Channel Islands Kayaking.mp4

Sea-splunking

Adventure Sea Cave Kayak Tour at Channel Islands National Park

If exploring a cave is spelunking, then exploring a cave by kayak is … spelayaking?! Whatever it is, this truly unique cave-kayaking adventure at Channel Islands National Park is a wonderful way to get an in-depth perspective of the the marvelous caves here.

Kayaker inside cave at Channel Islands National Park Adventure Sea Cave Kayak Tour

Even if you’re totally new to kayaking, the experts at Channel Island Adventure Company will get you set up and safe on the water to spend a few hours paddling around on the Adventure Sea Cave Kayak Tour. It’s the most popular tour at the national park, and for good reason!

Channel Island Adventure Company guides getting kayakers ready for the sea kayak adventure tour at Santa Cruz Island

You’ll paddle into and through the magnificent sea caves at Santa Cruz Island. Once you get the hang of steering your vessel, you’ll be looking up and down and all around as you learn about the wildlife inhabiting the area, including ospreys perching high on cliffs. If luck is on your side, dolphins might coast beside you or a migrating whale may appear in the distance.

Two Kayakers on Adventure Sea Kayak Tour by Channel Island Adventure Company

The adventure is a boon of opportunity to enter caves of all shapes and sizes. Keep an eye out for California sea lions; they like to use cave shelves to dry off and warm up. Get your bragging rights photos as you course through caves, some containing blowholes for a little extra splash.

Kayaker outside a cave at Santa Cruz Island Channel Islands National Park

Cave kayaking at Channel Islands National Park, two kayakers outside a cave at Santa Cruz Island

Just don’t drop the camera—this is spelunk, not kerplunk. When you’re done, there should be enough time before the ferry departure to get in a quick hike up to Cavern Point, where you might just see the small island fox, endemic to six of the eight Channel Islands, and found nowhere else in the world. Then again, you may just be so giddy on the water you’ll be begging your guide for just one more cave “spelayak”… or whatever you want to call it!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Golden Gate's Blue Heron

    Golden Gate Park’s Blue Heron Lake is home to birds of many feathers, turtles lounging on rocks, visitors from afar, and locals who love this urban oasis in San Francisco. Try the "Boats and Breakfast" rowboat or pedal boat deal.

    View
  3. Rio Del Mar-velous

    Rio Del Mar State Beach in Aptos might be one of the best places for a treasure hunt. Its location between two other beaches makes for a good stroll featuring a spectacle of wildlife as you search the sand for sea glass and seashells.

    View
  4. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Gentle Giants

    Some people visit national parks to marvel at the iconic sights, while others come seeking solitude in nature. With visitation on the rise, it can be hard to find both. But in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, this pair of trails offers both....

    View
  2. Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

    Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

    Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear i

    View
  3. Griffith's Golden

    With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town.

    View
  4. Sponsored

    Fall for It All in Reno Tahoe

    The best kind of getaway? Less time on logistics, more time on memory-making. Jackpot! You’ve got Reno Tahoe.

    View