San Diego · LA JOLLA TOURS

The 15 Best La Jolla Tours & Sea Cave Trips

47 tours  ·  from $9

La Jolla packs the whole coastline into two miles: seven sea caves, a cove full of sea lions and a cliff road with the county’s best view off it. These 15 cover the water and the streets above it, priced, timed and honest about what the swell can cancel.

La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour For Two (Tandem Kayak) - Learning to paddle before the waves
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La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour For Two (Tandem Kayak)

1.La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour For Two (Tandem Kayak)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,205 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) Our pick

Paddle a tandem kayak from La Jolla Shores toward the sea caves with guides such as Alex, Hannah, Ike, or Cassidy. Learn basic technique, watch for sea lions, leopard sharks, dolphins, birds, and kelp, then ride the waves back to shore. Cave entry depends on conditions and group ability.

“Kids loved the leopard sharks! The water was clear and beautiful. We could see so much sea life. Cassidy was fun and friendly.”

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Original La Jolla Sea Cave Kayak Tour for Two - Launching through La Jolla’s surf
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Original La Jolla Sea Cave Kayak Tour for Two

2.Original La Jolla Sea Cave Kayak Tour for Two

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 871 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Paddle a two-person kayak through La Jolla Ecological Reserve with an English-speaking guide. You may see sea lions, seals, leopard sharks, birds, and fish while approaching the Seven Sea Caves and Emerald Cave. Guides such as Sawyer, Hannah, Lydia, and Reed lead the way. Expect to get wet.

“Hannah and Lydia were the best guides! Skillfully navigated all of us in the group to the caves and along the way shared little nuggets of information about the area and the ecological reserve and fun facts! We saw leopard sharks and sea lions and they made sure our cave experience was top notch. Highly recommend this tour and these expert guides!”

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La Jolla: 2-Hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves - The short lesson before launch
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La Jolla: 2-Hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves

3.2-Hour Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 586 reviews · 2 hours

Launch from Bike and Kayak Tours at 2158 Avenida De La Playa for a guided paddle through La Jolla’s Ecological Reserve. You’ll receive instruction and equipment, then look for sea lions, leopard sharks, garibaldi, and dolphins. Calm seas may allow entry into Clam’s Cave, but surf and tides can change the route.

“In this kayak tour, we had the chance to paddle along the beautiful coastline and even explore a cave up close. The experience of going through the cave was exciting, and our guides made sure we felt safe the entire time. They explained how to maneuver our kayaks properly so we could enjoy the cave without worry and they guided us through it the entire time. Beyond the cave, the guides were very informative about the history and significance of different landmarks along the shore. We learned interesting facts about the cliffs, the wildlife, and the unique features of the area. Their knowledge added so much more meaning to the…”

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SoCal Riviera Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla and Mount Soledad - Starting at Herschel Avenue
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SoCal Riviera Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla and Mount Soledad

4.SoCal Riviera Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla and Mount Soledad

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 438 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) Top rated

Spend 2.5 hours riding a powerful electric bike through La Jolla with guides such as Justin, Tyler, Nicole, or Peter. Stop for sea lions, seals, surf, tide pools, neighborhoods, and the Mount Soledad memorial. The pace is relaxed, but you must be comfortable riding in traffic and on hills.

“Fun and informative tour that was pretty relaxed and a lot of fun. Brian was a great guide and told us a lot about what we were seeing.”

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Cali Dreaming Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla and Pacific Beach - Windansea Beach and Camino de la Costa
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Cali Dreaming Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla and Pacific Beach

5.Cali Dreaming Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla and Pacific Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 387 reviews · 2 hours 10 minutes (approx.)

Spend about two hours riding a premium e-bike from La Jolla to Pacific Beach with guides such as Brian, James, Chase, and Tyler. After a careful orientation, you’ll visit sea lion coves, Windansea Beach, Bird Rock, neighborhood trails, and historic Crystal Pier.

