Scenic Desert Wine Distillery Brewery Route 66 Tour

Kingman’s desert wine route is an unexpected pleasure: one minute you’re following old Route 66, and the next you’re tasting rum made at an airport distillery or sipping wine beside rows of Arizona vines. This small-group outing combines food, drink, scenery, and local stories without trying to turn the day into a rushed checklist.

I like the relaxed pace and the mix of stops. The Little Old Wine Drinkers Winery gives you a personal, family-run visit, while Black Bridge Brewery brings you back downtown for beer, music, and a comfortable patio. Guides such as Sue, Mike, Bob, and Brandon are praised for their local stories and easygoing manner. The main drawback is the driving: from Kingman, the day is manageable, but past versions involving Las Vegas involved a long ride, and current booking details say Las Vegas pickup is not available.

Key points to know before booking

• Up to seven tastings: Wine and distillery samples are included, with a brewery substitute when the distillery is unavailable.
• A genuine Route 66 setting: The day includes the Arizona Route 66 Museum and Powerhouse Visitor Center in Kingman.
• Lunch is included: The dining location can change, and gratuity is not included.
• The distillery closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays: On those days, the drink portion may change.
• Small groups matter: The maximum is 13 people, with a minimum of two required to operate the tour.
• Plan for a full morning and afternoon: Pickup begins around 8:00 a.m., and the outing lasts roughly 5 to 6 hours.

Why this Route 66 day feels different

Kingman is often treated as a quick fuel stop between Arizona and California. That misses the point. The town sits along one of the best-known stretches of old Route 66, and this tour gives you reasons to slow down.

You get a little of everything: desert scenery, local wine, Arizona-made rum, craft beer, lunch, and a museum visit. It is not a formal wine education day, and it is not a hard-driving sightseeing tour. It is closer to a hosted day out with several flavors of Kingman woven together.

The local guide can shape the experience. Sue is praised for explaining desert plants and the surrounding area without rushing anyone. Mike is described as a strong storyteller with useful background on Kingman and the countryside. Bob and Brandon are also noted for local lore and area history.

That human element matters here. The wineries and small businesses are not polished theme-park attractions. Their appeal comes from the owners, staff, stories, and setting. You should expect a casual visit rather than a highly structured tasting seminar.

Starting with Kingman and Route 66

The day begins at about 8:00 a.m. Pickup is offered, but you need to provide your pickup location when booking. The tour is limited to 13 people and requires at least two participants, which keeps the vehicle and stops more personal than a large coach excursion.

The Route 66 portion generally includes the Arizona Route 66 Museum and Powerhouse Visitor Center. This is a useful first stop because it gives the drink stops some context. You can see how the old road shaped Kingman and why the town remains linked to road-trip culture.

The museum is not just a quick photo stop. It helps explain the road’s importance before you head into the countryside and Winery Row. If you care about transportation history, roadside culture, and the old American highway, allow yourself time to look around rather than treating the museum as a box to check.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, and bottled water is included. One practical caution: one account found the bus a little small. With a maximum of 13 people, space will depend on the vehicle and how full the tour is. If you dislike long rides in close quarters, ask about the vehicle when you confirm.

Little Old Wine Drinkers Winery and Arizona vines

The first winery stop, Little Old Wine Drinkers Winery, sits on six acres just off historic Route 66. More than 4,000 vines grow there, with mountain views beyond the outdoor seating area.

This is the kind of stop that makes the tour worthwhile for people who want something more personal than a tasting-room counter. The winery is family-owned, and the owners are known for telling entertaining stories about the work of turning bare ground into bottled wine. You are likely to get a sense of the full process, from the vineyard to the glass.

The wine list can include Pinot Grigio, Tempranillo, Rosé of Zinfandel, red blends, and the winery’s signature Pink Bikini, a grape and strawberry blend. That last bottle tells you what to expect: this is not only a serious red-wine stop. The selection includes approachable and playful choices as well as more familiar varieties.

You get about 45 minutes here. That is enough time to taste, hear some stories, and sit outside, but not enough for a long vineyard tour. I would treat this as a social tasting with scenery rather than a technical lesson in viticulture.

The desert setting is part of the fun. Arizona can look like an unlikely wine country, yet the rows of vines and mountain views make the contrast memorable. You will also find that the outdoor area matters as much as the wine. This is a place to slow down, take in the views, and let the morning settle into a holiday pace.

Desert Diamond Distillery and the Arizona rum story

Desert Diamond Distillery, often called D3, is Arizona’s oldest craft distillery. The family-owned operation began in 2008 and works from Kingman Airport, close to historic Route 66.

The distillery produces everything on site, including fermentation, distilling, aging, and bottling. A German still is used in the process. The tour typically includes the production room and barrel room and lasts about 20 to 30 minutes, followed by samples at a vintage bar rescued from the old Las Vegas Strip.

The rum is the main attraction. The Gold Miner collection includes white rum, dark rum, and an agave rum sweetened with agave nectar. Whiskey drinkers can try corn whiskey moonshine, aged wheat whiskey, and Rum & Rye.

There is also a strong award story behind the barrel reserve rum. An 11-year reserve received a score of 99 at the 2023 International Wine and Spirit Competition in London and ranked first in its rum category. That does not mean every sample will suit your taste, but it does give the distillery more weight than a simple roadside tasting stop.

