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    La Jolla Kayak

    4.5 (1.3k reviews)
    Closed 8:30 am - 5:30 pm

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    Kathryn S.

    Went to La Jolla Kayak with my mom and brother visiting from Texas and overall had a really great time. Pricing was decent--around $75 for a single kayak and about $90-$98 for a tandem. Check-in was easy, and they help you gear up with a life vest and helmet. Important tip: wear a swimsuit because you will get wet, and only bring your phone in a waterproof case. Everything else (sunglasses, loose items) can easily get lost. Parking is street only, and you walk about 5 minutes to the beach with your group. At the beach, they give you paddles and guide you into the water. The staff was super friendly and helpful. We did get to see seals, which was a highlight. The only downside was the waves were pretty strong that day, so we couldn't fully go into the caves, which was a bit disappointing. It's definitely a workout, but still really fun overall. I'd give it an 8/10 and would recommend it if you're in La Jolla and want something active and memorable.

    I took the tour with my girlfriend, my aunt, and my uncle. My girlfriend and I were in a double kayak while my aunt and uncle were in their own together. The tour had a rough start for the two of us specifically. In order to get the kayak out to sea, one of the guides pushing each kayak off shore and into the waves. We went in the morning at high tide and the surf was pretty choppy. After we got pushed off, we row ourselves out past the waves. We flipped over almost immediately after getting pushed off. It was a cold plunge but honestly kind of funny. And we saw we weren't the only one that capsized. We get back to shore and get pushed off again. We got further out, but got caught by a wave and flipped again. This time we were further out and the kayak flipped on top of me and hit my head. Thankfully they provided everyone with helmets for the caves and obviously life vests. I had both on and was unscathed. At this point my girlfriend was cold, wet, and a little frustrated. I had kayaked once before and this was her first time, so some skill issues are to be expected. My girl was seriously considering calling it off. But thankfully our guide went and got another kayak that was supposed to be a bit wider and therefore more stable. I convinced her to give it one more try, and if we flipped again then we could call it off. Whether it was the new kayak, our awesome guide (sadly I didn't get her name), our prior experience of flipping twice, or just pure luck, we made it out to sea in one piece. From there, it was smooth sailing. Our two guides for the full tour were Wyatt and Luke. Both were very cool and super knowledgeable, sharing cool stories and fun facts about the local area. Whilst Wyatt was telling up about a local sandcastle-esque mansion for sale on the cliff side, he stopped to point out a dolphin that was surfacing about 50 feet away. Sadly we didn't get the greatest view, but on our way back later we saw a pod of 5 dolphins and few seals swim by all of us! We went on to see some Garibaldi (the official marine state fish of California), some sea lions, and even went into a cave to explore. When we got to the cave, each guide hopped into the water and took two kayaks in, with one in front of them and one behind. Each were swimming in water with no life vests and it was pretty impressive. There were a few things that I'm leaving out, but I guess you'll just have to go and check them out for yourselves. If you have never been kayaking or even canoeing before, I can't promise it will be easy; especially if you are in a double kayak. But we all had a great time for a good price. I would highly recommend it if you and/or your companions like adventuring, exploring, and the natural world.

    Esmeralda R.

    This was the BEST experience. We booked a kayak and snorkel tour for my son's 15th birthday and it was phenomenal. Our tour guide Dane was wonderful, so patient and just very kind. We booked two double kayaks for our family of 4. We plan to bring family and friends when they come visit us.

    La Jolla Kayak... a pause in padding, to enjoy it all...
    Mike V.

    SUCH FUN! Easy for everyone to paddle-and-enjoy!! - - - - - - - - February, 2025 Visit My wonderful wife and I just enjoyed a trip to Pam Desert and San Diego, with a visit to La Jolla. Cousins joined us in San Diego, and they recommended kayaking La Jolla shores; we realized that is something we hadn't don't yet, and we were readily agreeing to go. There are several kayak shops in La Jolla shores; all look good and La Jolla Kayak has a higher rating; the guidance of Ane (french e) and Tyler are a big part of that. We did call ahead to confirm likely availability; otherwise you can readily walk up to join a kayaking tour. After getting fitted with helmets (need to wear only long enough to get out a bit; then can take off!) and lifejackets, the group walks a couple blocks to the sand for a bit more prep on how to paddle. Then you push out over the safe one kayak at a time. The hosts paddle and then rest-and-talk, and then repeat. We paddles to the left/south, toward Seal Beach. That day had some waves crashing strongly against those rocks... we felt the swells under us AND NO challenge in paddling... just gentle up/down motion under us as we paddled. We saw seagulls, cormorants and pelican over us and also resting on the water. Clouds were overhead as we started, then the skies were sunny for 90% of paddling, then cloudy once we were back onshore... a blessing to be sure! Such a great experience. La Jolla Kayak also offers sunscreen and such... and... waterproof phone cases... they let me borrow one and I liked it so much that I purchased one when we got back to the shop... for the next trip. - - - Recommended: you won't get soaked, but you'll likely get at least a little wet - plan on wearing at least a swimsuit for bottoms... tbd other shirts based on temperatures and sun that day - - - Thank you, Ane (french e), Tyler & the entire team at LaJolla Kayak!! ----- ----- -----

    Chelsea J.