“This was the best way to experience La Jolla. We enjoyed all the scenic spots like The Cove and saw the adorable sea lion and seal pups, but avoided the terrible crowds and traffic. Our guide also filled us in on the history of La Jolla, the current culture, and made great recommendations for places to visit.”

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Incredible Slot Canyons to the Pacific - Descending into the sandstone canyon
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Incredible Slot Canyons to the Pacific

6.Incredible Slot Canyons to the Pacific

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 373 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $59

Join Granger or another local guide at Torrey Pines Gliderport for a two-hour canyon hike with ropes, climbing gloves, and free photos. You will scramble over sandstone, cross a secluded beach, climb through wind caves and a grotto, and finish with wide Pacific views. A moderate fitness level is required.

“It was a challenging hike up through the canyon. We worked hard but had a great time. Our guide was very helpful and showed us how to navigate our way.”

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Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves - The seven caves and what you may actually see
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Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves

7.Kayak Tour of the 7 Caves

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 355 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Paddle a two-hour ocean route from Avenida de la Playa through La Jolla Ecological Reserve. Guides such as Zack, Aimee, Sebastian, and Magdalena provide instruction and local insight while you look for sea lions, leopard sharks, garibaldi, dolphins, and caves, subject to surf conditions.

“We enjoyed the tour very much. The guides were very professional and kind (I remember one name -.Sammy). The stories during the tour were also interesting.”

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Behind-the-Scenes at Petco Park Tour - Starting at 215 Tony Gwynn Drive
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Behind-the-Scenes at Petco Park Tour

8.Behind-the-Scenes at Petco Park Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 339 reviews · from $43

Spend about 80 minutes inside Petco Park with a guide such as Jane, Brad, Karen, Jann, or Mo. See the press box, writer’s row, a major league dugout, the visitors’ clubhouse, Padres Hall of Fame, and Breitbard Hall of Fame. The tour does not include the playing field.

“The tour was filled with fun facts. Eye opening views, and seeing the inner workings of the stadium. Truly a treasure!”

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Snorkeling Adventure in La Jolla - What the local guides add to the experience
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Snorkeling Adventure in La Jolla

9.Snorkeling Adventure in La Jolla

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 204 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)

Meet at La Jolla Cove Market, suit up, then swim into La Jolla Underwater Park and the famous Emerald Cave. Guides such as Cass, Skylar, Maddie, and Jane explain the wildlife and help you manage the open-water swim. Bring strong swimming skills, and budget $15 for a wetsuit.

“Weren’t able to go in. asked for refund because we heard from the group in front of us that they didn’t see anything. They refused to give us a refund and we had to go with them just to not be able to go inside the water.”

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Explore San Diego Tide Pools with a Marine Biologist - What the one-hour outing feels like
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Explore San Diego Tide Pools with a Marine Biologist

10.Explore San Diego Tide Pools with a Marine Biologist

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 190 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $32Best value

Meet marine biologist and former teacher Matt at La Jolla’s tide pools for a one-hour guided look at small ocean creatures, plants, and survival skills. He keeps the pace friendly for children and adults, explains how to explore without harm, and sends a digital photo album afterward.

“having a biology teacher as a guide made all the difference, he shared his knowledge and care of the envirnment with us”

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La Jolla: 2.5-Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour - The La Jolla Sea Caves From the Water
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La Jolla: 2.5-Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour

11.2.5-Hour Kayak and Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 165 reviews · 2h 30m

Paddle from La Jolla Shores to the sea caves with an English-speaking guide, then snorkel over rocky reefs and sandy flats. You may see garibaldi, rays, leopard sharks, sea lions, and rockfish. Guides such as Jada, Zach, Anthony, and Vanessa are praised for clear safety help and local nature stories.

“I had a great time on this kayak and snorkel tour. Our tour guide Will was super knowledgeable about the area and shared the history and current state of the coves and the ecosystem around it.”

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La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour (Single Kayak) - The sea caves, with an important condition
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La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour (Single Kayak)

12.La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour (Single Kayak)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 164 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $74

Paddle a single ocean kayak from La Jolla Cove into the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park. Guides such as Hannah, Luka, Savannah, and Ryan mix safety tips with local stories and wildlife facts. Cave access depends on surf conditions, and you should expect to get wet.

