I took this food tour in 2012. I enjoyed it so much, I'm still talking about it today. I'm happy to…read moresee she's still doing what she loves, based on the recent reviews. I loved all the places she showed us, I would've never paired balsamic vinegar with frozen yogurt or known the fun facts she shared. I'm a Native Bay Arean. I've been coming to Carmel for decades. This food tour was the most memorable.

Our friends bought us a private tour - Enjoy Carmel by Carmel Food Tours. We would highly recommend…read moreCarmel Food Tours - we thought they did a great job. They were super responsive when we wanted to book our tour with just a few days notice - so mad props for their fast, friendly service in getting us booked so quickly!! Our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about Carmel, and provided an overview about the area and was very willing to answer any questions we had. We enjoyed chatting with her throughout the 4 hour experience. We enjoyed tastes from 5-6 different locations throughout the downtown Carmel area. We were definitely provided a lot of variety and everything was delicious - from doughnuts and coffee and nuts to French onion soup and sushi. We had the opportunity at one of the locations (Toro) to have an interactive experience, spending time speaking with the general manager learning the background about the restaurant. We also had a special sake tasting featuring three different sakes. It was a very unique experience and the sushi was also extremely fresh and delicious. Overall, it was a good experience and we were able to enjoy a nice variety of food that local restaurants provide. Important tips for future tour goers: 1. Don't eat before going on a food tour. We thankfully didn't eat -otherwise, we would not have been able to enjoy the food tour to its fullest. 2. Don't book any reservations to restaurants that same day. We were still stuffed by the time it was time to go to dinner - and that was more than 5 hours later!

So glad we booked this excursion for my friends birthday. The tour is 2-3 hours depending on how…read morebig your group is. This was my first time in Carmel-by-the-sea so it was nice to get a little history about this cute seaside town. Our guide Rusti was awesome and so personal. She was sweet, kind and knowledgeable. The tour works with numerous restaurants and shops and they pick 5 locations to take you as well as little hidden gems throughout the town. Our stops...rating are based off what was provided and if I would visit again. 1. Patisserie Boissierre- coming back for the French onion soup! 5/5. 2. Carmel Cafe 2.5/5 pastries and quiche 3. Carmel Honey company 4/5- if you like quality honey, you will get it. 4. Toro sushi-best California rolls I ever tasted 5/5 5. Dutch door donut 4/5- if you want a sweet treat, then yes. Warm donuts. I had the brown butter and it was delicious With tax, the tour is about $150 per person. I would book this tour again if I had some first timer friends coming into town. Now when I visit Carmel, I know exactly where to go

I'll be the first to say that this tour was amazing! Had such a great time and it was a one of a…read morekind experience! 10 gold stars! Will be recommending this to everyone and will do it again! Our tour guide Bonnie was fantastic!

Carmel and the area can be so daunting, It's a huge area with so much to see. So glad they have…read morethis business here to help to educate the tourists about the area. The staff are terrific and they really know the area. Worth every Penney. Just wish they advertised more so people would know about them.

Mike was FANTASTIC!!! He knew so much information and also asked us if we wanted to stop at places…read morevs following a strict schedule. It was like traveling with a friend, a very entertaining and knowledgeable one, with a great sense of humor. The van was very clean and Mike provided snacks and water, and gave a great recommendation for lunch!! I highly recommend this tour company, they were smart enough to hire Mike!!!! Thanks for a memorable day in Monterey and Carmel Mike!!! Cheryl Cannon

It was an ok tour. Tim is definitely knowledgable and passionate about this area. Five stars for…read morethat. There is so much history in Monterey and it was cool to hear it from a local historian. Honestly, for the free short version, you can walk and read all the posted info signs yourself. They are all along Cannery Row! Tim however provides more detail and props to help paint the picture. Thanks Tim for the info! My family and I were happy to learn something new! We purchased a groupon and it was an excellent deal. The souvenir that comes with the tour is an original wrapper from a sardine company and you also get a large business card.

I'm a Groupon addict and so when I saw a deal for Monterey Walking Tours you would think that I…read morewould skim right passed it since I've lived in Monterey on and off for over 30 years. But no not me, I read the fine print and it says you can ask to do a tour of Monterey's Old Japantown aka "Nihon-Machi"... this piqued my interest in so many levels it wasn't funny. I grabbed my sister who was born in Japan and speaks Spanish and Portuguese but not so much in the Japanese department and we frolicked alongside Tim-san after meeting up in front of the JACL Hall next to the Monterey Tennis Center. One look and I realized that I had met Tim-san before at a JACL pancake breakfast where Tim-san was educating us about the small exhibit/mini museum they recently created in the basement of the JACL Hall. I also purchased his book which is packed with photos and stories about the local Japanese many of them whom I've met over the years living in this community. Tim-san is full of knowledge and is passionate about what he does. I read about most of the information he shared but he added a lot of new facts that I didn't know about like how the young Japanese men would play baseball (next to the tennis courts) and some of them would learn Italian before English. Even though I slept only a few hours the night before I didn't yawn once and both of us were so into it we asked a bunch of questions and he was totally engaging during the whole walking tour. When he started talking about Pop Ernest and his brilliant "new" abalone recipe that helped market abalone worldwide which also helped keep the abalone fishing industry alive for a while longer my sister and I started drooling and all we could think about was a freshly pounded abalone, dipped in egg wash and rolled in crackers (I'd personally use gluten free panko) and then pan fried in olive oil with a hint of salt and pepper. I highly recommend a Historic Monterey Walking Tour led by Tim Thomas to anyone, visitors and locals alike. I couldn't figure out why he'd carry a shoulder pack during our walk but when he started busting out vintage scuba diving glasses worn by the divers we got excited and trigger happy. He also carried some other interesting facts and photos he's picked up over the years but I won't ruin the surprises for you so go find out firsthand. Check out his website to see what other types of tours he offers. There is a lot to learn from Tim-san and we are so grateful for our mini morning educational walking adventure today. Arigatogozaimashita!

