back to Willow Spring Mercantile. The establishment is the trolley tour's newest stop, described as having Irish-themed hospitality where visitors are treated as family.

Once the tour wraps up, souvenirs are handed out to remember the experience.

"Each guest gets a six-bottle souvenir wine tote, silicone bracelet and the option to purchase a 12-ounce Trolley wine tumbler," Hall said.

In addition to the regularly scheduled wine tours, the Excelsior Springs Chamber Trolley is available to rent for a private group.

Hall said anyone may call and rent out a trolley within a 50-mile radius or they may rent a shuttle that can be used anywhere. These private rentals cost $150 per hour for a minimum of two hours.

The chamber has has two trolleys — the Molly Trolley, which can hold 28 guests, and the Chance Trolley, which can hold up to 32 guests. The shuttle, called the STAR, holds up to 25 guests.

"Use us for bridal parties, rehearsal dinners, shuttle transportation, birthday parties, family reunions, parades, any event you want to put together," Hall said.

Or she can put together a beer tour, a wine tour or a history tour.

In addition to the private rentals and standard wine tours, the Excelsior Springs Chamber Trolley Tours are staging a Wine and Dine Trolley Tour on July 29 and Sept. 30.

This tour is similar to the standard wine tours, but it features appetizers, dinner and dessert rather than brunch and the optional pizza.

Like the other wine tours, visitors begin at the Willow Spring Mercantile where they start with an appetizer and wine before making their way to Shamrock Hills Vineyard & Winery for more wine and a meal. The tour concludes at Fence Stile Vineyards & Winery for dessert and more drinks.

What: Excelsior Springs Trolley Wine Tours

Where: Willow Spring Mercantile, Excelsior Springs

When: Regularly scheduled wine tours begin the fourth Saturday in April and run the second and fourth Saturdays of every month through mid-December. Wine tours also run on the third Saturday of each month from April to December. A standard tour runs from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: $105 per person for the entire tour, excluding additional purchases at stops

Contact: 816-630-7500

Details: The Excelsior Springs Trolley Wine Tours take guests to four local wineries for wine tastings.

Where to register: www.estrolley.com

Guests can book a room in an antebellum home or one of two themed cottages.

Community reporter, spring 2023. Studying journalism with an emphasis in news writing and reporting. Reach me at [email protected], or in the newsroom at 882-5700.

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