    My teen daughter and I had the best time doing the kayak tour. She keeps telling me how much fun she had. Our tour guides Lucy and Magnus were awesome and made us feel so comfortable. We fell behind our group but Lucy kept coming to check on us and give us some pointers. The cave was so cool. My daughter said we MUST make this a yearly tradition. Some tips-wear lots of sunscreen and a hat (you only wear the helmet in the cave), bring a big bottle of water, bring waterproof pouches for phones, go on a weekday-it's much cheaper. My only critique is I wish we spent a little more time in the cave, but it was busy so we were in and out quickly. Highly recommend!!

    Jinee L.

    메모리얼데이에 가족 여행으로 kayaking 선택은 완벽했습니다! 우리는 다른 2팀과 함께 구성이 되었고 la jolla beach cave를 탔습니다. 우리 팀은 모두 초보였고 나는 수영을 할 줄 모릅니다. 나는 깊은 곳은 가지 않을 것이라고 다짐했어요. 그런데 우리의 가이드였던 Marlow는 우리를 더 넓은 바다로 갈 수 있게 도와주었고 나는 안심하고 따라갔습니다. Marlow와 그의 팀은 정말 친절하고 유머러스하고 풍부한 kayak 경험으로 우리를 인도했습니다. 덕분에 우리는 정말로 새로운 경험을 했고 정말 잊지못할 추억을 만들었습니다!! 다시한번 Marlow와 그의 팀(또 다른 한명의 남자) 에게 고맙습니다!! 다음에 반드시 꼭 다시 올것이며, 한국분들에게 추천합니다! The choice of kayaking as a family trip on Memorial Day was perfect! We formed with two other teams and went into the La jolla beach cave. Our team is all beginners and I don't know how to swim. I vowed not to go to a deep place. But Marlow, who was our guide, helped us go to the wider sea and I followed with peace of mind. Marlow and his team led us to a really friendly, humorous, and rich kayak experience. Thank you, we really had a new experience and made unforgettable memories!! Thank you again to Marlow and his team (another man)!! I will definitely come back next time, and I recommend it to all! He made day!

    Christine S.

    Prepare to get wet and have lots of fun! John our tour guide was very nice, informative and accommodating. If you would like to go kayaking in the caves you can call and ask the representative the best day to go or you can also check the beach camera online of the La Jolla beach and tennis club (Camera South) if you see waves crashing on the caves more than likely your tour won't be going in the caves for safety reasons. I highly recommend this activity not only for tourist but also for locals. We will definitely comeback!

    Kayaking

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    18 days ago

    We had a great time yesterday with Amy & Emily on the cave kayak tours. Thanks for all your positive energy and professionalism !

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    22 days ago

    Emily and Maya were fantastic guides. Tour was the perfect length. Would definitely recommend!!

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    Ask the Community - La Jolla Kayak

    Do you have to go on a tour or can you rent kayaks and go on your own?

    We do offer individual kayak rentals. These rentals don't allow you to go inside the caves.

    What is the best time of day to go? Should we wear swim shoes/socks?

    We went around 11 and it was perfect. We wore sandals which they have you remove prior to getting down to the beach. Make sure to wear sunblock EVERYWHERE. I usually only put it on my shoulders and face because that's normally where I burn but my… 

    How far is the kayak from the beach to the actual cave? (Distance wise, 2miles, 1 mile? etc)

    Less than 1/2 mile.

    Can you get in the water during the tour?

    Yes!

    Do you actually go into the caves on the kayak tour or just near them?

    Our kayak tour takes you along the La Jolla Sea Caves and through one of the caves, Clam's Cave. Entrance into the caves is dependent on ocean conditions. If your kayak tour is unable to enter the cave, please ask our staff about our on-foot cave… 

    Are there any weight restrictions?

    Weight restrictions are 250 lbs for single kayaks and 500 lbs for double kayaks

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    Review Highlights - La Jolla Kayak

    What a great experience, going out on a kayak tour got us close to such beautiful nature and wildlife.

    Mentioned in 83 reviews

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