Scuba San Diego Inc
Scuba San Diego Inc
4.5
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Welcome to Scuba San Diego, Inc., where we bring you the finest in San Diego scuba diving and snorkeling. Since 1968 we have been providing the safe professional guided tours. Our guides have combined 50 years of diving/snorkeling experience throughout the State of California. Our NAUI and PADI certified dive guides have the experience you expect. Come, enjoy the magic of the La Jolla Cove Ecological Reserve. The kelp forest is teeming with a multitude of sea life. The California State fish is the "Garibaldi" known for its brilliant orange coloring and is abundant. We often see rare and endangered Giant Black Sea Bass and Soup Fin Sharks. Dive or snorkel the La Jolla kelp forest and Clamshell sea cave. Sea lions and harbor seals frequent the reserve and a close-up encounter with these beautiful sea mammals is very likely on every tour. Close up encounters with harbor seals and California Sea Lions are a high point of any snorkel or diving Tour. We recognize your NAUI, CMAS, BSA
La Jolla, California
Meets animal welfare guidelines

Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024

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Travelers talk about

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles97 reviews
Excellent
77
Very good
5
Average
3
Poor
3
Terrible
9

Ivy U
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
Our group of three had an absolutely unreal experience. I would say it was all thanks to our guide Julian who made the whole experience worth it. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone, beginner or experienced, who wants a great tour with as many underwater sights as possible.

Earlier in the day, we had paid for a more-expensive tour of the sea caves on kayaks. And because of the conditions and due to the fact that we were in a big group all on bulky kayaks, we could get no where near the caves. Julian heard this and decided to give us the experience we missed earlier that morning. Not only did he take us IN the caves, he asked how adventurous we were feeling, and proceeded to take us THROUGH the cave and emerge from the back where we had a great view of sea lions basking on the rocks about 20 feet from us.

After that, he made sure we got a great underwater look at the sea lions by taking us to the location where they frolic and play underwater. I was 2 arm-lengths away from one circling me. Needless to say, it was a magical experience.

Another thing note, one of my friends, who is an experienced swimmer, had an unprecedented panic attack as soon as we got out onto the water. Julian responded in the best way possible and took things slow and made sure to stay close and guide her along as calmly as possible. Due to his impressive response, she recovered after a few short minutes. Could not recommend this guide more! 11/10 experience
Written June 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for sharing your snorkeling experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that your group of three had an "absolutely unreal experience," as you put it. Julian is indeed a remarkable guide, known for his dedication and expertise in showcasing the best underwater sights in San Diego. We're delighted to know that Julian managed to give you a memorable experience exploring the sea caves and even going through one to see the basking sea lions. It's truly a sight to behold and we're glad you got to enjoy it! Your encounter with the playful sea lion sounds magical indeed! Such interactions with marine life make every snorkeling adventure unique and memorable. We're also grateful to Julian for his attentive and calm response when one of your friends had a panic attack. Ensuring the safety and comfort of our guests is our utmost priority and we're glad that Julian was able to help her recover quickly. Thank you for your high praise and recommendation. We appreciate your support and look forward to welcoming you back for more underwater adventures! Best Regards, Scuba San Diego Team
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Moira F
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Couples
I did the snokeling tour with my partner and we got Cole, an amazing instructor for our 3 people group. Even though the guy who I talked to for my phone reservation was kinda rude and annoyed me a little bit, the actual snokeling tour led by Cole was great and led me to write this very happy review.

Cole was very friendly and informative in explaining the caveats of snokeling and waves. I learned something new and felt safe throughout the trip even though it was very wavy and murky at La Jolla Cove. We got to see super cute seals swimming along and many different kind of fish & sea birds which were all very exciting to me. My partner got sea sick due to the wavy water halfway through the tour, Cole was super encouraging and supportive to her the whole time and escorted her with a “turbo boost” back to the shore. If you’re looking for a fun and smooth snokeling/scuba diving experience, I definitely recommend asking for this guy!
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your snorkeling experience with us. We're thrilled to hear that you and your partner had a great time exploring La Jolla Cove with Cole. He's indeed a fantastic instructor, committed to making sure our guests have both a safe and enjoyable experience, regardless of the conditions. We're glad you felt safe despite the wavy and murky water and had the chance to observe seals, fish, and sea birds - the marine life in La Jolla Cove is truly amazing! We're also delighted to hear that Cole was able to assist your partner and ensure her comfort when she felt seasick. We're sorry to hear about the experience you had during your phone reservation. We strive to provide excellent service in all interactions, and your feedback is valuable to us for improving future customer experiences. Thank you for recommending us and specifically praising Cole. Your kind words will surely put a smile on his face. We look forward to welcoming you back for more underwater adventures! Best Regards, Scuba San Diego Team
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jenny J
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
My daughter and I went on a snorkeling tour with Julian and had a fantastic time. He did a great job of explaining what we were going to do and how the tour would go. We got into the water right away and didn't need much adjustment time because we are good swimmers and have been in the ocean before. Julian took us to see the sea lions. On the way over there, we saw so many amazing fish and sea grass/kelp/etc. It was breathtaking! Once we made our way over to the sea lions we were lucky enough to have two of them swimming under and around us. HOW AMAZING!! After this experience we got to go in a cave which was also unbelievably cool.