The schedule matters. Desert Diamond is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. When it is unavailable, the tour may substitute a brewery stop, so you should not book this day expecting the distillery on every departure. The included drink samples may also vary with the day’s exact route.

Lunch at Sirens Cafe and Custom Catering

Sirens Cafe offers a welcome change from liquid refreshments. The family-run cafe is operated by Carmella Hynes and Denise McMillan, a mother and daughter team in historic downtown Kingman.

The food focuses on made-from-scratch sandwiches and European-style paninis served on fresh-baked Italian bread. Homemade ricotta, artichoke spreads, and locally sliced meats give the menu more character than a standard group lunch.

The Curry Tito combines curry chicken salad with green apple, craisins, and cashews. The La Rocco panini is another signature choice. Daily specials and homemade soups may be available, with seasonal ingredients guiding some of the menu.

Carmella studied cooking in Florence, Italy, and the cafe has a home-like atmosphere with a mermaid theme. You can eat inside or on the patio beside the neighboring brewery.

Lunch is included, but the location may change on some days to provide the best available dining experience. Also budget for a gratuity. One past account specifically noted that lunch was included but the tip was extra, which is normal for a hosted meal but easy to overlook when comparing tour prices.

Black Bridge Brewery and a relaxed finish

Black Bridge Brewery, known locally as B3, opened in 2013 on Beale Street along Route 66. Its name comes from a railroad bridge that served as a local meeting place beginning in the 1960s.

The brewery has more than 20 beers on tap, including year-round choices such as Evil Red IPA, Wicked Poison, Locomotive Stout, and Scorched Earth. The last is a ghost pepper beer, so approach it as a curiosity unless you already enjoy serious heat. Seasonal choices can include Prickly Pear Pale Ale.

The taproom has a compact indoor bar and a larger backyard patio with a redwood stage. Live music is held most weekends, though the schedule can vary. Food is not served directly at the brewery, but nearby restaurants can deliver to your table.

This is a good final stop because it feels informal. You can compare the beer with the wine and spirits from earlier in the day, sit outside, and let the pace ease off. Non-drinkers are not ignored: handcrafted ginger beer and cold-brew coffee are available.

If the distillery is closed, Black Bridge may take on a larger role in the day. That can be a fine substitute, but it is worth understanding the difference. A brewery visit will not replace a production tour and rum tasting if that was the main reason you booked.

What the $159 price really covers

At $159 per person, the tour is not cheap, but the price includes more than transportation. You receive an air-conditioned vehicle, a driver, bottled water, lunch, wine tasting, distillery samples when available, brewery substitution when needed, and taxes and fees.

The value depends on how you would otherwise spend the day. If you rented a car, you would need to navigate between several stops, designate a driver, arrange tastings, pay for lunch, and find the Route 66 museum yourself. The tour removes that work and lets everyone in the group sample the drinks.

The strongest value comes from the guide. Sue, Mike, Bob, and Brandon are praised for making the driving time useful with local facts, desert observations, and stories about Kingman. If you prefer independent exploration, the fixed itinerary may feel restrictive. If you want someone else to handle the road and connect the stops, the price is easier to justify.

The tour is also best value for adults interested in several types of drinks rather than one narrow category. You are not paying for a full winery tour, a full distillery course, and a full brewery education in one day. You are paying for a varied sampler with lunch and transport.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend it to couples, friends, and families with adults who enjoy food, drink, and small-town history. It works particularly well for people staying in Kingman who want to see the countryside without driving after tastings.

It also suits anyone curious about Arizona’s less obvious attractions. The wineries are a surprise, the distillery offers a strong local product, and Black Bridge gives you a sense of Kingman’s downtown social life.

The tour is less suitable if you want a serious wine course, a large number of full pours, or a tightly controlled luxury experience. One past complaint focused on small wine samples, and the amount poured is set by each tasting location. If you expect generous servings, you may be disappointed.

You should also be comfortable with a long day and several transitions. The experience is relaxed at each stop, but you still move between the museum, winery, distillery, cafe, and brewery. Pickup details must be confirmed, and the current information says the tour is not available from Las Vegas.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. The tour requires good weather and a minimum number of participants, so a weather or minimum-size cancellation can result in another date or a full refund.

Should you book the Kingman wine and Route 66 tour?

Book it if you want a social, varied day around Kingman and like the idea of combining desert scenery with local drinks and lunch. The best parts are the family-run winery, the unusual rum stop, the Route 66 context, and guides who make the road time enjoyable.

Skip it if you are focused on one refined tasting experience or dislike group transportation. Also check the day of the week if Desert Diamond Distillery is essential, since it is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

For most visitors with five or six hours to spare, this is a smart way to see more than the highway view of Kingman. Just confirm the pickup point, the exact stops, and whether the distillery is operating before you pay.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour is based in Kingman, Arizona, with stops around Route 66, local wineries, a distillery, a brewery, and a cafe.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 5 to 6 hours and begins around 8:00 a.m.

Is pickup available?

Yes. Pickup is offered, but you must provide your pickup location when booking. Current details state that pickup from Las Vegas is not available.

What is included in the $159 price?

The price includes transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, a driver, bottled water, lunch, wine tasting, distillery samples, brewery substitution when the distillery is unavailable, and taxes and fees.

Is the distillery visited every day?

No. Desert Diamond Distillery is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The tour may use a brewery substitute when the distillery is not available.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 13 people, and at least two participants are required for the tour to operate.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Weather or minimum-participant cancellations may also result in a different date or a full refund.