Kayaking Tours
2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$85
per adult
Paddle Sports Center
Paddle Sports Center
5
Surfing & WindsurfingEco ToursGear RentalsStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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About
The Paddle Sports Center is Santa Barbara's premier Kayak | SUP | Surf rental, membership, instruction, and tour center. Explore the Santa Barbara waterfront & view sea birds, sea lions, seals, dolphins, and even whales! We provide instruction and comfortable/quality gear. Our rental rates are the best in town and our local guides are extremely knowledgable about the area. We have been serving the local community for over 25 years, and we guarantee that you will have an enjoyable experience.
Tours and Tickets by Paddle Sports Center
Historical Tours
2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$72
per adult
Stand Up Paddleboarding
2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$90
per adult
Travelers talk about
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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
690 reviews
Excellent
643
Very good
41
Average
4
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Kayleen E
Florence, Italy1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Family
We had an amazing sunset tour. Taylor was our guide and was extremely personable and knowledgeable. We took our 11 year old son out and he was so excited to be on the water and to see all of the birds and sea animals. We loved learning the history as we paddled along in our kayaks and would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone. Taylor also offered to take pictures for us so that we would have memories to take home. 10/10. Highly recommend.
Written July 22, 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.
LoveTravel580807
2 contributions
Oct 2020
We had a fabulous time touring the Santa Barbara coast on kayaks. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable and fun too and the shop was very careful about adhering to safety protocols. I would definitely do this again next time visiting the area.
Written October 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.
meathead71
Penarth, UK2 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
Had a fantastic sunset kayak session with Max. We paddled around the harbour spotting famous boats, seals and bird life then out to a bouy to see some sea lions enjoying the evening sun before heading back to see the sunset over the mountains. Max was great fun, but also knowledgeable about the local environment and geography - we learnt a lot as well as having a fun time. We did let home beat us in the race though!!! Couldn't recommend highly enough - a must do for families visiting beautifulSanta Barbara. Suitable for all ages and abilities.
Written September 6, 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.
aschlingheyde
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Family
Last week my family and I were traveling in California and we did the Sea Lion Kayak Tour with the Paddle Sports Center in Santa Barbara. It was amazing 2 hour tour! Our guide, Max, was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area, as well as information about the harbor itself and the animals that live there. The highlight was when we kayaked out into the open ocean where the sea lions were taking a nap on a buoy! Would highly recommend!
Written July 25, 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.
Resort279309
1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Family
The website touts this tour as a journey through history with knowledgeable guides. While the guides provided a few tips on how to kayak and were very nice, no information about the region or sea life was shared. If asked a specific question, one of the guides would answer but when a tour is titled, "Wildlife and History Kayaking Tour", there is an expectation that information will be provided. That was not the case.
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.
Swamy N
Chicago, IL16 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
Very nice nature experience. Our guide Adam was superb. He gave good tips on kayaking and kept us engaged the whole time. We saw large pelicans, harbor seals and sea lions. It was a comfortable and smooth experience.
Written February 16, 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.
LauraASB
3 contributions
Mar 2020
First lesson for stand up paddle and the team was friendly and welcoming! Learned important techniques to get started. Definitely going back for additional lessons. Great rentals as well. I highly recommend Fraser and his team. Awesome experience! Great way to enjoy SB for individuals, families and friends!
Written March 2, 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.
lizreyz
Bakersfield, CA1 contribution
Jul 2020
My husband and I were so clueless on how to kayak but it seemed like something super fun to do. As soon as we arrived we were warmly greeted. In the water the tour guides were amazing as teaching us and giving the tour. They made us feel good about our learning process and at the end of the tour we felt like kayak experts... well sort of. All in all it was a great experience and amazing staff.
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.
Eric A
Santa Barbara, CA2 contributions
Sep 2021
We went on the Painted Cave Kayak Expedition and had a great time. The Capitan John and crew were excellent. Our guide Craig was knowledgeable and very nice. The breakfast and lunch by Tim was delicious The boat was very clean and was in excellent condition. Paddling the tandem kayak was fun and paddling down wind was pretty easy. The caves were fascinating. The other guests on the boat were nice.
Written September 19, 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.
Carl T
Los Angeles, CA28 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
If you want to save money DON'T go here. After making the mistake of renting kayaks here, I discovered that there is another rental shop called Santa Barbara Sailing Center, where the prices are fair and the staff are friendly. The Santa Barbara Sailing Center is only a 5 minute walk away and it's where the locals go to rent kayaks and Paddle Boards.
SB Sailing Center prices:
Single Kayak Rental: $10/hour
Double Kayak Rental: $15/hour
Paddle Board: $15/hour plus $2 insurance fee
Channel Island Outfitters:
Single: $15/hour
Double Kayak: $30/hour
Paddle Board: $30/hour
SB Sailing Center prices:
Single Kayak Rental: $10/hour
Double Kayak Rental: $15/hour
Paddle Board: $15/hour plus $2 insurance fee
Channel Island Outfitters:
Single: $15/hour
Double Kayak: $30/hour
Paddle Board: $30/hour
Written July 4, 2014
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.
This reviewer points out a few things that need to be addressed. First of all to the "tourist trap" accusation. We are not luring renters in with low prices and then jacking up the price with fees and tax (it is not legal in CA to charge tax on a service item, some other rental companies in town charge tax on service items). We advertise the exact price we charge when you arrive, we also offer student discounts at 25% off plus Axxess 2 for 1 deals ( a local discount program).
