Laguna Beach: Open Ocean Kayak Tour & Sea Lion Encounters

5.00

(191 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I signed up for this Laguna Beach open ocean kayaking tour mostly because I’d never actually seen the coastline from the water — just those classic views from the sand. The first few minutes paddling out, I was honestly a bit nervous (the ocean looked bigger from down low), but our guide, Ben, kept chatting about local tides and pointed to where the kelp forests started. The air smelled salty and sharp, like sunscreen and seaweed mixed together. I could hear gulls somewhere behind us but mostly it was just the sound of paddles hitting water.

We drifted above these thick ribbons of kelp — you could see little fish darting below if you looked down long enough without getting dizzy. At one point Ben stopped us to spot a group of sea lions lounging on rocks; they barked at each other and flopped around in that way only sea lions can. Someone tried to get a photo and nearly tipped their kayak (we all laughed, including Ben). Dolphins didn’t show up for us this time, but apparently they’re regulars on this route. Still, just floating there with the sun on my arms and watching the sea lions felt… kind of peaceful. Not what I expected from open ocean kayaking near LA.

The whole thing lasted maybe two hours? Hard to keep track when you’re out there — time moves differently when you’re focused on balancing or trying not to drop your paddle (which I did once). They gave us new gear and life vests before we started, so nothing felt sketchy or old. There were families with kids in double kayaks too; everyone seemed welcome. I still think about how quiet it got once we stopped paddling for a second — just water slapping gently against plastic. If you’ve never done a day trip Laguna Beach style, this is probably one of the more honest ways to see it.