Central Coast Outdoors
Central Coast Outdoors
Central Coast Outdoors
5
Water SportsEco ToursNature & Wildlife ToursKayaking & Canoeing
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Take a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay, California with the experts! Morro Bay is a natural gem along the California coast. It is part of the National Estuary Program and is chock filled with wildlife, including birds, otters and seals. The bay is protected from the open ocean by a four mile long sand spit and its sheltered waters are ideal for kayakers of all levels, including beginners and family groups. Take advantage of our decades of experience and learn more about how we can help you explore this natural wonderland by kayak.
Morro Bay, California
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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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
5.0
810 reviews
Excellent
791
Very good
20
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
sambieni
Los Angeles, CA86 contributions
Jul 2020
A great family friendly and COVID-19 socially distant/protocol observant outfitter.
We just completed a 3+ hour morning kayak tour of the Morro Bay estuary/harbor with 4 adults and 4 kids (ages 5, 7 and 8). All had a great time.
Kat was an excellent educator and really appropriate and fun for all age levels.
She gave us a great, easy overview of how to use the kayak, the equipment and safety needs, and was always super conscious w/ regards to mask wearing and distance.
We spent little more than 2 hours paddling seeing lots of sea life, bird life, and more, plus capped off w a time ambling on the dunes across the bay.
Our tour took bit longer than anticipated due to low tides and tired paddlers, but Kat was really understanding of still giving us the full tour, time to relax and paddle at our own pace. Even after we disembarked she took the time to show the kiddos a pelt from a sea otter, cognizant of touching and need for hand sanitizer. The kids were so happy.
All families felt super safe, well cared for and left with lots of smiles and really wonderful time.
Cannot recommend enough.
We just completed a 3+ hour morning kayak tour of the Morro Bay estuary/harbor with 4 adults and 4 kids (ages 5, 7 and 8). All had a great time.
Kat was an excellent educator and really appropriate and fun for all age levels.
She gave us a great, easy overview of how to use the kayak, the equipment and safety needs, and was always super conscious w/ regards to mask wearing and distance.
We spent little more than 2 hours paddling seeing lots of sea life, bird life, and more, plus capped off w a time ambling on the dunes across the bay.
Our tour took bit longer than anticipated due to low tides and tired paddlers, but Kat was really understanding of still giving us the full tour, time to relax and paddle at our own pace. Even after we disembarked she took the time to show the kiddos a pelt from a sea otter, cognizant of touching and need for hand sanitizer. The kids were so happy.
All families felt super safe, well cared for and left with lots of smiles and really wonderful time.
Cannot recommend enough.
Written July 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.
MakeAmericaTravelAgain
5 contributions
Feb 2020
Central Coast Outdoors (CCO) hit all the marks, 10 out of 10, and I will without doubt refer them to anyone. I called CCO five minutes to 5pm on Friday and Virginia Flaherty, the Owner, set me up in no time making it all happen on such short notice for a custom kayak trip around the Bay the next morning at 9am. I appreciate flexibility in people.
I very much enjoyed the kayak excursion. My guide, Craig, was excellent and great company. He is very knowledgeable, easy to talk to, while being calm and full of positive energy.
It was an experience of highest quality, that I wouldn’t want to miss! To be repeated and I would definitely go out with Craig again.
From the atmosphere of the changing weather (foggy to cloudy to sunny with clouds), perfect temperature and pristine nature, it could not have been better. All gear was working perfectly and even for a newcomer to kayaking (I am a sailor), my experience was so positive that I think I am hooked on it.
Winter is the best time to come up to SLO and Morro Bay to go hiking and kayaking as I did. Thank you for a great time Cental Coast Outdoors!
I very much enjoyed the kayak excursion. My guide, Craig, was excellent and great company. He is very knowledgeable, easy to talk to, while being calm and full of positive energy.
It was an experience of highest quality, that I wouldn’t want to miss! To be repeated and I would definitely go out with Craig again.
From the atmosphere of the changing weather (foggy to cloudy to sunny with clouds), perfect temperature and pristine nature, it could not have been better. All gear was working perfectly and even for a newcomer to kayaking (I am a sailor), my experience was so positive that I think I am hooked on it.
