Monterey Bay Kayaks
Monterey Bay Kayaks
5
Private Tours • Stand Up Paddleboarding • Kayaking & Canoeing
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Sea kayak and standup paddleboard rentals, guided tours, classes and sales at two amazing wildlife locations, Monterey and Elkhorn Slough @ Moss Landing! Open daily 9:00 (except Christmas). See website for holiday hours. Closing hours changes seasonally.
Monterey Bay Kayaks
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(140 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,174 reviews
Excellent
1,071
Very good
79
Average
13
Poor
4
Terrible
7
Todd B
League City, TX66 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
What an amazing day of kayaking. We have talked about doing this for years and finally pulled the trigger. So glad we did. We had no experience and think we did ok. Matt and Eric were our guides and were phenomenal. Helped us in launching/recovery and so informative. I am a bit of an ocean nerd and Matt was on point with information about the sea life that call the bay home. The communication with the shop was excellent leading up to trip and we had to cancel part of our group due to injury and that was not a problem. I would highly recommend this company and this adventure.
Written November 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
liveandlove2travel
Marietta, GA153 contributions
Oct 2022
My husband, daughter and I did the guided kayaking tour with Sam. He was so knowledgeable and wonderful in instructing too. He pointed out a variety of birds and animals while providing interesting information on their habitat, preferences, and migratory patterns, etc. We plan to try another tour with this company again soon!
Written October 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Neil H
2 contributions
Sep 2022 • Family
Awesome Kayak tour with Danny. Very knowledgable about the area and the wildlife. We saw harbour seals and sea lions up close. Highlight was watching the sea otters. Highly recommend you book the tour with these guys.
Written September 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Joel C
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Friends
What an amazing outing. I’ve been thinking about kayak rock fishing for sometime now. I ended up asking a buddy who was also interested to join me before we commit to such a big purchase. We ended up bringing our sons who are about the same age. After the tour all my questions were answered and everyone had a blast, not to mention some memorable catches. Our guide, Will, was professional and knowledgeable. I recommend him if you plan on doing this tour. Will really took us rock fishing….. he actually caught a rock, It was the side of a softball. I will be buying a kayak soon and looking to catch my very own rock. Thanks Will and Monterey Bay Kayaks for a Father and son trip we will never forget.
Written August 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
David B
Inglewood, CA5 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Simply amazing. Recommended beyond measure. Lovely guides, stunning scenery with otters, seals and birds everywhere. There was some wind, but even us inexperienced kayakers were more than able to manage. My eye sight is far from 20-20 but I saw more than I expected. Respect the marine life and enjoy this fabulous day
Written August 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Sarah
New York City, NY12 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
This kayaking is in no way an adventure. You see a few otters once, so far in the distance. I wear contacts and couldn’t even see them. You then ride to some cement wall to look at a couple crabs. The rest of the time you are being yelled to “keep paddling” and educated on otters. Very boring.
Written July 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
B L A Barclay
Atlanta, GA14 contributions
This was so much fun. We got to Kayak with the sea otters! We Kayak all the time but this was unique. The company has a lot of other things to try too. Hydro bikes and both single and tandem kayaks. We bought gear to wear but they have gear to wear you can borrow at no extra cost! Awesome.
Written July 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
skye b
Clemson, SC304 contributions
Mar 2022 • Family
This was by far the best experience of our trip to Monterey. The aquarium was neat but to then paddle around the kelp beds in the ocean and see the otters playing or the seals being curious about our boat was simply amazing. Animals in an aquarium are nice but in the wild doing their natural behaviors is so much better. Best $$ spent.
Written March 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Theresa A
30 contributions
Mar 2022
We kayaked as part of a group in conjunction with Sea Otter Savvy. The guides were very helpful and made sure everyone was properly outfitted and understood what to do. We had folks who had kayaked before and those who hadn't. The guides respected distance for the otters and shared information freely. They clearly respected the wildlife and ensured we didn't disturb the animals. It was a great experience and everyone enjoyed it very much.
Written March 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jessica
Irvine, CA8 contributions
Jan 2022
We did a morning kayaking excursion a few weeks ago that was truly memorable. Due to it being a weekday, no one else besides our pair had signed up so we had a private tour with Matt would was an amazing guide. We ended up getting to see far more than we expected -- from a raft of otters to a paddle around the entire marina. Matt was extremely informative and it was a joyous couple of hours. Highly recommend!