We would definitely recommend this place to anyone interested in learning how to snorkel.

My only complaints would be that parking is a nightmare (we ended up parking half a mile away and just walking to the coast) and it was a little confusing knowing if we were in the right place or not, with so many other snorkeling places meeting in the same area. I was also concerned about where my valuables would be kept while I was snorkeling, but it ended up being fine with Julian's car right by the beach.
Written July 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your snorkeling experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you and your daughter had a fantastic time exploring the underwater world of La Jolla Cove with Julian. His passion for marine life and commitment to guest satisfaction are indeed one of the many reasons why our tours are so well-loved. Your encounter with the sea lions sounds incredible! These graceful creatures truly make every snorkeling adventure memorable. We're also delighted to know you enjoyed the tour's other highlights, including the vibrant fish, sea grass, kelp, and the visit to the cave. We appreciate your feedback about the parking situation and the confusion about the meeting location. We understand that these can be areas of concern, and we're continuously working on ways to make the logistics as smooth and convenient as possible for our guests. We're glad to hear that Julian was able to ensure the safekeeping of your valuables. Thank you for recommending us to others interested in snorkeling. We value your support and look forward to welcoming you and your daughter back for more underwater adventures in the future! Best Regards, Scuba San Diego Team
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Cindy W
San Marcos, CA3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
Don’t book with this company. Rod, the owner, has pulled out of an agreement with us that we paid for in October, 2020. We even have the confirmation email from him that our booking time and date for 1:00, July 6, were confirmed, yet the day before our dive, he tells us that he’s given our slot to another group because we did not reconfirm within 48 hours. We couldn’t call and confirm yesterday (48 hours) because it was a national holiday so we called this morning to make sure our dive was scheduled as previously agreed. My grandson‘s birthday party is tomorrow, and we have people in from out of town specifically to do this tomorrow, July 6. Now Rod has been double paid and is laughing all the way to the bank. We are out $350, and Rod tells us to rebook for another time. That’s not possible as we have people from out of town and out of state who have been planning on doing this for a year and a half. Beware.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Kelly (mother?) and Corey (aunt?) We see you both made negative comments about our 5-star company on the internet. Your reservation with Scuba San Diego was for October 17th, 2020. You cancelled last minute because your son/nephew broke his arm on the trip to San Diego. According to the cancellation policy that you agreed to, you were not entitled to a refund. However, identifying your distress we offered you and issued you a transferable Voucher without an expiration date for your entire party to go out with us again at some future date. The Voucher states that you need to call us 48 hours in advance in order to be manually booked into a tour when you decide to use it. This you did not do. In the email I sent you on April 23 at 4:38 PM I asked you to complete new release forms and send them in, I also wrote, “When you are ready to book call us a week in advance.” This you did not do. We had no communication from you on or before July 1 which was a week as requested, in advance of when you wished to go out. So, we had no current names, heights, weights, or shoe sizes to book your party in with. We were unaware of any reservation actually booked because you never called it in. We had no communication from you by phone required to complete the booking process until July 5, 2021, one day before our tour and it was already booked out. The only communication from you was Kelly’s email on July 5, 2021 at 9:45 a.m. asking to change a participant when we had no roster for any participants in your party. We have been in business 55 years this August and it is unfortunate that Kelly wishes to disparage our company’s long success story by saying we “are not accommodating ‘paying’ customers” when in fact we had no obligation in any account to even issue the Voucher (which we made non-transferable and with no expiration date) back in 2020 because of the extremely late cancellation then. It was out of sincere feelings for your family related to the “broken arm” situation. Finally, we sent the voucher as transferable with no expiration date. Certainly, the family will get together again in San Diego. We stand willing to honor it whenever you wish. But, call us first. Sincerely, Rod Watkins
Written July 15, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kelly
Whitefish, MT1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
We booked a snorkel trip in advance of my nephew’s October 2020 birthday. Days before our trip was scheduled, my nephew broke his wrist. We had to cancel our reservation. Rod issued us vouchers, saying we could reschedule. Knowing our family from out of state would all be back together this month (July 2021), my sister emailed Rod in April to get the reservation rebooked. He said that because we had vouchers, we would not be able to rebook through their booking platform online. Instead, we would need to tell him the date that we would like to reschedule, and that he would book us manually for the 1 pm tour on the date of our choice, barring holidays, etc. My sister emailed him back right away, saying we would like to book for July 6 and asked whether we would need to redo our liability forms. He replied, saying yes we needed to sign new forms, which we all did. My sister thanked him, and said, “See you in July!” Again, all this correspondence was in April, three months ago. Fast forward to today. Being that yesterday was the Fourth of July and a national holiday, we called this morning to confirm our reservation for tomorrow. We spoke with Rod, he said that the 1 o’clock reservation for tomorrow is full, and that he cannot accommodate our group — regardless of the fact that we have an email trail of all these correspondences — which we also forwarded back to him. My nephew thinks that his rescheduled birthday trip is occurring tomorrow, and now we have to tell him that it is not. Rod is also unwilling to refund our money. Our family lives in three different cities, two different states, and it’s a pretty big undertaking to get us all together. We cannot easily rebook this reservation yet again. As a small business owner myself, I see Rod’s behavior as nothing short of unprofessional and appalling. His unwillingness to accommodate his paying customers and follow through on his word is abhorrent.