Take your pick: Walk, glide or on a horse. There’s more than one way to learn about the history of downtown Napa.

Tours of historic Napa have taken on a commercial business flare as three entrepreneurs this summer are creating niches that will hopefully draw locals and tourists to learn more about this river city.

Napa Walking Tour, Segway Napa and Napa Valley Carriage Company have stepped up to offer locals and tourists a chance to learn more about the historic Napa Mill, the famed “Painted Lady” Victorian Home district, Napa Valley Opera House and the Napa River.

Throw in some trivia — such as how the boysenberry was developed here and that the historic courthouse was the site of the last public hanging in California — and Napa’s rich past starts to take shape.

George Webber, owner of Napa Walking Tour, has teamed up with silent partner Don Rickard of Platypus Tours for a two-hour leisurely walking tour through Napa’s historic neighborhoods. Participants meet at the Napa Valley Visitor’s Center in the Napa Town Center.

Gale Tyner, who started Segway Napa, got the idea for her business venture after trips to Chicago and San Antonio where she enjoyed tours on the two-wheeled machines.

And John and Montra Freitas, in the next two months, hope to begin offering historic tours by hoofing it around town in a horse and carriage — similar to what is available in New York City and along Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Fancy feet

Webber’s Napa Walking Tour started in April. He has been giving tours for five years over the hill in Sonoma.

Napa Walking Tours guide walkers around downtown, pointing out the architecture of the historic homes and businesses, several murals, the history of the Napa River and the flood control project.

“I’m excited about being in downtown Napa,” Webber said, adding that “people shouldn’t just stay in Napa, they should take it all in.”

Webber describes himself as a student of early California history, who also enjoys taking on character roles such as General Mariano Vallejo and Mark Twain.

During a recent guided tour, Webber recalls standing in front of a historic home when the owner came out and invited the group to come inside. “It blew peoples’ minds. (Napans) are very receptive, because they care.”

All Webber’s guides are Napans with an appetite for history.

Guide Donna Mendelsohn is a walking tour fanatic. She has gone on walking tours in such places as Philadelphia, Boston, Quebec, Ireland and France.

“A lot of people really don’t understand all the remarkable history we have here,” Mendelsohn said.

Gliding on air

Tyner is betting tourists will happily climb on a Segway to explore Napa. She is also expanding her new business to Yountville.

Segway Napa is a family-run business that right now includes herself, her dad Jimmy and niece Chelsea — all pitching in as tour guides.

Tyner, who started her business June 1, got the idea for Segway Napa after jumping on a Segway tour while visiting Chicago and then San Antonio.

“Napa is more than wine. There’s a lot of history here. I thought it was a great idea to do tours,” Tyner said. “If you can walk, you can ride a Segway.”

Tyner has nine Segways, which can be rented by the hour or day. “This is something even a local person could rent,” she added.

People can take a guided tour on the Segway, or strike out on their own and see the sites at their convenience.

For out-of-town visitors, Tyner will bring the Segway to their hotel, B&B or meet them somewhere downtown. There is about a 10-minute lesson on riding the two-wheeled contraption — also called Personal Mobility Devices.

“This is something great for families who can’t do wine tours, but they can go on a Segway tour. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a different way to see the city.”

The Segways travel on sidewalks and bike paths.

“The hardest part is getting on and off,” she said. There is a video Tyner has people watch with tips on how to ride the two-wheeled craft.Tyner incorporates quirky history about Napa into her tours. She enlightens riders that patent leather shoes were developed here.

During stops, Tyner talks about some of the trivia she has researched — such as “what does the word ‘Napa’ mean?” She said that no one knows for sure.

Horse power

Napa Valley Carriage Company is waiting for the final OK from the police department to offer carriage tours around town as John and Montra Freitas are trying to finalize their horse and carriage route.

Currently they do weddings, private parties and other special events, which is a part-time second job for the pair, who have full time jobs.

“This is what we want to do when we retire,” Montra Freitas said.

Providing the horsepower is Ike and Sparky, two white Percherons — huge draft horses that are comparable to the Clydesdales featured in Budweiser beer commercials.

John Freitas calls the Percherons “gentle giants.”

“This is the breed of choice for temperament. They are calm in traffic,” John Freitas added.

Montra Freitas chuckled recalling giving carriage rides at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center’s Christmas tree lighting festivities when a REACH helicopter came in for a landing on the helipad — Ike and Sparky didn’t give the whirling roar of the chopper blades a second glance.

The Freitas’ have three different buggies — accommodating anywhere from four people up to about 14 people.

The Freitas’ and two Percherons call the Coombsville area home.

It takes about four hours to get the 1,800 pound horses ready for work — they have to be bathed and groomed.

Plans are also in the works for Napa Valley Carriage Company to offer Halloween and Christmas tours this year.

Napa Walking Tour, 694-5097

Segway Napa, 254-9773

Napa Valley Carriage Company, 320-7475