What to Expect While Kayaking in Santa Barbara

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced kayaker, our guides begin your tour through the harbor with safety and skills training to guarantee you have a delightful exploration. As you navigate the waters during one of three tours with options for all ages, you will learn about the history of the region through fascinating stories and get an up-close view of local marine life. Our knowledgeable and experienced guides will accommodate varying points of interest and skill level, delighting all your senses as you take in your surroundings. Whether there are only two in your group or you have more with you, we will make sure that your Santa Barbara kayaking adventure is a memorable experience for everyone.

All of our tours come with all your necessary kayaking gear, lifejackets, and an experienced guide who is equipped to ensure the safety of all on the tour. Starting at a minimum of two-hours, the length, distance, location and time of tours vary by tour type and should be selected to meet your group’s specific needs.

Choose from the following tour types:

Harbor Wildlife Kayak Tour – Best for beginners and parents with children over 5 years old

Gaviota Coast Kayak Tour – Best for those interested in the history and ecology of the area

Sunset Kayak Tour– Best for a late afternoon adventure

Best Places To Eat While In Santa Barbara

This captivating kayaking adventure taking in the refreshing view of the region’s caves, mountains, beaches and it’s diverse marine flora and fauna will work up an appetite best served by dining at some of Santa Barbara’s highest-rated restaurants. Lunch can be provided during an extended version of our tours to prevent wait times and allow you to have a seamless
staycation or getaway in one of the west coast’s most popular hotspots Whether you’re in the mood for Asian-fusion, some of the best Mexican cuisine or your palate is fixed for locally-sourced, fresh ingredients at another of our favorite dining establishments, we can bring the flavor to you or point you to an immersive experience for dinner on-site at a nearby location.

Our favorites include:

Hana Kitchen – Asian-fusion
Mony’s – Mexican
Shalhoob Meat Co. – Tri-tip (they also brew their own beer!) Brophy Bros. – Seafood
The Lark – Light, fresh fare

Whether you’re new to the area, on a vacation or just want an exciting local activity to do with your team or family, our Santa Barbara Kayaking tours are an affordable and enjoyable must-do for all who join. Check out our customer reviews and book your paddling tour with Santa Barbara Adventure Company today!

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Here are five of our top choices!

1) Gaviota Coast Kayak Tour 

For a local kayaking adventure, the Gaviota Coast Kayak Tour is a great option. This tour meets at Refugio State Beach and explores the Gaviota Coast – one of the few remaining undeveloped coastlines in California! A local guide leads the tour, teaching basic kayaking skills beforehand and pointing out the local ecology and history throughout the tour. Lunch is included. This is a perfect half day adventure and a great way to get a new view of the California coastline!

2) Kayaking the Channel Islands 

If you are looking for a longer kayaking adventure, go kayaking in the Channel Islands! This all-day adventure starts in the Ventura area where you meet your guide, board a ferry, and head off to the Channel Islands National Park! For a limited time, we have the Channel Islands Sea Cave Kayak Tour that will run April 11th and 18th ONLY. This tour will be on a chartered boat to the Scorpion Anchorage area to kayak through sea caves weather permitting.

The other tour option will head to Prisoners Harbor, which will explore the north coast of the island. This area has a rich history and beautiful coastlines with a friendly guide who will point out wildlife. Kayaking in the Channel Islands is an experience of a lifetime!

3) Wine Tour in the Santa Ynez Valley 

The Santa Ynez Valley is another great area to explore and there are a variety of wine tours available to experience the region. This area is beautiful in the spring, the hills are green and the wildflowers are
blooming, making for a picturesque spring tour. The Santa Ynez Valley Tour is the classic wine tour and includes door to door shuttle service, wine tasting at three local wineries, fresh and local lunch, and a knowledgeable guide to share knowledge and insights from the area. Other options are available including a Wine and Bike Tour, Cupcake and Wine Tour, Wine County Shuttle service, and even custom group tours. The Wine Tours are a great way to explore the Valley and get a unique perspective of Santa Barbara County.

