Time for a day trip!  It promised to be a good day at the beach, which is not the norm in the summer.  I remember the first time I hit the Californian Beach in Santa Cruz in the summer, and being glad I brought a towel so I could wrap it around me to warm up.  Northern California’s Coast gets a lot of fog in the summer, making it less reliable a destination than the beaches in the South.  But, we were lucky, yesterday the fog cleared up by mid day, just in time for our Kayak tour on the Monterrey Bay.

We booked a 2.5 hour tour on the Monterey Bay with the Monterey Bay Kayaks company.  They provide you with the kayaks (2 seaters), wet suits and windbreakers, and two guides accompany the group of about 20 people.  They take you out exploring the Marina.  You don’t go far out in the open ocean, but, even after a very short distance, you see sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions.  The guides tell you more about the wildlife you encounter, they help you find some rays and sea stars, and they teach you a bit about the kayaks too.  The tour is great with kids (from around 4 years old) and you don’t need any kayaking experience.  There are many breaks to admire the animals, but if you are looking for 2.5 hours of strenuous kayaking, then you might be better of renting a boat and going out by yourself.

After a fun tour, we ate fish and chips at the local Sand Bar & Grill – fun place in walking distance from Monterey Bay Kayaks (with kids menu).

Monterey Bay Kayaks also organizes tours at Elkhorn Slough, a nature preserve.  Coming from the Bay Area this is a bit closer, and given the heavy weekend traffic, it may be a great option for our next adventure.   The company offers many tour variations, whale watching, bird watching etc., so there is still a lot to explore!  We loved it, and we will come back.