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Kelly (mother?) and Corey (aunt?) We see you both made negative comments about our 5-star company on the internet. Your reservation with Scuba San Diego was for October 17th, 2020. You cancelled last minute because your son/nephew broke his arm on the trip to San Diego. According to the cancellation policy that you agreed to, you were not entitled to a refund. However, identifying your distress we offered you and issued you a transferable Voucher without an expiration date for your entire party to go out with us again at some future date. The Voucher states that you need to call us 48 hours in advance in order to be manually booked into a tour when you decide to use it. This you did not do. In the email I sent you on April 23 at 4:38 PM I asked you to complete new release forms and send them in, I also wrote, “When you are ready to book call us a week in advance.” This you did not do. We had no communication from you on or before July 1 which was a week as requested, in advance of when you wished to go out. So, we had no current names, heights, weights, or shoe sizes to book your party in with. We were unaware of any reservation actually booked because you never called it in. We had no communication from you by phone required to complete the booking process until July 5, 2021, one day before our tour and it was already booked out. The only communication from you was Kelly’s email on July 5, 2021 at 9:45 a.m. asking to change a participant when we had no roster for any participants in your party. We have been in business 55 years this August and it is unfortunate that Kelly wishes to disparage our company’s long success story by saying we “are not accommodating ‘paying’ customers” when in fact we had no obligation in any account to even issue the Voucher (which we made non-transferable and with no expiration date) back in 2020 because of the extremely late cancellation then. It was out of sincere feelings for your family related to the “broken arm” situation. Finally, we sent the voucher as transferable with no expiration date. Certainly, the family will get together again in San Diego. We stand willing to honor it whenever you wish. But, call us first. Sincerely, Rod Watkins
Written July 15, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Steven J
Houston, TX1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021 • Family
Fantastic dive with Julien! He was very organized, knowledgeable and professional. Very focused on safety and made sure the dive was enjoyable. Would definitely go with Scuba San Diego again. This was my teen daughter’s second open water dive, and Julien made sure she was comfortable the whole way.
Written September 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jerry P
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
The conditions for diving could not have been worse but Julian our dive master was professional and did a great job informing me and my daughter of how to approach the dive. It was my daughter's first open dive after being certified and she needed a lot of reassurance and Julian didn't disappoint. He really helped her get her nerves and breathing under control. He stuck right by her side to ensure her comfort and safety and did a wonderful job reviewing our dive afterwards to ensure we knew what we did right and how we could also improve. He was genuinely concerned that we had a positive experience in spite of the conditions outside of his control.
Written April 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We're delighted to hear that you and your daughter had a positive experience, despite challenging diving conditions. Julian, like all our dive masters, is committed to ensuring that every diver feels safe, comfortable, and informed, so your feedback is much appreciated. We believe that reassurance and personal attention are particularly important for new divers, and we're thrilled that Julian was able to help your daughter manage her nerves and breathe comfortably. It's great to hear that you found the post-dive review helpful. We find that these reviews not only help improve future dives but also enhance the overall learning experience. Once again, thank you for choosing Scuba San Diego for your daughter's first open dive after certification. We're grateful for your support and look forward to your future diving adventures with us! Best Regards, Scuba San Diego Team
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Triquetral B
Wirral44 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Solo
Great dive thanks to Joy in challenging conditions. I am a fairly experienced diver so appreciate the work and effort that goes into guiding a complete stranger. Joy met me and sorted out all gear and put me at ease. The conditions on the day were a challenge: a substantial surge, red tide putting visibility down to 3m at best at 1-2m at worst. Despite this she was able to navigate us to our destinations including the caves, pointed out numerous horn sharks and found us a freindly sea lion to play with.
The dive site : La Jolla is amazing. I travelled half way round the world to experience it. The conditions weren’t the best but Rod kept in contact and guided me on the best day to dive within limitations of my diary and a local half marathon restricting access.
Equipment was OK.
The site has easy access. Sea lions, giant kelp, lobsters, Garibaldi, horn sharks, guitar fish and more. Even with low vis the dive is memorable.
I would definitely use the team again.
Again my hat goes off to Joy my enthusiastic and capable guide. Amazing navigation and coping with a complete stranger in a low vis tricky dive with confidence, enthusiasm and a smile!
Written May 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott
Olathe, KS33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
This is the first time we have ever been snorkeling so wasn't sure how long it would take us to get going. Rod was our tour guide and did a great job explaining to us what we needed to do and how we needed to do it. It was amazing to see the fish below us, was even able to see a couple of small sharks (that are not dangerous) along with a lobster. Seals and sea lions were all around the beach and rocks as well. Rod explained some of the history with the area which was pretty interesting. Going in the cove was a really cool experience. We would recommend this to anyone as it's well worth the money!
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind remarks. Much appreciated and hope to see you again in "the Cove."
Written February 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Harsh M
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Friends
I recently went scuba diving with this company and I must say I was disappointed. Despite the friendly instructor Ann Marie, there was only one instructor for a group of six people, which was not ideal. The management should have considered this, especially since four of us were first-timers. We were charged $200, but all we did was scuba dive in shallow 4-foot water, without seeing any aquatic species. Upon expressing our disappointment, Instead of addressing our concerns or attempting to rectify the situation, he dismissed our complaints and shifted the blame onto us, saying- we were slow.