Winter is the best time to come up to SLO and Morro Bay to go hiking and kayaking as I did. Thank you for a great time Cental Coast Outdoors!
Written February 25, 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.
FamilyFunFor3
Cottonwood, CA38 contributions
Jul 2020
CCO provided our family a great opportunity for a kayak adventure for all ages and experience levels. Our 6 adults and 6 children (ages 4-13) all had a great half day tour with lunch. Our guide (Jen) had interesting information to share on bird life and Morro Bay history. She was also very good with young kids, very patient and educational in how she communicated and engaged the kids. Jen show the kids how to jump/slide down the dunes, which provided a lot of excitement with the little ones. Jen, thank you for playing photographer as well as guide :)
During covid times, this was a wonderful way for a family to share time together and still maintain social distancing. The owners were extremely accommodating in our scheduling plans.
Thank you Virginia for the wonderful lunch (again for all ages) - the salads were superb and the drinks assortment was very much appreciated! A beautifully laid out lunch on the beach/dunes was a nice surprise to our kids/grandkids, who expected we'd provide a brown bag sandwich - not! :)
This was the second family adventure we've taken with CCO, the prior time was a private dad and daughter adventure. I would definitely recommend this company, and appreciate their efforts to provide outdoor enjoyment to all.
During covid times, this was a wonderful way for a family to share time together and still maintain social distancing. The owners were extremely accommodating in our scheduling plans.
Thank you Virginia for the wonderful lunch (again for all ages) - the salads were superb and the drinks assortment was very much appreciated! A beautifully laid out lunch on the beach/dunes was a nice surprise to our kids/grandkids, who expected we'd provide a brown bag sandwich - not! :)
This was the second family adventure we've taken with CCO, the prior time was a private dad and daughter adventure. I would definitely recommend this company, and appreciate their efforts to provide outdoor enjoyment to all.
Written July 27, 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.
RoadTrippppper
Irvine, CA43 contributions
Nov 2020
My wife and I took the Morro Bay Short Paddle kayak tour and we're lucky enough to have a private tour with Chris. We saw otters and sea lions and more birds than we can remember. Chris shared a lot of information about all of the local wildlife, especially the various bird colonies. I sense that everyone at Central Coast Outdoors appreciates and respects nature, and I would highly recommend this company to anyone visiting Morro Bay. We feel that it was well worth splurging on this tour as opposed to just renting a kayak and going out on our own.
Written November 8, 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.
Sarah S
1 contribution
Sep 2021
Our private kayak tour with Dave was the absolute best part of our visit to Morro Bay! We spent three hours on the bay and the dunes and Dave shared so much knowledge with us. We learned about the ecology of the area and about the types of birds, seals, otters and even oysters! His skills as a guide are superior and we would recommend that anyone take a kayak tour with him. Learning more about this beautiful area gave our trip meaning and substance beyond just paddling or hiking in the scenic setting. Call Central Coast Outdoors (they are super helpful and nice on the phone) and book a tour with Dave! Do it asap!
Written September 20, 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.
Gloria S
1 contribution
Nov 2019
My husband and I went on the Morro Bay Short Paddle for our anniversary back in November. We are avid outdoors people and usually like to explore independently, but the kayak tour was an auction item for a fantastic organization and I bet on it and won. I'm so glad I did! Virginia instantly understood our "vibe" and tailored our trip accordingly. Virginia loves the bay and knows it well and during our paddle gave us so much interesting information about the plants, animals, ecosystem and history only a local would know. I've visited Morro Bay many times and my appreciation and understanding of the area expanded immensely in the short time we were together. I only wish we had a longer tour! I highly recommend Central Coast Outdoors to anyone that wants to get out on the water and learn more about Morro Bay. Although we went without children, my husband and I agreed that our kids would have loved the trip as well.
Written January 5, 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.
Jacquline L
New York City15 contributions
Oct 2020
Amazing "sunset" kayak tour of Morro Bay. The marine layer was very dense the day we went so we didn't really see the sunset, but this was out of Central Coast Outdoors' control. Our guide, Craig, made the best of the situation and the tour was informative and fun despite the weather not cooperating! I appreciated their covid precautions and protocols, it felt very safe and socially distanced but still felt warm and welcomed by our guide. Thanks for the great memories!
