What are you doing to keep guests safe during this time of Covid-19?

• To ensure our guests safety, we are currently offering small group tours with a maximum of ten guests in each group. We also need a minimum of four guests to run our tasting tours - please note that if you make a booking for two guests and no one else books for your tour date, we will reach out and you will be given the option to reschedule, cancel, or pay our private tour fee ($150 for a party of two or $75 for a party of three) to make your tour a private tour.

• Because our tours are walking tours, we will already be outside in the fresh air for much of the time. Furthermore, food and drink tastings will take place outdoors wherever possible.

• State regulations no longer require indoor mask use, but face masks are still strongly recommended in indoor settings to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

• All partner businesses are adhering to local regulations and doing regular cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces, and making hand sanitizer available to customers.

• Guests are also asked to stay home if feeling ill or displaying any signs of illness. In this case, we will kindly reschedule for another date of your choosing.

• We are offering a new option for contactless check-in at start of tour.

How much will we be walking?
Our tours cover a fair amount of walking distance ranging anywhere from ½ mile to 1 ½  miles on level city sidewalks. On the Ventura and Ojai Tours, there will be stops along the way and plenty of opportunities to sit during our stops. On our Taste of Santa Barbara Tour, guests will be standing for most of the tastings, so the Taste of Santa Barbara tour is not suited for those who cannot be on their feet for 2+ hours or those with physical limitations that make walking long distances difficult (for those guests we suggest the Ventura or Ojai Tour instead). For all tours, please wear comfortable clothing and comfortable shoes (casual dress is just fine). We suggest bringing a water bottle, a jacket for cooler weather, and an umbrella if the weather looks questionable.

How much will we be eating?
We will be sampling food at each of our stops (except for the wine, beer and coffee tastings). Some tastings will offer a few bites, while others entail larger portions. Throughout the course of the tour, you will eat the equivalent of a single meal.

What if I’m a vegetarian, vegan, or I’m on a special diet?
We can accommodate vegetarian, vegan or pescatarian diets - please let us know in advance of the tour. Our tours are not ideal for guests on dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, or low fat diets as some of our partner restaurants are not able to make substitutions for these diets. Because we notify all of our restaurants and partnering businesses the day prior to the tour, we are not able to accommodate any last minute dietary requests. Feel free to give us a call at 805-295-8687 if you want more info.

What if I have food allergies?
Our tours are not suited for guests with severe food allergies such as severe gluten allergies or nut allergies. If guests with food allergies are attending the tour, please let us know in advance. If you have any questions, please call us at 805-295-8687 or email us at info@venturafoodtours.com.

Are substitutions allowed on the tour?
Due to the nature of our tours and the tastings we have pre-arranged with our partner businesses, we are unable to make last minute substitutions during the tour. If you let us know 48 hours in advance if you have any vegetarians, pescatarians, or food allergies in your group, we can usually accommodate and offer substitutions where available; but, we are unable to offer substitutions based on food preferences, severely limited diets, or substitutions for young children.

What do I need to bring?
Water is not served with all of the tastings, so we suggest bringing a bottle of water with you to enjoy throughout the tour. In addition, do bring a hearty appetite, your camera, and a tote bag or backpack. All of the tastings are included in the cost of the tour, but there will be opportunities to purchase goodies to fill your suitcase or your pantry should you feel inspired.

What if it rains?
Our tours are rain or shine events and will not be cancelled due to inclement weather. Please wear appropriate clothing and bring an umbrella if it is raining. In the case of flooding or natural disaster, tours may be cancelled. In this case, we will contact you and make arrangements to reschedule your tour or give you a full refund.

Are children allowed?
Our tours are geared toward adults and are not designed for young children. We don't recommend our tours for children under eight years of age, but please email us at info@venturafoodtours.com if you have any questions or would like to bring your child.

Am I expected to tip?
Gratuities are happily accepted by our tour guides. No cash on hand? Most of our tour guides accept Venmo and you can also add tour guide gratuity to your credit card on file either before or after your tour - just let us know if you’d like for us to do so.

Can I bring my dog?
Please leave your furry friends at home. Dogs aren't allowed in most of the businesses we visit.

Are tickets refundable?
Since many people and many restaurants are involved in getting ready for our tours, admission fee for private tours and group purchases of 6 or more tickets is non-refundable from seven days before tour departure. For public tours (purchases of 1-5 tickets), admission fee is non-refundable from 48 hours before tour departure. If you have purchased a ticket but are unable to attend, please pass it along to another food loving friend (and let us know so we can add them to the list instead). If you are coordinating a private tour for a group of friends, please make sure all group members know there are no refunds for no-shows or latecomers to the tour.

What else can we do while we're visiting the area?
We’re glad you asked! We’ve compiled a few lists of fun things to do in Ventura and fun things to do in Santa Barbara, ranging from the natural to the historic to the culinary. And if you’re into craft beer and want to do your own self-guided beer tasting tour, check out this list of breweries in Ventura.

We're interested in a team building experience for our company, do you offer anything like that?
Yes, we can offer a variety of customized, private tours that are perfect for team building and creating camaraderie among your corporate group and co-workers.

If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to email or call us at 805-295-TOUR.