GF loves her beer and wine! While strolling in Carmel we decided to stop in this place. I'm not…read moremuch of a wine drinker still learning. My GF decided to do a tasting and I usually just take a sip off her tasting. My pallet seems to like the more expensive wine. Not by choice I just like smooth alcohol. We must have tried over 10 different wine and Johnathan made it so enjoyable and even gave names to some wine. So 10 tasting later my GF walked out with a membership and 6 bottles of wine. My GF like the one Johnathan called Sean Connery so much! I purchased that for her as late birthday gift. Come all and try this place out and give Johnathan a holler! Nice tasting room knowledge guy and plenty of room.

I found Albatross Ridge Tasting Room through Yelp while looking for a new spot to do some wine…read moretasting in Carmel and I'm thrilled I did. The tasting room itself is on the smaller side, with a stylish, cozy interior with TVs and private tables. I happened to stop by at a quiet time and was seated comfortably at the bar. The gentleman who helped me was relatively new, but you wouldn't have known it since he was incredibly knowledgeable and well-spoken, providing detailed descriptions of each wine on my tasting flight and answering all my questions without hesitation. I enjoyed the wines enough that I ended up purchasing a couple of bottles once I learned they could conveniently ship them to me. My only disappointment was that some of the higher-end wines weren't available to sample, which made it harder to justify buying a $100+ bottle without trying it first. That said, I completely understand the policy (but I definitely could have been sold on one if I could sample it and it was great). So far, I've visited three tasting rooms in the area, and Albatross Ridge might just be my favorite. Great service, delicious wines, and a relaxed vibe. It's definitely worth a visit.

While visiting Monterey, CA, my friends suggested we do an electric bike tour of the area. This is…read moretheir number 1 spot to go to for electric bikes when guests are in town. It was so easy to rent a bike on this Friday. A QR code is present at the check in area. You fill out the information and provide your credit card data. You then fill out a simple waiver before you get your bike. The staff here are so friendly and helpful. You select your helmet and the staff provides the bike based on your build. You can then get a phone holder or a saddle bag for additional storage,if needed. It's all included in the price. We chose the $55 for 4 hours of biking. (It's $10 extra per hour over the 4 hours.) We were then provided a quick tutorial of the bike process and its functions to allow for a smooth and carefree ride. It was all so easy! Off we went for nearly 4 hours of exploring the area. I highly recommend this business for your an electric bike experience.

Kyle at pacific grove loc helped us! Initially we were here to use the restroom (Ty!!) & ended up…read morerenting a bike to add a perfect ending for our Monterey trip! Super nice employees, super chill, highly informative & helpful! Ty Kyle!

Do not pass go, do not collect $200... book this tour now!…read more https://www.montereyherbalist.com/book-online My wife and I did the 'Foraging & Wild Hors D'oeuvres Tasting' with Lianne and it was such a gorgeous way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It started with the foraging tour, learning about edible and medicinal plants, and ended with a delightful hors d'oeuvres tasting of yummy snacks featuring foraged edibles. We are locals, and I would recommend this for locals and tourists alike. We are not experts at wild edibles and/or medicinal plants, but do know a thing or two, and this tour was perfect. Lianne does a great job making everything really accessible, and I feel like we really expanded our knowledge in a way that is both practical and really sparked a desire to learn more about the amazing plants all around us here on the Monterey peninsula. It's so clear how much Lianne cares about the care and stewardship of these natural treasures just as much as introducing folks to them. I was heartened to have her guidance and was reminded of how just being a tiny bit more thoughtful about the plants around us helps stewardship go a long way. Weather/season permitting you will get to nibble on stuff along the tour, but one tiny recommendation would be to make sure you eat a decent meal beforehand (which I forgot to do). It was so exciting working up to the tasting that I had to exercise a little restraint to really savor the experience and not gobble everything up. Thanks for everything, Lianne!

Lots of knowledge. Great delivery. Hidden spots I didn't know about and it's in my backyard.read more

Michele and her team are amazing! We had a personalized, unique experience for our group of four…read more They think of every detail to make your vacation a true experience, one you and your guests will always remember. From the welcome cards to the personalized wine tours with complete VIP treatment with the winery owners and wine makers, combined with a helicopter tour and fantastic recommendations for the rest of your stay. We had a fabulous weekend and will definitely be calling Wine Flights VIP again. Thank you so much for a great trip and memorable journey.

Michele and Shane at Wine Flights VIP are AMAZING! My wife and I have been to Carmel many times, so…read moreduring our most recent visit we wanted to find a truly unique experience. The Wine Flights team surpassed all expectations. On short notice, they crafted an unforgettable memory! We had a secluded, intimate, on-vineyard tasting and catered meal with panoramic views of the Carmel Valley hosted by the vineyard owner. The food and wine were impeccable, and so were our hosts. We received the highest level of service and loved getting to know the team. They showed us a part of Carmel that we'd never experienced and made us feel like family. We highly recommend this tour for food, wine and travel connoisseurs. The quality of experience rivals and surpasses those we've experienced in Napa and Sonoma. On a scale of 1-10, we give this tour a 15.