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La Jolla CoveCanoe & kayak tours

Our most recommended La Jolla Cove Canoe & kayak tours

La Jolla: 2-Hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves

1. La Jolla: 2-Hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves

Take a lesson before the tour begins and grab all the necessary kayak equipment. The tour takes place in the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. There are 3 different habitats in the reserve, and on your tour you will have the chance paddle to all three - the rocky reefs, sandy flats, and kelp beds. Paddle to the seven caves of La Jolla and go into the Clam’s cave, which is the largest cave on the tour. See the local marine life on the tour including sea lions, harbor seals, Garibaldi, leopard sharks, and the occasional dolphin.

La Jolla: Sea Cave Kayaking Tour with Guide

2. La Jolla: Sea Cave Kayaking Tour with Guide

Discover San Diego's Marine Protected Area, home to a variety of fish, birds, dolphins, turtles, sea-lions, and whales. With the help of an experienced guide, explore the famous Sea Caves of La Jolla and paddle inside Emerald Cave in a double kayak. Watch sea lions sunbathing on the rocks and swimming in the sanctuary. Marvel at the bright orange garibaldi as they stand out among the vibrant green sea grass and numerous other fish swimming around and delighting the eye. In the summer and fall months, tour groups will often see harmless leopard sharks, and you may also find grey whales in their migration during the winter. You might even see dolphins cruising alongside your kayak before you make your way back and prepare to surf your kayak back to shore.

San Diego: Go City Explorer Pass - Choose 2-7 Attractions

3. San Diego: Go City Explorer Pass - Choose 2-7 Attractions

Experience San Diego's top attractions and tours and get up to 50%* off combined admission with Go City's Explorer Pass. Simply choose 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 top attractions from over 40 options and go at your own pace - you have 60 days to use your pass from first activation. Visit the world-famous San Diego Zoo or the USS Midway Museum. Explore more of the city with a hop-on hop-off trolley tour, or kayak and snorkel in beautiful La Jolla. The possibilities are endless. Your pass is fully digital and no physical card is required. Simply download your pass directly to your smartphone or print at home. Show your pass at each attraction for quick and easy entrance. Choose from the following things to do in San Diego with the San Diego Explorer Pass: Museums and Places of Interest • San Diego Zoo OR San Diego Zoo Safari Park (choose 1) • USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum • Belmont Park Ride and Play Pass • Maritime Museum of San Diego • Air and Space Museum • Birch Aquarium at Scripps • The Fleet Science Center with IMAX • San Diego Natural History Museum • Museum of Us • Living Coast Discovery Center • San Diego Museum of Art • San Diego Model Railroad Museum • Japanese Friendship Garden • PETCO Park Tour - Home of the San Diego Padres • San Diego Automotive Museum • Mingei International Museum • The Whaley House Museum Tours and Activities • 90-Min Best Of The Bay Harbor Tour by City Cruises • 2-Day Hop-On Hop-off Old Town San Diego Trolley • Living Coast Discovery Center • San Diego Speed Boat Adventures • 45 Min. Jet Ski Rental • Whale Watching by Hornblower Cruises • Plunge San Diego • San Diego Fishing Tour • San Diego Hiking Tour • San Diego Harbor: Kayak Rental or Stand Up Paddle Board Rental • La Jolla: Kayak Rental, Snorkel Rental, Stand Up Paddle Board Rental, Surf Board Rental or Bike Rental • Coronado: Kayak Rental, Stand Up Paddle Board Rental, or Bike Rental • UTC Ice Sports Center • San Diego City Tour • GoCar San Diego Tours 1-Hour • Patriot Jet Boat • Best of San Diego eBike Tour • Gaslamp and Balboa Park Bike Rental with Unlimited Biking • Go Car 1-Hour Night Tour • Asylum Outdoor Bouldering • Gaslamp Ghost Walking Tour • Haunted Old Town Walking History + Paranormal Investigation • Historical Old Town Walking Tour *Savings based on itineraries on Go City website.

