Wildlife Kayak Tour in Santa Barbara Harbor (2 Hours)
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Santa Barbara, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get another perspective on the southern California coast during this leisurely kayak tour in Santa Barbara. Learn the basics of kayaking from your guide, and hear about Santa Barbara’s natural history and marine life during your tour. You won't have to worry about equipment rentals since kayaking gear is included.
- Stay safe with safety and paddling instructions before you start
- See local wildlife such as harbor seals, sea lions, and more
- Get a new perspective on the beaches and city
- Suitable for beginners, no experience needed
What's Included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- All associated kayaking gear (wet suit, PFD, helmet, paddle, etc.
- Knowledgeable guide and discussion of natural history/marine ecology
- Spectacular views of Santa Barbara
- Personal expenses
- Parking is $2.00 per hour, maximum $12.00 per car.
- Gratuity for your guide(s) - While optional it is very much appreciated and to be given at your discretion in return for their leadership, expertise, and professionalism.You can tip the guide in cash or via credit card at the end of your tour as you feel appropriate.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- C855+C4P, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Enter the harbor at Harbor Way. Turn left and enter at the kiosk. Continue in the direction of the wharf. Follow the signs to the boat launch area. We will meet you at the boat ramp located at the end of the harbor parking lot (next to West Beach). Look for your guide with the kayaks.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Make your own way to the boat launch at Santa Barbara Harbor to meet your kayak guide.
Start by getting outfitted with paddle jackets, PFDs, a paddle, and a kayak. Your guide provides a paddling demonstration and safety talk, then makes sure you are comfortable in your boat. Set out on the water from the boat launch and paddle through the harbor, passing other boats, the historic wharf, under the pier, and along the beach. Along the way, look for wildlife like harbor seals, sea lions, brown pelicans, sea stars, cormorants, and seagulls.
Expect to paddle approximately one to two miles (1.5–3 km) along the coast before returning to the boat dock where your tour ends.
Start by getting outfitted with paddle jackets, PFDs, a paddle, and a kayak. Your guide provides a paddling demonstration and safety talk, then makes sure you are comfortable in your boat. Set out on the water from the boat launch and paddle through the harbor, passing other boats, the historic wharf, under the pier, and along the beach. Along the way, look for wildlife like harbor seals, sea lions, brown pelicans, sea stars, cormorants, and seagulls.
Expect to paddle approximately one to two miles (1.5–3 km) along the coast before returning to the boat dock where your tour ends.
1
Stearns Wharf
2
Santa Barbara Waterfront
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- If your contact number is international please include your email address in the comment section.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Minimum numbers apply. Our kayak tours require a minimum of 2 participants to run. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- If you are a single traveler, please feel free to call our office to confirm availability
- Children under 5 are not permitted. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult in a double kayak.
- Although we offer dry bags to help keep gear dry, everything that comes on the kayaking trip runs the risk of getting wet. We therefore recommend that you only bring personal gear that can get wet or damp during the trip. Items that must stay dry such as cameras or other electronic devices, change of clothes or personal belongings should stay in your vehicle.
- Near public transportation
- To ensure proper equipment, please provide your heights & weights. Thank you.
- Double kayaks are automatically provided. Singles are available for odd number parties. Guests over 230lbs will be provided a single kayak.
- Guests under 18 years of age MUST have a parent or legal guardian sign their release forms. If you need this paperwork sent to you ahead of time, please contact our office.
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Stephanie_D
We had an incredible kayak excursion yesterday! Our guides, Artie and Dario R., were fantastic—super personable, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. They made the experience both fun and informative, ensuring we saw some amazing marine animals along the way. From start to finish, they kept everything safe, engaging, and memorable. We couldn’t have asked for better guides. Highly recommend this tour if you’re looking for an unforgettable adventure on the water!
