Great experience. Friendly captain and crew. Lots of water and wildlife. (Experienced 2023). I…read moreremember getting on the boat and not knowing what to do. I quickly started feeling more comfortable after we started the journey. I enjoyed the pace of the boat and the ride. We also got lots of pictures from a professional videographer which helped add to my spout and fin videos. We did see whales!

Captain Adam was great! He is very conscientious and considerate- of those of us in the boat AND of…read morethe animals in the water. He took us into the Painted Cave on Santa Cruz, and the seas were calm enough that we were able to take the boat into the water between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa- that's where we saw grey whales. We also saw a humpback, bottlenose dolphins, and Dall's dolphins. Beautiful day, beautiful trip. I love how intimate it is on this small vessel.

Had the pleasure of being a plus one to my partner's work event here at Celebration Cruises SB!…read more It was so so much fun. Everyone had a drink ticket as well as sandwiches and cookies courtesy of my partner's work. It was pretty overcast the day we were out on the ocean but honestly, it still was very pretty. We got to see seals so that was something!

Booked a sunset cruise to celebrate a birthday. Calm waters,…read moregreat crew and treated to curious dolphins . Highly recommend treating yourself .

Our family had a beautiful day with Captain Dennis and Nick. We chartered this boat to honor our…read moreparents wishes to scatter their ashes together at sea where they met. They made it very easy to schedule and communicate with which made our experience memorable Thank you both from the bottom of our hearts.

We had a great time sailing yesterday with Sunset Kidd Sailing Cruises! It was a lot of fun and our…read morepup had a great time

From ticket purchase to on time departure and on board exceptional staff, this had the makings of a…read moregreat adventure! And boy oh boy did they deliver! We were drawn to their track record and knowledge of the area, and were delighted to see three different species of whales! After enjoying seals and sea lions and pelicans on the way out of the harbor, we next saw giant sun fish dining on jelly fish. A great start but what came next was truly astonishing. A massive pod of dolphins along with about 8 humpback whales, including a mother and baby, and countless sea birds having a feeding frenzy. Lots of breaches and photos of whale tails, and some of the whales surface fed and got close enough to the boat to see their barnacle "friends." We continued on and as we got further out, came upon a small group of blue whales AND fin whales, so were able to see the two biggest whale species on the planet. Again, good breaches and dives for whale tail views. It isn't guaranteed to see the amazing show we got today, but the crew knows what they are doing and where to go to give you your best shot at THE best whale watching experience you can imagine. A bonus was a drone operator on board who kept an eye on the blue whales from above so we knew exactly where to look as they started to surface. And then we got to see the drone video and it was spectacular to see the giant creature from that vantage point.

Great experience on the whale watching tour. We saw dozens of dolphins playing all around the boat…read moreand chasing it as if surf riding the wake of the boat. The captain knew the channel waters very well and guided the boat until we happened upon a group of humpback whales feeding all around us. I'm guessing we saw at least 6-8 whales as they did their thing. It was a memorable experience with a knowledgeable crew and a seasoned captain.

This boat ride around the marina and the ocean was great…read more Nice Captain, solid boat, no issues, basically calm seas and enough wind. Saw 50 dolphins due to the Captain knowing where to go. This is a great way to enjoy Santa Barbara for a small amount of money. Totally do it.

We had the most incredible experiences with Captain Martin -- seeing hundreds of dolphins swimming…read morealongside the boat, snorkeling and eating fresh seared scallops that he dove for at Santa Cruz Island, watching humpback whales breach dozens of times as we crossed the channel -- just amazing!! Fun and trustworthy captain who goes the extra mile to create memorable experiences.

Joel and Cooper, thanks for the great ride yesterday (03-31-2025) through the channel! You were the…read morefriendliest crew. The whales decided to take a day off, but sea lions and bottlenose dolphins swimming near and around the Sunfish was priceless! Choppy waters, Joel, you maneuvered with ease. It was a fun morning! I look forward to another chance to see the gray and humpback whales! Thank you for being the best crew! I hope to join you again! Book with Channel Islands Expeditions! I can't wait to experience one of your other adventure options.

Smooth training on how to do the work and easy layout on the boat. Food was delicious and…read moreaccommodating. I would reccomend this experience to those who are fascinated with the unusual, wildlife or history. The team/crew also had good communication between themselves or the passengers.

The Sunset cruise was amazing!! The crew had everything so nice and it was so smooth, clear and…read morebeautiful. What a perfect adventure.