San Diego: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 50+ Attractions

4. San Diego: Go City All-Inclusive Pass with 50+ Attractions

The San Diego All-Inclusive Pass is an all-access pass offering the ultimate in convenience and savings for visitors to the area. Visit the San Diego Zoo, LEGOLAND, The U.S.S. Midway, take a sightseeing harbor cruise, rent a bike, stand-up paddleboard or kayak, and much more. Simply choose between a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7-day pass and save up to 50%* compared to the cost of buying separate attraction tickets. With a total of over 50 attractions and tours included with your pass, there is something for everyone and you can visit as many attractions as you like per day. The San Diego All-Inclusive Pass also comes with a digital guide including helpful attraction information including how to get there and opening times. Activities, attractions, and tours included on the San Diego All-Inclusive Pass: Theme Parks and Zoos • San Diego Zoo • SeaWorld San Diego • San Diego Zoo Safari Park • Belmont Park • Knott's Berry Farm • LEGOLAND California Outdoors • San Diego Speedboat Adventures • La Jolla: 90-min Tandem Kayak Rental • La Jolla: Full-Day Snorkel Adventure • La Jolla: All-Day Bike Rental • La Jolla: Surfboard Rental • La Jolla: Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Rental • San Diego Harbor: 2-hr SUP • San Diego Harbor: 2-hr Kayak Rental • Coronado: 90-min Tandem Kayak Rental • Coronado: SUP Board Rental • Coronado: Full-Day Bike Rental • San Diego Pier Fishing • Best of San Diego eBike Tour • Gaslamp and Balboa Park Bike Rental with Unlimited Biking • Asylum Outdoor Bouldering Tours and Cruises • 90-Min Best Of The Bay Harbor Tour by City Cruises • Whale Watching by Hornblower Cruises • Whale Watch & Dolphin Tour - Beautiful Newport Beach • San Diego Hiking Tour • One Way Coronado Ferry • Petco Park Tours - home of the San Diego Padres • GoCar San Diego 30-min tour • TCL Chinese Theatre Tour OR Movie with Drink • Gaslamp Ghost Walking Tour • Haunted Old Town Walking History + Paranormal Investigation • Historical Old Town Walking Tour Museums and Places of Interest • USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum • Japanese Friendship Garden • San Diego Air and Space Museum • San Diego Natural History Museum • The Fleet Science Center with IMAX • Birch Aquarium at Scripps • Museum of Us • Madame Tussauds Hollywood • San Diego Automotive Museum • San Diego Model Railroad Museum • San Diego Museum of Art • The Whaley House Museum • Coronado Museum of History and Art • Museum of Photographic Arts • San Diego Art Institute • The Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House • Mingei International Museum • The Plunge San Diego • Living Coast Discovery Center • Museum of Making Music • Richard Nixon Library • UTC Ice Sports Center • South Coast Shop & Dine Package *Savings based on sample itineraries on Go City website.

La Jolla Underwater Park: Kayak and Snorkel Tour

5. La Jolla Underwater Park: Kayak and Snorkel Tour

Kayak out into the reserve with your guides, who will lead the group to the best snorkeling spot on that day. One of your guides will drop anchor, secure your kayaks, and lead you snorkeling in the reserve, pointing out the marine life as you go.  Explore the area around the Seven Caves, set within a sea cliff, six of them only being accessible by kayak. Here, have the chance to swim with La Jolla’s best such as sea lions, garibaldi, bat rays, shovel nose guitar fish, and even dolphins and sea turtles, if you’re lucky.

La Jolla: Guided Snorkeling Tour

6. La Jolla: Guided Snorkeling Tour

Interact with marine animals at a safe distance and spend the day on this beautiful reserve with experienced snorkel experts to guide you. You will see marine life such as sharks, exotic fish, dolphins, seals, turtles and a multitude of sea life swimming amongst them. With four microhabitats to swim through, you will find a wide variety of underwater flora and fauna. With a small group, you’ll get a much more intimate experience of life underneath the water, with one of our guides and local lifeguards accompanying you while you swim. Guests must have a basic level of swimming to participate in this activity. As this is an introductory tour, families with younger children (age 5+) are also welcome, as well as people who feel more comfortable being guided in their snorkeling.

La Jolla: Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour

7. La Jolla: Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour

Experience La Jolla, San Diego, on this self-guided walking tour via an app that functions as a guide, narrator, and map. Developed by local guides, creative writers, and professional voice artists, the tour explores the best spots and history of La Jolla. Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app that will function as your personal guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Begin your tour by the parking area for the Coast Walk, then continue to the coast itself, where you’ll get your first look at the breathtaking La Jolla Cove. Continue by following the walkway along the waterfront. Learn how La Jolla got its name, spot some of the neighborhood’s most iconic birds, and more. See gorgeous architecture and natural beauty collide. Pass where La Jolla’s first tourist cabins once stood, then take in one-of-a-kind views while hearing about the Kumeyaay tribe who once lived here. Be sure to keep your eye out for seals and sea lions. If you’re lucky, you might spot an orca whale. Next, go to Seal Rock. If you haven’t managed to spot a seal yet, this is the place where your luck will change. Snap some photos to remember these unique creatures. After, see Children’s Pool Beach, where kids and seals swim side by side. Afterward, hear about the town’s unlikely mascot, Rags the Donkey, and legends about a mysterious stranger known as “The Judge.” Then, stop at Cuvier Park, one of the most popular wedding spots in the entire country. Conclude your tour by visiting the famous tide pools that are bursting with aquatic life. Throughout the tour, enjoy animated videos that let you visualize what you cannot see.

