Overview: As California’s wine industry grapples with a prolonged grape surplus, North Coast vineyard operators are turning to agritourism as a lifeline. By offering farm stays, RV camping and outdoor experiences, these entrepreneurs are diversifying their income streams and attracting visitors to their properties.
The Full Story
Mark and Tammy Lipps’ 6-acre Lake County vineyard is just one example of how agritourism is helping struggling wine country growers. The couple relocated from Manhattan Beach in 2020, just before the pandemic lockdowns, and have since added revenue streams through cooking classes, school groups, overnight guests and camping.
Visitors to their farm can purchase meals prepared by chef Tammy Lipps using locally sourced ingredients. “Because of the flood of grapes we couldn’t sell them last year,” Mark Lipps said. The unsold crop was particularly painful because the vineyard still costs roughly $12,000 annually to maintain.
Production & Profile
The Ripe Choice Farm Stay and Catering offers visitors a chance to stay on-site in their refurbished century-old barn loft rental or restored five-bedroom farmhouse built in 1904. Guests can also camp near the vineyards through platforms such as Hipcamp and Harvest Hosts.
Nelson Family Vineyards, located between Ukiah and Hopland, has converted unsold grapes into bulk wine for sale to other vintners due to industry oversupply. However, even this market has weakened amid industry challenges.
Brand & Industry History
The North Coast region’s vineyard operators have been feeling the effects of a prolonged grape surplus and decreased sales. In 2025 and 2026, The Ripe Choice Farm Stay and Catering struggled to sell their wine grapes, forcing them to diversify income streams.
Nelson Family Vineyards has also experienced challenges in selling their produce due to industry oversupply. To adapt, they have turned towards agritourism by offering RV camping sites through Harvest Hosts before later adding Hipcamp listings.
What This Means
The growth of private-property camping could accelerate under Assembly Bill 518 (AB 518), the Low-Impact Camping Areas Act. The law creates a new category of small-scale campgrounds known as LICAs, allowing participating counties to host up to nine campsites per property.
Supporters argue that AB 518 will help address California’s chronic camping shortages while creating economic opportunities for rural landowners. County governments must adopt local ordinances before the law takes effect in their jurisdictions.
Consumer Takeaway
Agritourism is providing a new revenue stream for struggling wine country vineyards, allowing operators to diversify their income and attract visitors to their properties. With Assembly Bill 518 paving the way for small-scale campgrounds, these entrepreneurs are well-positioned to capitalize on this trend.
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