“We had a blast on our kayak adventure. Hannah was a great guide and very knowledgeable about the sea life that we encountered. We saw tons of seals and sea lions, leopard sharks and smaller fish. We explored a sea cave. It was a fantastic experience that I would highly recommend.”

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Historic La Jolla Walking Tour - Starting at the La Jolla Recreation Center
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Historic La Jolla Walking Tour

13.Historic La Jolla Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $70

Walk La Jolla with local guide Chas, tracing the Scripps family legacy from historic cottages and churches to Sunny Jim’s cave, sea lions, Children’s Pool, and tide pools. Expect about two hours on foot, a small group of up to 15, coastal views, old photos, and practical dining tips.

“Chaz was an excellent tour guide. He gave a detailed account of La Jolla history and provided a tour that highlights how much of a gem La Jolla truly is. As I was his only tourist, he was kind enough to walk me to a local restaurant that he recommended, and the food was amazing!! Highly recommend this tour!”

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La Jolla Kayak and Snorkel Tour - What the 2.5-hour outing is like
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La Jolla Kayak and Snorkel Tour

14.La Jolla Kayak and Snorkel Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 117 reviews

Paddle from La Jolla Shores toward the sea caves, carrying your snorkel gear aboard the kayak. Guides such as Roman, Coya, Ellie, Sammy, and Savannah lead groups of up to 10 through changing ocean conditions. Expect wetsuits, marine life, and a real workout.

“The staff helping to prep and provide us equipments was not very cooperative. We were just a few minutes late and he refused to give us wetsuits but gave us everything else. We literally begged him to at least provide to 1 member in our pRead more”

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San Diego: La Jolla Cove Guided Snorkeling Tour - Why a group of eight works well
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San Diego: La Jolla Cove Guided Snorkeling Tour

15.La Jolla Cove Guided Snorkeling Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 73 reviews · 1h 30m · from $90

Join guide Rich for a 90-minute La Jolla Cove snorkel in a protected marine sanctuary. Use the included wetsuit and gear as you swim through Emerald Cove, visit sea caves, and look for sea lions, garibaldi, sardines, rays, sharks, lobsters, and octopuses.

“It was an amazing experience, I felt safe all the time & our guide Ritch was just the nicest and easiest going guide! He always made sure everyone was okay and explained everything really well. 10/10 experience!”

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New in La Jolla Tours

★ 3.5Ultimate La Jolla Self-Guided Driving & Walking Audio Tour Bundle9 reviews
★ 5.0The Mount Soledad E-Bike TourFrom $1194 reviews
★ 5.0Sunset Electric Bike Tour of La Jolla10 reviews
★ 4.0San Diego Bay 1.5-Hour Guided Kayak Tour in Coronado7 reviews
★ 4.01.5 Hour Walking Tour from La Jolla in San Diego7 reviews
★ 4.5La Jolla Segway TourFrom $19916 reviews
★ 3.0La Jolla Snorkel with the Leopard Sharks27 reviews
★ 5.0Guided Historic La Jolla Village Walking TourFrom $599 reviews
★ 5.0La Jolla Electric Bike TourFrom $993 reviews
★ 5.0La Jolla E-Scooter Tour with Photos IncludedFrom $794 reviews
★ 5.0Half Day Performance eBike Rental6 reviews
★ 5.02 Hour Private Group Surf Lesson in La Jolla3 reviews
★ 4.0Coronado Bike TourFrom $595 reviews
★ 4.5All Day Snorkel Package with Wetsuit RentalFrom $3028 reviews
★ 4.52 Hour Whale Watching Kayak Tour for Two9 reviews

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San Diego Kayak Tours16San Diego Snorkeling Tours10San Diego Surf Lessons6San Diego Beaches & Coastal Tours7E-Bike Tours in La Jolla12Walking Tours in La Jolla8
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