Ojai Valley Apiary Tour: Open Live Hives with Local Beekeeper

Watch the Queen Bee inside an open hive, then taste honey pulled that same day.

This guided apiary tour in Ojai Valley pairs a hands-on hive tour led by local beekeeper Steve with a raw honey tasting. You'll suit up in protective gear, open live hives to see worker bees and drones at work, watch Steve use beekeeping tools like the smoker, and sample wildflower, orange, and sage honey. Groups stay under 20 for a personal experience. Children from age 2 are welcome, and infants can ride in a stroller or sit on an adult's lap. The tour runs one to two hours.

The experience

Steve leads this from one of his apiaries in Ojai Valley, opening live hives so you can see the colony structure and watch bees doing their work. Protective suits are provided, and the hands-on setup means you're not watching from a distance. You're standing right at the hive entrance as Steve pulls frames and points out the Queen, the workers building comb, and the drones. He shares how he keeps his bees healthy through the seasons and what the different castes do inside the colony.

The honey tasting comes straight after, sampling raw varieties Steve has harvested: wildflower, orange, and sage, each one tasting different depending on what's blooming in the valley when the bees forage. You'll taste how the season and the landscape shape what ends up in the jar. All ages can join: infants can come in a pram or stroller, and small children sit on a lap during the tasting part.

What’s included

• Protective suit.
• live guide led by beekeeper Steve.
• access to open live hives.
• raw honey tasting with wildflower, orange, and sage varieties.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDeparts at 10:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 12 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Mission Beekeeping

Is this one for you?The tour involves standing at open hives and handling beekeeping work, so it asks you to be comfortable around live bees and willing to suit up. If you're allergic to bee venom, this one isn't a fit. For anyone curious about how bees actually live and work, the hands-on hive access and the same-day honey tasting make the connection between the colony and what you taste immediate and real.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (2 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What do I actually see when Steve opens a live hive?

You'll see the worker bees, drones, and the Queen Bee inside the hive, plus the honeycomb they've built and the brood at different stages. Steve points out what each bee does and explains how the colony is organized.

Do I need my own transportation to get to the apiary?

You'll need to arrange your own transport to and from the parking lot where the apiary is located. Steve will meet you there.

How long does the whole experience take?

The tour runs one to two hours, including the hive walk and the honey tasting afterward.

What makes Ojai Valley's honey different?

The valley's agricultural landscape (wildflower fields, orange groves, and sage scrub) shapes what the bees forage and what flavors end up in the honey. The tasting lets you taste those differences across the varieties Steve harvests.