In light of this experience, I would strongly advise against choosing this particular scuba diving company, especially for individuals who are new to the world of scuba diving. The lack of consideration regarding group size, the absence of suitable diving locations, and the unresponsive attitude of the owner make it clear that this is not an establishment that prioritizes the satisfaction and enjoyment of its customers.
Written July 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Horsh M, Thank you for your feedback. We value your input and are saddened to hear that your experience did not fully meet your expectations. We appreciate your recognition of AnnMarie's pleasant demeanor and we would like to take a moment to provide some clarification on the issues you raised. AnnMarie, our seasoned instructor, brings more than 40 years of experience in teaching and guiding dives and snorkels. During her 6-year tenure at Scuba San Diego Inc., she has successfully handled numerous groups, including ones of your group's size. The standard exercise duration is typically 3 hours, however, she generously dedicated an extra 1.5 hours to your group to help elevate everyone's skill levels. It appears that a few members of your party experienced what's known as Panic Syncope, a condition where individuals struggle to manage stress underwater. These instances require additional attention and training time to ensure that everyone's safety is prioritized during the dive. In relation to Buoyancy control, it seems that there was some difficulty within your group regarding the manipulation of the Buoyancy compensator device. This is an essential skill for diving, which again, adds to the time required to ensure everyone is confident and comfortable underwater. In terms of swimming skills, our guidelines state clearly on our website that a competent level of swimming skill is necessary to participate in Scuba Diving. We apologize if there was any misunderstanding around this prerequisite. Based on your group's performance during the exercises, it seems that there might have been an overestimation of swimming capabilities. We believe your diving experience would be greatly enhanced if everyone can comfortably swim the required 220 yards or 200 meter course without stopping, swim aids, or standing up. To support you in this, we would be happy to recommend a few local YMCA swimming programs. We suggest starting with at least the YMCA swim courses level 1 and 2, to ensure a safe and enjoyable time in all water activities. Here are the details of a recommended location: Malden YMCA Attn: Medford Youth Center 99 Dartmouth Street Malden, MA 02148 There are also many excellent swimming instructors offering private lessons, which could be a beneficial option for your group. Once again, thank you for choosing Scuba San Diego Inc. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to the opportunity of assisting you again in the future. Stay safe and enjoy your water-based activities with the aid of competent swimming instruction. Best Regards, Rod Watkins
Written July 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Scuba San Diego Inc - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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