Reviews
4.9
based on 180 reviews
Leilani_F, Mar 2026
Asa our tour guide was awesome, brought 3 teenagers and they had a blast! The seals, sea lions and the pelicans were a plus!!!
Thanks Asa
Kasia_T, Mar 2026
It’s the 2nd time I’ve done the tour, and it was great. Our guide was super knowledgeable and fun. Good for all skill levels
Susan_H, Mar 2026
An awesome way to spend a couple hours! Very fun, beautiful and educational. Our guide was knowledgeable about the wildlife, and Santa Barbara. We felt safe and well prepared.
Lizabeth_B, Feb 2026
Lots of natural history, history of Santa Barbara with view of birds, seals and sea lions.
Great information! Had a wonderful paddle around harbor and a little ways into open ocean.
Jennifer_W, Nov 2025
Amazing adventure. Out of shape and a bit overweight. 😂. Had a great time with Paco out on the water. Give us great stories about Santa Barbara. Loved seeing sea lions and seals. I’ll never forget how to tell them apart.
Gerald_L, Nov 2025
Nora, is our hero. We almost hit a sealion on a barge. We cap sized and Nora was cool calm and easy to understand.
Donna_H, Nov 2025
Going outside the breakwater to see the sea lion on the bouy was a highlight!
Our guide Caco took us out of comfort zone kayaking under boats and piers- very cool!
Amy_S, Nov 2025
This was a fun activity to do on a beautiful sunny day. It’s not over adventurous but we saw a sea lion and a bunch of harbor seals. Our guide, Caco, shared a lot of the Native American history of the area, as well as interesting information about the development of Santa Barbara.
Marna_W, Nov 2025
Wonderful experience! We had a great day with perfect weather. Spencer , our tour guide was fantastic! Kind, helpful, knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly! We had never kayaked before . I especially liked the way Spencer had us get into the kayak , one person at a time from the boat ramp and then pulled us into the water.
Brooke_L, Oct 2025
It’s my first time kayaking and it was really fun. The tour is beginner friendly. Great for solo traveler too. I got a single kayak. It’s not hard to handle by myself. We also saw two kinds of seals and the pelicans!
Tenyee_W, Sep 2025
We had such a wonderful time on our wildlife kayak activity with Forest as our guide. He was very friendly, helpful, and incredibly knowledgeable about the local wildlife and the area. Since our shoes weren’t waterproof, Forest went the extra mile to help us get on and off the kayak without soaking them. Otherwise, we would have been stuck with wet shoes for two hours!
The whole experience was smooth and enjoyable. We got to see the boats, the port, and the channel, and the activity itself wasn’t difficult at all. Thanks to Forest’s guidance and care, we felt comfortable the entire time and could just enjoy the scenery.
We truly enjoyed this experience and will definitely be back next time!
Britney_S, Sep 2025
Guides were really friendly and remembered everyone’s name which was pretty impressive. Tour is definitely for more beginner level folks, but still saw a lot of cool wildlife as promised. Overall, great experience!
Thomas_A, Aug 2025
Clear kayaking instructions, pleasant, friendly, concerned guide. Related interesting facts about the harbor, surroundings, city, and the wildlife we encountered. Nice time out on the water and a unique way to experience Santa Barbara.
Becky_T, Aug 2025
Amazing couple of hrs on the ocean, Austin was great! We saw sealing, a seal and sea cucumber! The experience of being kn the sea was the best part though, couldn't recommend enough - wear clothes you don't mind getting wet
Julie_R, Aug 2025
The guides Dario R and Josh B were great and very knowledgeable! A fun and informative tour, loved the sea life and eco information and passion of our guides!
