A city as unique as San Diego deserves to be experienced in unique ways. That’s why many visitors to San Diego decide to go on one of the city’s distinctive kayak tours. These special excursions get you up close and personal with the area’s famous natural beauty. Whether you’re interested in the sea caves of La Jolla, fascinated by the elegance of the Coronado Bridge, or dream of spotting a gray whale in the wild, there’s a San Diego kayak tour available for you.
Which San Diego Kayak Tour Is Right for Me?
No matter if you’re an outdoor person or just want to have some fun in the sun, you’ll want to consider going on a kayak tour while in San Diego. But which kayak tour is right for you? As you set about deciding, ponder the following questions.
What are my kayak tour priorities?
Regardless of your experience level, there are many different San Diego kayak tours on the market today. Many of these tours highlight one of San Diego’s most acclaimed spots, the La Jolla Sea Caves. However, throughout the greater San Diego area you’ll find tours that highlight sunset views, whale watching, the city’s skyline, and more. A good first step toward picking the kayak tour that’s best for you is to think long and hard about just what exactly you want to see . . . from the sea!
What’s my budget?
When thinking about your kayak tour budget, it’s important to consider money and time. Most San Diego kayak tours last at least two hours, but some of the more elaborate tours run approximately seven hours. Likewise, you’ll find beginner-level kayak tours that cost about $40, while full-day outings can go for well over twice that per person.
Popular San Diego Kayak Tours
After you do some brainstorming about the type of kayak tour you’d like to experience, it’s time to talk specific companies. Here are three well-regarded San Diego kayak tour operators.
Bike and Kayak Tours La Jolla
Bike and Kayak Tours La Jolla specializes in kayak tours that take guests to the sea caves of La Jolla, but they also offer bike and snorkeling tours. They even claim to run San Diego’s only “urban” kayak tour, a two-hour outing that glides by landmarks like the Coronado Bridge, Petco Park, the Embarcadero, and more. It’s a leisurely ride deemed safe enough for kids three years old and up—and dogs!
Everyday California
Everyday California offers three La Jolla-based kayak tours, each one suitable for beginners and children ages five and up. These options include a kayak tour through the Seven Sea Caves of La Jolla, a combo tour that involves kayaking and snorkeling, and a kayak tour focused on whale watching.
HBK Adventure Tours
Hike Bike Kayak Adventure Tours offers a host of kayak tours suitable for people of all ages and experience levels, with a focus on the sea caves near La Jolla. They also run group, team-building events—or, if you’re interested in going it alone, HBK Adventure Tours also rents out everything from kayaks to snorkels to paddleboards and more.
Other Helpful Tips
There are a few other important items to keep in mind when planning your San Diego kayak tour. Here are some additional pointers that’ll help you get ready for your big day out.
• While many of San Diego’s kayak tours cover the same terrain, they often have very different age and experience requirements. Thus, if you’re considering a kayak tour and you have kids, you’ll want to pay careful attention to each tour’s age requirements. It’s not uncommon for various San Diego kayak tours to run as diverse as, say, this tour being intended for ages 3 and up, that tour requiring ages 8 and up, and so on and so forth.
• As beautiful as the weather tends to be in San Diego, there are seasonal components to most kayak tours here. For instance, the specialized whale watching kayak tours typically only run between December and February or March, while a tour that combines kayaking with snorkeling might only be available April through October.
• Unlike many other types of attractions, the cost of a San Diego kayak tour usually varies depending on the date and time. Furthermore, many of the city’s most prominent kayak tour companies use a tiered-pricing system. That is, you can pay more for a ticket that allows you to cancel or change your reservation up to 24 hours in advance of your tour, or you can save a bit of money by purchasing a non-refundable ticket. Keep an eye on this system as you go about planning your trip.