Located in the hills above Agoura Hills, lies an 1,000 acre winery that is home to one of the only wine safaris I have ever heard of. This, is in addition to the fantastic outdoor seating area and the atmosphere they have at their traditional wine tasting counter, makes for fun half day event in the Malibu hills. I mean when have you got to feed Yaks and Zebras in the same day that you tasted upscale wine?
Details
- Wine Safari prices vary but start at $65 for 90 minutes (As of 2015)
- Busy on the weekends
The Safari
When you arrive for the safari you will be shown the awesome stadium style seating jeep that you will be using for this adventure. They usher you onto the back property and then start the tour of the massive grounds.
The first animals we saw was the small herd of four buffalo that greets guests as they enter. I have always liked buffalo so it was fun to see them up close.
Next we went to area where we got to interact with the animals and feed them. Our guides had a selection of carrots that we used to feed everything from alpacas and mini horses to yaks and zebras. It was great, here are some pictures.
I would have to say my personal favorite was the yak, he reminded me of my bulldog and seemed like a big teddy bear.
From there the tour headed around the family’s house and past the giraffe, which was featured in Hangover 3, and a camel. We couldn’t interact with either of these but they were still fun to see from afar.
The tour also has a few fun stops along the way like the door to nowhere and a frame that “frames” one of the best views on the property.
About halfway through the tour you will see a lake and a small house that we were told you could actually rent. This seems like it would be a really fun way to spend a night with friends on the property and I might have to look into it more sometime in the future.
The bus continued to wind around the property until it stopped at a quaint little house that is one of the most used wedding spots on the property, and it is easy to see why.
The house itself has a bedroom and area for the bride and groom to get ready in it and it overlooks the Conejo Valley.
Even the altar where the ceremony takes place is a beautiful and minimalistic, making it perfect for a nice wedding. Combine that with hills full of vineyards and you have a great spot to get married or just to relax and take in the views.
This is where you will taste a wine as well before heading back to the main area to taste the rest.
The Tasting Area
After heading back to the main area we walked the ground to see some of the cool attractions they have here as well. One of the most famous is the wine sign that mimics the love sign in Pittsburg. It is heavily photographed and you can see it at the top of this post.
They also have a wagon with a fish tank, lots of old cars and tons of seating, even an old school bus you can sit in.
The best part about it is that you can bring your own food in to have a makeshift picnic while on the grounds trying wine. It is by far one of the most fun wineries I have been to in a while.
All in all Malibu Family Wines is a great way to get out of the city and spend a fun day with friends. I can’t wait to go again and would love to hear what you think in the comments.
