La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks — Local services in San Diego

Yesterday we booked and attended our first Kayak Tour and my for kayak experience. I tried once before at a resort with a self guided experience and it didn’t go so well so I thought a tour would be better….and it was soooo much better. Our tour began in La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks storefront where they have lockers to store your valuables but they lock them with zip ties. You are welcome to bring your own lock with you. After being checked in, we were issued and fitted with a helmet and life jacket. I am a big and tall guy and they were able to accommodate me with right fitting gear. Once we were outfitted we were sent down to the beach with instructions to meet by the yellow kayaks where our Guide George greeted us and had us leave our shoes in a box at their beach station. George then went over the mechanics of maneuvering a kayak and explained the different environments that we may experience. He then introduced us to our second guide Cat. George shared that one guide would always be in front and one would always be in the rear of the group. Our second guide was always a good distance ahead of us which wasn’t helpful nor comfortable. Being my first time and being so tall, I felt that the back support was lower than it should be making me feel like my body was starting to lay down….not a great feeling at all. About halfway through our paddle to the furthest point out, my husband got beside me and helped me adjust the back support….very thankful for him being able to troubleshoot this for me resolving my discomfort. The second guide really should have been closer to us to help with this task. After launching, I saw one tiger shark in the shallow water. We paddled out to the caves and the ocean was calm enough that we were able to go in two kayaks at a time with a guide. This was really cool. Inside we saw two sea lions up on a ledge just chilling out. After leaving the cave, we saw bright orange fish called Garibaldi that are native to this area and indicators of a healthy eco-system according to George. We also saw and heard several other sea lions that were in the water and up on the cliff rocks. We also saw one dolphin a short distance away. We were guided to go to shore one at a time where other staff members and one of our guides was waiting to assist us in disembarking the kayak. We were escorted to a beach shower to wash off and put our shoes on then escorted back to the shop where we ended the tour and returned our helmets and life jackets. Staff members in the store were also nice and helpful. George was personable, funny and informative. Cat was informative and looked after our safety when we were near her. We recommend this company and recommend doing this tour regardless of your experience or I experience. They offer individual and tandem kayaks and can accommodate big and tall people. The tour was about 90 min and cost...

I can't say enough good things about La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks. My daughter and I were spending a night in La Jolla so I booked this excursion the day before. They had a June special - if you booked certain time slots, you got a 20% discount - so I booked the 5pm.

They ask you to arrive one hour prior to your booked time so we got there about 3:45. One thing you'll notice is that there are a lot of kayaking outfits in La Jolla. We stayed at the Hilton Curio (see my review) which is about a 10 minute walk but along the way we saw three other groups of kayakers.

The office is easy to find - it's tucked away on the second floor above a bar/restaurant. The gentleman at the counter was awesome - very friendly and provided detailed instructions on what we were supposed to/going to do.

But our guide, Julia, made the trip. She's very sweet, energetic, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Prior to heading to the beach for more instructions, she carefully fits you so you your personal flotation device (PFD - basically a life jacket) and helmet fit properly.

They have storage lockers in the office so you can stow your belongings as well as changing stalls in case you need/want to change before/after the tour. If you wear glasses, you're required to have the things that clip on the your glasses so they don't fly off your face - but they sell those in the office if you don't any out have time to pick it up elsewhere. They also sell the waterproof phone holders so you can safely take photos while you're out on the water.

Once everyone is ready (we had about 15 in our group) we headed to the beach - about a five minute walk. Once there, Julia gave us instructions on how to hold the paddle, how to paddle, reverse, etc. for about 20 minutes - and then we were off. The most challenging part is getting through the waves and out to the open water - but you get plenty of direction on how to accomplish this. You will get wet during this part.

Once you make your way 50 - 100 yards offshore, it's really mellow and enjoyable. Another guide (I forgot his name) joined us and you're guided around the cove. They do a good job of giving you the history, interesting facts, and wildlife in the area.

And just like that, the hour and a half is over. You're guided back to a point about 100 yards off the beach and you head back in - one at a time (so you don't crash into one another) - and the crew pulls you back to the beach. Going back seems easy but I saw people capsizing - and you'll get pretty soaked at this point as well. Once everyone is together, it's to the shower area to rinse off and then back to the office.

This was a fantastic tour and really do-able even if you've never kayaked before. Almost anyone of any age and physical ability will be able to enjoy this activity. Thanks for a fun...

We had such an incredible time with La Jolla Sea Cave Kayaks this morning! From start to finish, everything was seamless and enjoyable.

Booking online was super easy and intuitive, and I loved that they sent a reminder email the day before with all the helpful details we needed to be prepared. The shop was easy to find, and while parking at Kellogg Park can be tricky, we lucked out with an early tour. We were still about 15 minutes late, but the staff could not have been kinder or more reassuring—they made sure we didn’t feel stressed and were still able to join right in.

Inside the shop, they had everything we needed—glasses holders, waterproof phone cases (which we bought at a reasonable price), and other small essentials that gave us peace of mind on the water.

Our guides were Nick, Jen, and Chris (on his first day!), and they were all fantastic. Nick led the group with clear instructions and fun commentary, while Jen and Chris stayed near the back with me. I had never kayaked before and was nervous about ending up in the water, but Jen gave me constant encouragement and helpful tips, and Chris (despite it being his first day) was wonderfully engaged, friendly, and supportive. Thanks to them, I never once felt like a burden for being slower—they truly made the experience special for me.

Out on the water, we saw sea lions, leopard sharks, colorful fish, and even rare birds as we made our way through the caves. The weather was perfect, the group was great, and the bright yellow kayaks made it all feel cheerful and fun.

This was an unforgettable experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. Whether you’re brand new to kayaking (like me!) or more experienced, you’ll be in good hands with this team. We’re already talking about coming back for...