San Diego: The Most Extensive City & Beach Tour!

8. San Diego: The Most Extensive City & Beach Tour!

Experience the ultimate exploration of America's Finest City and its stunning beaches with our premier Finest City & Beach Tour. Led by our engaging and knowledgeable tour guides, this adventure encompasses a 3-hour scenic drive coupled with 4 hours of immersion at diverse locales. Witness the entirety of San Diego within a single day! Embarking from the Santa Fe Depot, the journey unfolds first at the historic Gaslamp District before culminating in Little Italy. Then along the Embarcadero, leading us to the vibrant Chicano Park. Crossing the Coronado Bridge, our first 45-minute halt brings us to the historic Hotel Del Coronado built in 1888. Another 45-minute break ensues at the enchanting Balboa Park, site of the 1915 Panama California Exposition. Then a 45-minute interlude transpires at Old Town, the birthplace of California. Venturing along the 5 freeway, a 45-minute respite at La Jolla Cove lets you savor the refreshing ocean breeze and visit the Sea Lions. Our route encompasses the picturesque Pacific Beach. Mission Beach beckons for a 45-minute stay to enjoy the Boardwalk, Belmont Park and the Pacific Ocean. Also Mission Bay park. Our return path leads us back to the Downtown pick-up point, Santa Fe Depot. This tour is the epitome of comprehensive exploration, ensuring ample time with FIVE 45-minute stops that allow you to relish the splendors of America's Finest City. Learn the history of San Diego between stops with live narration, music & video. Book today to embark on this unparalleled San Diego journey with Finest City San Diego Tours!

La Jolla: Kayak & Whale Watching Tour

9. La Jolla: Kayak & Whale Watching Tour

Experience the gray whale migration from the seat of a kayak. Leaving the waters of the Arctic and heading south to the lagoons of Mexico, gray whales naturally migrate past La Jolla during the winter. This is a non-polluting, non-threatening, and intimate way to experience one of the most majestic mammals on the planet. Your guides will lead the group about two miles out from shore, where you’ll stop at the best spots to view gray whales. Along the way you’ll learn interesting facts and history about the whales, other marine life, and the La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Keep in mind that gray whales are wild animals. While gray whales are abundant during the season, a sighting can't be guaranteed, although groups can often see dolphins, sea lions, harbor seals, and other marine life as well.

La Jolla: Stand Up Paddle Board Rental

10. La Jolla: Stand Up Paddle Board Rental

Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is one of the best ways to get out and enjoy the water. The sport began as an ancient Hawaiian tradition that was reintroduced to the world in the mid-60s.  SUP boarding is one of the best ways to explore the Seven Sea Caves of La Jolla, a remarkable creation full of marine wildlife. These 7 unique sea caves are filled with local history and natural beauty. The La Jolla Ecological Reserve starts at the Seven Sea Caves and extends north to Scripps Pier. This remarkable stretch of water is home to an underwater park, part of La Jolla's submarine canyon, giant kelp forests and a rocky reef.  The preserve shelters numerous species, including leopard sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, dolphins and migrating whales. Only 2% of the world's ocean water is protected by state and federal law, which also makes La Jolla's ecological reserve a rare place to see undisturbed wildlife in their natural habitat. The stand up paddle boards are inflatable, lightweight, and easy to transport from the shop to the beach and back.

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What people are saying about La Jolla Cove

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 15 reviews

Having never been on a sea kayak, I was a bit nervous, but our guides were excellent and made it easy to launch. We used up every bit of the 90-minute tour, saw lots of sea life, including leopard sharks, Garibaldi, and sea lions. Even a human diver!

Cali was the absolute best!!!! We had so much fun! We are going to come back in August and do another snorkeling trip!

Excellent trip, guides were informative and helpful. Highly recommend it!

Excellent ! Fun and got very wet ! Caves were amazing and sealife !

Had a blast with Isabella and Cali and the setting was beautiful!