Second, a "rip off" would be if we charged more and gave you less. What Carl fails to mention is the difference in equipment. As for the accessories we provide: we use NRS Clearwater PFDs which are designed for Sit-on-top kayaking. We use Werner Tybe paddles, which are a poly-carbon blend, a light-weight and semi-pro blade/shaft. We use full backrests that have seats, this makes sitting in a kayak comfortable for the duration of the rental. SUP PFDs (which are required by law) are the fanny pack style. SUP paddles are a variety of Werner fiberglass adjustable and Quick-Blade carbon fixed length.
We have a wide variety of SUPs from long raceboards, to sturdy beginner boards. Our boards are equipped with 12 foot coiled leashes. We are a certified ASI (Academy of Surfing Instructors) instructor trainer school. We are the only certified SUP school on the Santa Barbara coast, and one of 2 in Southern California. Rentals get a fair amount of instruction, but the feedback from a course is always highly recommended.
And last, the comment about where the locals go. Over the 4th of July weekend, over 80% of our customers had an SB zip code, many of which are members of our Adventure Co-Op, a program that provides members of the community with everyday access for as little as $25/month and guests 25% off rentals. We also donate 1% of our gross sales back to the local community. And because we believe that happy employees are friendly employees, we pay living wages to new hires and offer health benefits to FT employees. We also pay for FT employees to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours in the community.
We are fully aware that there are cheaper options in SB. We have been around for 21 years and are supported by people who care about quality equipment and a company that is run by local ocean lovers. We hope you'll give us a chance to welcome you into our community! Thanks for reading.
watch a video about our community commitment: http://vimeo.com/94442043
Garrett Kababik
Co-Founder
Written July 7, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sorry for the delay! 350lbs for a single kayak
Written August 16, 2019
Hi, can you tell me if you can see sea lions by hiring kayaks just from Santa barbara or do you need to go to the Chanel islands? If you can is there a better time of day to go?
Thanks
Written April 23, 2019
Sorry for the delay!! You can see Sea Lions from the harbor, our wildlife & history kayaking tour is a great option
Written August 16, 2019
We will be visiting the end of April, beginning of May. What is the average water temp and are the wet suits adequate to keep you warm if the water is cool. What is the average air temps that time of year? We are considering the kayak and snorkeling package; we have experience doing both. Both of us have snorkeled but in warm Caribbean waters, both of us have (tandem) kayaked in cool Maine ocean waters as well as the Westfield River (Race) in late winter. Looking forward to spending some time on Santa Cruz and experiencing what your guides have to share.
Thanks,
Jude McGowan
Southampton, MA
Written January 15, 2017
As has been mentioned, the wetsuits don't have sleeves, So if that's of concern to you, being a rashguard. Otherwise, the wetsuit they provide you is fine.
Written January 16, 2017
What is the distance of the longest caves that you travel through? How many of them are there? How often do you need to cancel trips due to poor weather or choppy water?
Written November 19, 2016
The deepest of the caves on the Eastern side of Santa Cruz is about 800 feet long. In total there are 120 sea caves on the island, but the areas of Scorpion and Coche Point hold roughly 25 sea caves that are explorable by kayak. During the Winter we do cancel tours occasionally due to inclement weather, but during the Summer we almost never cancel.
Written November 20, 2016
Hi. I will be visiting the area in March with my 2 kids. Is it warm enough to be out on the water?
Written October 6, 2016
We were there in the beginning of June and the water was cold. We had wet suits to kayak and swim. Hiking was fine and it was warm.
Written October 8, 2016
Can you kayak the week of Christmas?
Written October 28, 2015
Yes, we are open every day but Christmas and New Years. We've sold out in the past, so get on it early. Thanks!
Written October 28, 2015
We are planning a trip to Santa Barbara the first week of October. Wondering about the water conditions, temperature and choppiness? My husband and I both get motion sick when in open ocean waters. My concern is the ferry boat ride. How much movement can we expect and does anyone ever have an issue with sea sickness?
Written September 25, 2015
Thanks for your question. Seasickness varies based on each individual. The ferry is a catamaran, which reduces the pitch and roll of traditional mono-hull boats that can catalyze motion sickness, so that's a good start. I cannot accurately predict the sea conditions this far in advance, but it has been very calm for the past few weeks, and there are no pending storms in the near future. We traditionally see the calmest seas this time of the year, and this should last through November.
That all being said, sea sickness is an issue that people DO deal with on even calm days, and if you have a propensity for this to occur, be advised that you should take all appropriate precautions prior to embarking. Hope this helps.
Written September 25, 2015
I'm planning on taking my daughter on the sea cave guided kayak tour around Scorpion. We are both concerned about sharks. We've been told shark sightings are pretty much nonexistent here. Thoughts? Is this true? Appease me with valid suggestions of why in their home they are rarely seen. Something about this area they don't like?
Written September 14, 2015
This was an initial concern of mine when we went in August, but saw none and yes...the kelp forest is thick so not ideal for sharks. Did not see one just lots of wonderful sea life :). It's an amazing place, do go if you have the chance.
Written January 16, 2017
How physically fit do you need to be to do this trip? I have never been kayaking before. I do swim regularly. I'm 60. All the videos show pretty young and athletic types. I'm afraid I don't fit into this category. please advise as best you can. Thanks.
Written August 14, 2015
Our Caves and Coves Classic is great for all ages and activity levels. We move at a slow pace to explore all of the knooks and crannies of the island. You'll do great!
Written August 14, 2015
Is their discounts on a specific number of groups? Or how much is it ? Is it per person or per group? Is their a age limit? How long is it? Sorry never done this before
Written August 10, 2015
We do have group discounts that start at 6 and our minimum age on our 3 hour kayaking tour is 8 years old. Thanks.
Written August 10, 2015
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