Frank_O, Aug 2025
Too much time drifting slowly around the harbour not enough looking for wildlife. Literally 15 minutes out of the harbour and only after we hassled them to take us. 4 sea lions, two dead crabs in the oil in the harbour and a great blue heron that I spotted and one of the other customers identified.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi Frank,
We’re sorry to hear it wasn’t what you hoped for. Tt may have been an off day for wildlife. On most tours we see sea lions, a variety of seabirds, and often octopi, crabs, lobsters, urchins, and more within the harbor’s shallow waters. This is a shorter paddle by design, but for a longer experience with more open-water wildlife, we recommend our Gaviota Coast Kayak Tour.
— The Adventure Team
Colin_C, Aug 2025
Extremely enjoyable and well organised sea kayaking trip around Santa Barbara harbour. Our guide Asa was very knowledgeable and made sure everyone had a great time. This was our 2nd time kayaking, but I would say this would be easy for first time kayakers, as the start of the trip is on very calm waters within the harbour to allow you to learn how to control the kayak, before heading out into more open sea later in the trip. We saw sealions and may different sea birds.
Anne_W, Jul 2025
Kayaking with Josh as our guide was amazing. He taught us so much and had a great sense of humor too.
Ciara_M, Jul 2025
more of a harbor tour than a wildlife tour but Aidan was a great tour guide! But you will definitely get to see a few seals at least. Great for beginner kayakers over more experienced ones.
Anne_T, Jul 2025
It was such nice weather and perfect for my kids and husband. It was not too challenging, just enough paddeling. We saw some seals and lots of birds. Bri g a change of clothes to change into also a waterproof phone case.
Taylor_M, Jul 2025
Great experience. The tour starts in the harbor so that you can practice paddling and get use to using the kayak. Then you get to go out into the ocean. We got lucky and saw seals, sea lions, and a small pod of dolphins swimming. Really fun and would highly recommend.
Stephanie_D, Jul 2025
We had an incredible kayak excursion yesterday! Our guides, Artie and Dario R., were fantastic—super personable, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. They made the experience both fun and informative, ensuring we saw some amazing marine animals along the way. From start to finish, they kept everything safe, engaging, and memorable. We couldn’t have asked for better guides. Highly recommend this tour if you’re looking for an unforgettable adventure on the water!
Amy_T, Jul 2025
Great for guests at various skill levels! I have zero experience and am not super comfortable with water sports but our guide Dario was able to make adjustments to make it work for our family (two adults plus an 8yo). We saw starfish, crabs, sea lions, harbor seals, etc. Super fun!
Veronica_W, Jun 2025
Such a fun day!!! I brought my two kids 7 & 9) and my seven year old got scared at the last minute and I didn’t think we were going to talk him into going, but Gar and Connor were so patient and kind and answered all of his wild questions and by the end of the day they had him out on the open ocean having the time of his life. Our guides were kind, patient, knowledgeable, and professional, and we had an absolutely amazing day.
David_S, Jun 2025
It was our first time kayaking and would absolutely do it again! Austin was a great tour guide, knowledgeable and patient. He took us around the harbor and we got to see all kinds of wildlife (seabirds, starfish, seals, an octopus). It was a great time and we got to learn a lot about Santa Barbara’s rich history thanks to Austin.
Lauri_M, May 2025
Andrey was a great guide. We had so much fun! The people were of different levels of skill and all were able to participate.
Antoinette_A, May 2025
It was such an enjoyable and exciting experience! I would recommend doing this even if you are apprehensive about being in the ocean on a kayak. You will love it and feel safe.
Elizabeth_M, Apr 2025
Interesting way to see the harbor and different sea life up close while having minimal impact. Guides are excellent and very knowledgeable. The way out to see the sea lions is into the wind, so just be prepared for some work to get there 😊 We were a larger group and the guides did an excellent job to provide direction and keep us together in a fully functional harbor, with all the traffic and different considerations.
Richard_S, Apr 2025
This was an informative kayak tour of the harbor, and a great introduction to kayaking for the kids.
Regina_H, Apr 2025
Josh was our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. Loved every minute.
From $59.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Wildlife Kayak Tour in Santa Barbara Harbor (2 Hours)
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