Written February 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
scubagoose
UK661 contributions
did you do the elkhorn or monterey bay tour? i cant decide which to do
bowrudder7
Monterey, CA3 contributions
I've paddled both locations independently (not with MBK), and both are good but different. In the slough you will see lots of wildlife -- birds, sea otters and seals. On Cannery Row you will see sea otters, cormorants, sea lions, and the occasional seal. Of the two I think Cannery Row is more beautiful. But Elkhorn Slough has flatter water if you are concerned about that.
Birds on Cannery Row: Depending on the season, pelagic cormorants, Brandt's cormorant, pigeon guillemots, grebes, etc. Birds on Elkhorn Slough: great egrets, snowy egrets, willets, marbled godwits, loons, terns, etc.
Carrie
Malibu, CA
Is this good for kids?
SeasideChick
27 contributions
Daytime tours are definitely fine for kids.The kayaks are 2 person and they provide life jackets to all. The water is calm and the ratio of guides to patrons is good so I'd definitely feel safe taking my kids.
simran k
San Jose, CA
Do you have to know swimming for kayaking?
David L
Berkeley, California, United States29 contributions
No. This trip includes personal floatation device and trained safety personnel in a fairly calm Bay without waves. If you follow instructions it is difficult to fall out of the kayak, because they are very stable.
Sarah
Kilkenny, Ireland3 contributions
Hi, is it possible to kayak in an area where dolphins and whales are present?
Uncleputter
Atlantic Beach, FL51 contributions
Unlikely. You have to go much further out and the water is much rougher.
skepticaltraveler
Texas30 contributions
If you use tandem kayaks, can a single individual take part in a tour?
Davisite_49
Davis, CA7 contributions
Yes, I was a single beginner paddler in the group and the guide paired me up with another experienced paddler who was ok with that.
sue d
Madison, NJ1 contribution
Hi is it necessary to book in advance for a Sunday and are there specific times when the boat go out?
Karyn5657
San Diego, CA25 contributions
We booked it on a weekday and were the only ones. But I would book it advance. We loved it and it was the highlight of the trip. Bring water proof camera if you can. We saw a huge sea lion on dock and lots of seals and otters. Great experience!
nkaurc
9 contributions
Hi all, can you tell me if this is a good experience for anyone that can't swim?
Cass S
Monterey, CA
Hello! The guided tours are best if you don't swim. The guides are with you at all times and the chance of capsize is much smaller!
You cannot do a rental and go out on your own if you can't swim.
Savannah M
1 contribution
Can I kayak anywhere in Monterey without a guide?
Do I need to get a permit to use public waters?
I have my own kayak, but am not a native to Monterey. I would like to be able to go into some of the sloughs, or anywhere I can see animals and plant life.
FreitasRJ
Monterey, CA82 contributions
As far as I can tell you can kayak anywhere in the Monterey Bay you like; no guides and no permits needed and you can bring your own kayak. There is an abundance of wildlife in the bay and sloughs to see but you just need to realize that most of these areas are classified as wildlife preserves and you must respect the environment (especially any breeding grounds, etc.).
Loritraveler1962
Berkeley, CA4 contributions
I would like to know what are the biggest differences between kayaking in Monterey Bay and the Elkhorn Slough. Is one more challenging than the other? And are we more likely to see sea otters if we kayak on the Bay? I have done both before but it was probably about15 year ago, when my kids were little. I'll be in Monterey soon with another adult and 1 fit 18 year old, and 1 fit 14y year old. I'm in decent shape, feel fine about kayaking wherever as long as its not too windy. The other adult is my cousin who hasn't kayaked before. So just thought I'd ask you about the difference in these two places. I think I'd prefer the bay, but not sure. Do you have to walk through the faves to get into the Bay or can you get in from a doc. In other words, do we get quite wet? I cannot remember how wet one gets when kayaking with your kayaks in Monterey....thanks so much in advance. Lastly, what time of the day is the calmest? Thanks, Lori Rogala :)
CALuci
Oakland, CA52 contributions
We have done Monterey Bay twice...with and without a guide and the same with Elkhorn. We saw more otters in Elkhorn. Neither is difficult, even for first timers.