Welcome to ag venture tours: about us

Ag Venture Tours & Consulting specializes in wine tasting, sightseeing, and agricultural education tours of the Monterey Bay region of Central California since 1997. We offer half-day van and walking tours for small groups (2-12) and are also available for full-day tours with advanced notice and reservations. We are also available for large group tours and can provide step-on guide service if necessary.

Our Mission is to educate our guests about wine, agriculture, and the rich history and beautiful environment of the Monterey Bay region. Our reputation and experience are second to none in the local tourism industry. We especially value our guests, the community, and the environment sustaining both the hospitality and agriculture industries of the area.

The safety and comfort of our guests always come first. Our policy on Covid-19 is to always wear a mask while indoors (van included) and don't come on the tour if you are feeling ill.

The half-day, van tours either feature wine tasting (Carmel Valley or the Santa Cruz Mountains), sightseeing (Monterey Peninsula, Big Sur, or Santa Cruz), or agricultural education (Salinas or Pajaro Valley).

The half-day, walking tours either visit downtown Monterey (history and points of interest), Carmel Valley Village (wine tasting), or Pezzini Farms in Castroville (agricultural education).

Full-day tours (private groups of 4 or more) are available for either wine tasting, sightseeing, agricultural and/or culinary education but need to be scheduled well in advance. We can also provide educational lectures (wine or agriculture) at either your home or hotel.

If you would like to reserve a tour, you are welcome to use the Peek online booking service or contact Ag Venture Tours directly by email or phone.

We guarantee that you will love our tours and be safe in our hands!

Disabled guests can be accommodated on van tours with advance notification as a special vehicle needs to be hired. Please call Ag Venture Tours directly to discuss your options and tour prices.

Gift Certificates starting from $55/person are available for any of our tour options.

Meet Your Guide

Evan Oakes, owner and tour coordinator for Ag Venture Tours & Consulting since 1997. Starting in 1992, Evan has been working as an agricultural scientist for the University of California Cooperative Extension office in Salinas, California conducting research in vegetable and wine grape production. He has agriculture degrees from both University of California, Davis and Fresno State University with a specialty in viticulture (grape growing). Evan spent two years in Australia working for a large vineyard and winery before working in Monterey County. He is President of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Wine and Food. Evan currently lives in Watsonville, California.

Caroline and I want to thank you for your interesting and educational tour of various growing fields in the Salinas Valley. We now have much better knowledge of the vegetables we see growing around us and the process they undergo from planting to table. We appreciate your willingness and ability to respond to our questions and needs, making it a very customized tour. You can be sure we'll recommend Ag Venture Tours to our friends!

Joe Youmans
(9/30/15)

I want to thank you for the amazing tour you gave us in sunny Carmel last Friday. Everyone had a great time, stopping at the vineyard, by far a favorite. So interesting!!! You really made our trip all the more fun. Thank you for being flexible on the tail end regarding the dinner reservation. What a fun afternoon! Thank you so much!!!!

Karen Symon
(10/2/15)

Excellent Tours Visited December 2016 Our two Carmel Valley Wine Tasting Tours were outstanding. Evan has a wealth of knowledge about the history of Carmel Valley wineries and wine making that he shares. His selection of wineries was great, and he knew the people running each of the tasting rooms so we were given excellent, personalized service. I would definitely use him again.

December 2016

Great visit to America's Salad Bowl Visited March 2017 I have searched long and hard to find a good agricultural tour in California. We travel thru this area at least once a year and I am always left wondering what is growing over there? Well yesterday my search ended with Evan and his Salinas Valley Agricultural tour. It was well worth the wait and price. Evan shared his wealth of knowledge with us and gave us a very well rounded tour of the area that included the crops, cultivation, irrigation, labor force, successes, growth and yes the problems facing the area. I learned so much. I had lots of questions and comments and Evan answered and addressed them very patiently. Thank you, Evan! The Monterey Peninsula is so much more than Fisherman's Wharf and the Aquarium. I urge you all to explore the rich history and industry here.

March 2017

Get to know your artichokes Visited April 2017 Turn on your ears and brains and get fascinated by how agri-business works in the Salinas valley. Not midwest monoculture here! - varieties of crops rotated through the fields. Evan is easy to listen to and very interesting. Many implications for US labor and immigration policies as well (I'll let you draw your own conclusions).

You'll be glad you did this tour.
April 2017

Best tour in the World - "you are what you eat" - thanks for showing us where all our food comes from - where California began! U.S.

Congressman Sam Farr
(10/23/12)

This is my second tour and it was great! I liked it so much the first time I brought my mother with me this time.

Patricia, Pacific Grove
(11/24/12)

Happy New Year 2013! We came from France to visit the amazing Salad Bowl of the World and we were really astonished! Thank you Evan for making us discover this beautiful agricultural landscape. You'll be welcome to see us in Alsace to taste some of our white wine!

Benjamin Lammert and Marie Casenave-Pere, Alsace, France
(1/18/13)