4) Visit the MOXI

The city of Santa Barbara itself is full of adventures and places to explore, like the MOXI museum. The MOXI is an interactive museum that offers guests a chance to learn and play. Exhibits include everything from interactive sound studios to a fluid dynamic sky garden. Located in the heart of downtown, this museum is great for all ages and has special events and programs for a variety of age groups throughout the year to make your trip even more fantastic.

5) Go to a Festival 

One not to miss spring event in Santa Barbara is the Earth Day Festival. Celebrating it’s 50th year here in Santa Barbara, this festival has two full days of entertainment, music, exhibits, and even a beer and wine garden! With exhibits for all ages and a variety of food options, this event has something for everyone. This festival is a great way to see the local side of Santa Barbara and help a great cause.

Santa Barbara truly is a great place to experience Spring Break. With access to so many trails, restaurants, and shops, as well as so many activities, it has something for everyone.

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We started our day on the palm studded beach at Refugio State Beach, about 20 minutes west of Santa Barbara. I was honestly a bit nervous that I would be really cold as the clouds covered the sun. The weather forecast was for a high of 65, pretty typical for Santa Barbara at this time of year. We had come prepared, though, bringing everything we could think of to make the trip enjoyable.

However, our tour guide came even more prepared than we were. He offered us full body wetsuits, which were amazingly and instantly warm. It was like putting on an electric blanket. When the wind picked up, we all donned the weather proof rowing jackets he provided. Topped with a life jacket, we were set. It turns out that all we needed to bring was a swim suit, sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Our guide provided absolutely everything else, from water bottles and towels, to a safe place to put our car keys.

My son anxiously watched as our tour guide taught us how to face into the waves with our kayaks and paddle. He was a little bit nervous about getting through the waves, even though they were small and fairly calm. Our tour guide helped push my 8 year old and I straight through the waves and we were off. I turned around in my kayak to watch my nervous 10-year-old as he and daddy paddled hard through the small surf. The beaming smile on his face told me that he loved it. The nervousness was gone AND we were toasty warm! Paddling out to sea was just the start of our adventure! Because of our instructions on the shore, we all knew how to paddle our kayaks, although actually rowing them took more muscle than I remembered!

My boys loved the ride up the coast. We saw cormorants and were given a bit of a nature lesson on this unique bird. We floated into the kelp beds and learned some of the many uses for this fast growing plant. We even tasted a little bit… didn’t taste like chicken… tasted like spinach!

Landing on our secluded beach was a bit more tricky because the waves were a bit higher. Our tour guide safely guided us in and helped us land with no problems. After a rest and some exploring on the beach, I was ready for lunch. I had imagined a deli style, pre-packaged lunch that was included in our tour. I was very much surprised and delighted to see the spread of gourmet sandwich toppings and sides that our tour guide had prepared for us. Delicious! My kids loved it too and greatly appreciated the soda and cookies. They played in the sand and surf with another young boy on our trip and had a great afternoon.

We headed back to Refugio State Beach and made quick time due to some fun races that my son was anxious to play and win. We landed easily and found that the hardest part of the day was taking the sticky wet suits off! What an amazing trip!

The cost of this trip is well worth it, especially because of our expert guide, all of the professional equipment available to us, and the gourmet lunch. We felt very well taken care of and really enjoyed all that nature had to offer. The Santa Barbara Adventure Company offers great adventures with expert tour guides and careful planning and preparation. As we heard about the other trips our tour guide had been on for Santa Barbara Adventure Company, we became eager to join him again on a kayak trip at the Channel Islands, on a bike trip through the green hills near Santa Barbara, or to a horseback riding trip. So many fun adventures yet to be had!

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Guest Blogger, Michelle McCoy (aka Mcfam) is Trekaroo’s Southern California Destination Guroo. She and her husband, Matt, homeschool their 3 boys and a girl ages 2 to 10.  They love traveling to National Parks and going camping, but when life with young kids keeps them home, they find their fun in traveling to the local beaches in Orange County and hiking in the wilderness areas nearby.

Thanks for sharing Michelle. Hope to see you again real soon.

If you have a question or comment about traveling with your family, please post in our comment section below.

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