Written October 28, 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.
ermcneil01
Kansas City, KS2 contributions
Jul 2022
This trip was awesome, and we owe that to John and Virginia for all the work they did to ensure everything went smoothly. I looked at a lot of different companies for our bike trip, and theirs stood out. Their prices are hard to beat, and they helped customize a trip that was exactly what we wanted. The bikes, packs and gear were great, and the bike GPS system was programmed to be very clear and intuitive on where we needed to go. We received excellent recommendations for hotels, restaurants and scenic stops along our ride. We did a four day trip starting from Ragged Point, and it was perfect for us,
I can't recommend Central Cost outdoors enough!
I can't recommend Central Cost outdoors enough!
Written August 2, 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.
lesliemichele_23
Santa Cruz, CA9 contributions
Apr 2021
Our kayaking excursion on Morro Bay exceeded every expectation! I was traveling alone with my two young boys (4 and 8 years old) and wasn't sure if it was even possible to get out on the water, but Central Coast Outdoors made it easy. John responded promptly to my email and offered to set up a reasonably priced private tour. He recommended going out early to avoid the wind that was predicted that day, and conditions ended up being perfect. Virginia was our guide, and it was so nice to have someone knowledgable navigating us to the best spots. We saw several mama and baby seal pairs on the shore, and then some came out to our kayaks to say hello! It was magical. Virginia also shared all sorts of interesting animal facts that we have continued to talk about days later.
This family-run company clearly prioritizes providing a great experience to their customers. Our tour was the highlight of our vacation, and we will be back on future trips to Morro Bay!
This family-run company clearly prioritizes providing a great experience to their customers. Our tour was the highlight of our vacation, and we will be back on future trips to Morro Bay!
Written April 9, 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.
LINDA I
1 contribution
Feb 2020
We took a wine biking tour that was about 20 miles that ended in a very nice lunch. I would recommend this trip to anyone who can bike 15 miles on flat roads. We are glad that we added the extra five miles, but those miles were steeper. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the wineraries and wildlife.
Written February 25, 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.
i would love to do a hike 5 miles may be a bit too much for my husband, can there be accommodations for that?where would we be going, I,m assuming i can bring my dog??
how much would it cost?
thanks
patty
Written April 2, 2019
Hi Patty; The best area with a lot of options for hiking with you husband is in the area of Big Sur south of Carmel / Monterey. The view along the coast is magnificent. Easy walking. The other area is Pinnacles National Park and there are more challenging and the trails are longer from 2 miles to 9 miles going through the high peaks rock formations. There is one trail that goes to a cave called Balconies Cliff-Cave Loop which is not to hard 2 miles. Best time is Spring with wild flowers.
As far as places to stay for the Pinnacles I would recommend Hollister, CA with many motels and places to eat. Great Wine Country too. Hope that helps. Enjoy the trip to either Big Sur or the Pinnacles my choices for this Central California area.
Tom
Written April 2, 2019
We're is limekiln falls located in central California?
Written January 29, 2017
Limekiln is 56 miles south of Carmel on CA. Highway 1.and two miles south Lucia. Be sure to check highway conditions as Highway 1 is closed often due to rock slides caused by the rain. People like this place for camping and hiking--also lovely coastal views and redwoods. Jan.31, 2017
Written January 31, 2017
How likely are we going to be able to book a tour on short notice (24-48) hours on a weekday/night in early April? Anyone have any problems when trying to do so?
Written February 19, 2016
John here, owner of Central Coast Outdoors. Thanks for your inquiry. The short answer is "it depends." Often we do have good availability for our tours, especially kayak tours, up until 24-48 hours in advance. Some days we might have a large group that booked well in advance that might be taking all of our resources, however. The best way to check is to call or email us with the dates and tour you have in mind and we can check availability for you.
Written February 19, 2016
W D
Beijing, China
How could I book a cruise trip by Papagallo II, the luxury vessel tour in San Luis Obispo, California US?
Thanks®ards,
Davercin
Written March 8, 2015
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