Went on the double dolphin last week and the blonde crew member was amazing she made the whole…read morecruise. Such a hard worker. Enjoyed myself. Highly recommend .

It's always a nice little break whenever we're down here. Slightly different from State Street in a…read moresense as you're away from the crowds but it's a different kind of crowd here. You have the waterfront and beach. Right when you drive in, there's parking on both side. The lot out front is a paid lot which I believe is 3.00 per hours. If you continue to drive through, there's a lot there that's free I believe. It's a hit or miss in that one as it tends to get utilized first. Along the waterfront are some restaurants which I highly do recommend Brophy's Bro and the Santa Barbara Fish Market. If you love seafood, this is your place. Pretty much everything is near each other so you don't have to walk far. Liquor store, realtor, public restrooms, shop, and a few other businesses. But if you continue walking on the path along the water, it leads you out to the walkway and jetty. It's a beautiful strip so it's definitely worth checking out. At the end of the path, you're literally right across the pier. A small beach depending on the time with the tide. Regardless if you're there for the beach, harbor, a meal or just taking it in. This place is quite nice. Nothing crazy but a nice views of boats and the waterfront. The path along the front will lead you to and from downtown. If you like a nice walk, that'll be pretty or a nice bike ride. Regardless where you're at, it's a nice place to just take it in.

Loved visiting and taking in the beauty of this place!…read more Beautiful harbor to walk around. Many boats, signs with some history on the local history/fishing, and a few small business nearby if you want to enjoy a meal out too. Walk to the end of the wharf for the best views. 90 min parking for free. Otherwise, it's about $4 an hour.

My friend and I used a SB Sailing house credit from 6 years ago... long story, for a Sunset…read moreCatamaran Sailing Cruise. We called to confirm the credit was still being honored, they were very accommodating. We reserved a space for 2 on a Wednesday for the Sunset Catamaran Sailing Cruise at 6:00PM. There's a meeting spot at the SB Sailing office at the SB Habor. Paid parking is available. We were able to walk from our hotel to the meeting location. Our sail was practically a private sail. There were about maybe the most 14 people, which was so nice. The crew was a Captain and his Assistant, both were very nice Unfortunate Mother Nature did not provide any wind that evening so the Captain had to use engine power that whole evening (it was a very tame ride). The sunset was beautiful glad we did it and it wasn't crowded. I think it worth doing once. Helpful hints: We went May 6th, I wore pants and a long sleeve shirt plus wore a light weight padded jacket and I was fine. It was cold and quit a few of the other passenger were freezing. The sail boat does supply blankets and 2 restroom and drinks and snacks purchase.

February 2026 -- Sunset sailing with friends was absolutely fabulous. The crew was wonderful, the…read morecatamaran was beautiful & the views were stunning. Being out on the ocean was pure joy--an unforgettable experience I'd happily do again

Rachel is awesome! Super knowledgeable of the ocean, water, marine life, and history of the area…read more What a rad human being to have guiding the tour. As it turns out, all of the harbor seals, and sealions have names. We befriended one named Steve, he is much better at swimming than I am. He also taught me secret techniques to paddling. This one Pelican named Parry got into a barking match with some sealions, which is a fight he wasn't gonna win, let's be honest. Though I was hoping to see an M-A-N-A-T-E-E ... next time! If you're gonna go down on Haley street, where the dogs are easy and the sun is cheap, you never know just who you'll meet, on Haley. (But hopefully it's Rachel from the Santa Barbara Adventure Company, and you get her kayak tour; shout out!)

A heartfelt thank you to Santa Barbara Adventure Company for creating such a memorable birthday…read moreexperience for our daughter. From start to finish, everything exceeded our expectations. We had a fun ferry ride to the islands and even got to slow down to watch a large Sunfish (Mola Mola) snacking on some jellies. I recommend getting in line early to secure the best view seating on the ferry. Our kayak guides, Chuck and Adam, were exceptional--knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely passionate about what they do. They made the entire trip both fun and informative, while ensuring we always felt safe and well cared for. We were fortunate to have perfect weather and warm water, which allowed us to explore all seven sea caves--many of which are inaccessible during high tide or rougher conditions. It made the experience even more special. Having lived in Santa Barbara for 22 years, this was my first time visiting the islands, and it was truly unforgettable. The pristine landscapes, abundant sea life, and even spotting several tiny island foxes while enjoying our picnic lunch, made it an unforgettable adventure. We can't wait to do it again--highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique and exceptional experience!