Excellent tour. Boat is silent. Seals aren't Restaurant at the dock is good too My 12 lb calm little dog was welcome too read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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This tour was so great! The El Cat catamaran is electric so it's super smooth and quiet as it guides you over the calm waters of the Elkhorn Slough. The guide was so knowledgeable and a great host to guide us through the 90 minute tour. We saw so much wildlife! Otters, seals, sea lions, loons, cormorants, and many other birds. Otters were my favorite of course! I noticed folks can even kayak through the waters which I think would be pretty cool to get up close to the sea life. I felt so educated when I left and appreciated this experience so much. I highly recommend! read more

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My daughter loves otters so I wanted to take her to see otters in the wild for her birthday. I chose this tour because their website said they would guarantee seeing at least one otter, and sure enough we saw MANY, along with other wildlife like seals, sea lions, and many shore birds in the slough. I believe Sophie and Marina (forgive me, it's been a couple days) were our guides and they had wonderful, informative commentary. They also got the boat to sing happy birthday to my daughter and were so encouraging of her love of nature! We also appreciated the boat having blankets for when it was windy, but overall the weather was perfect. What a great experience, we would love to go on again! read more

I've done their boat tour twice now and I can't stop raving about them. You can easily book a tour online and they are easy to find with plenty of parking. The guys who run it are fantastic. Friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Not to mention the boat is electric and it runs so quietly. I went a few months ago with John for the first time and it was lovely. We saw so many sea otters! I decided to bring my brother on Tuesday. I figured it would be pretty similar from the first tour. Was I wrong! We had the most amazing tour! First, we happened to see humpback whales from the boat. Just so you know, that doesn't normally happen. We were very lucky and a special moment for us. In addition to that, there were so many pelicans flying around and diving into the water to catch fish! It was incredible. We will come back again especially knowing that you never know what you will see on a tour. Just fantastic! read more

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We took this tour yesterday and it was amazing. First, you're in an electric boat so it is quiet as you leave the harbor. We immediately saw sea lions and seals sunning themselves on a dock and multiple species of birds nesting and hunting in the harbor waters. But, it was out in the slough where the real magic happens. Sea otters, seals ,sea lions and birds abound. You can hardly turn your head without seeing something amazing. The tour also had a naturalist with years of experience in the Elkhorn Slough. She identified animals and birds for us and told us about the efforts to restore the slough. It was a fun and informative tour that I highly recommend. 10/10 read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - The Moss Landing Harbor. - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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Eco Trip Local family-run boat that offers up tours of the Elkhorn Slough on a The Good: *Their catamaran is run by an external fully electric motor, which say what you will about the environmental impact, made for a nice quiet enjoyable ride. *Guaranteed to see Otters or your money back! *The captain and naturalist who did our tour (I forget their names) were excellent; knowledgeable, friendly, and laid back. *Private charters available *Great for all ages as the ±1.5hr ride is smooth and slow enough for anyone to enjoy. *Restroom on the boat The Meh: *Maybe just a *touch* pricey at ±$50/ea for adults, but honestly despite my being pretty cheap, I'd book it again in a heartbeat. The Ugly: *The Whole ride is very, very smooth and I wouldn't worry about getting motion sickness, but the weather was terrific. If you're worried at all, get your Dr to get you an Rx for this thing called a "Transderm Scōp," which is this little band-aid looking thing you put behind your ear the night before. Tips: *Bring cash to tip the staff (obv optional but don't be Mr Pink) *Dress in layers *Bring your own binoculars. They have some they will lend you, but they're kinda trash. Conclusion: Fantastic ride for nature lovers and highly recommended. read more

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Had a great time on the boat tours today! Guides were very friendly. Had a chance sighting at a distance, of the Orca's that were in the bay today. Then plenty of harbor seals and sea lions as well as the all to cute otters read more

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We bring visitors on this tour. The naturalist is great. She knows so much about the critters that live in the slough. The electric boat is SO quiet and the captain is awesome. read more

We had an amazing time on this tour, The staff were very friendly and Cindy is an incredibly knowledgeable wildlife biologist and she did an excellent job pointing out all of the wildlife in Elk horn Slough. We otters,seals and a wide variety of birds. I would highly recommend this trip even if you have already been on the slough in a kayak like us. The boat allowed me to get photographs that I couldn't get from my kayak. read more

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The Best! Quiet electric boat. So comfortable. Aaron our naturalist amazing. Knew so much about all the animals and plants of slough. Took and answered everyone's questions. Captain friendly and careful. Have taken other tours, this is the one. read more

OMG! This is exactly what we wished for. The two guides were experienced naturalists. They had a great sense of humor, wonderful knowledge, and skillful way of directing our attention to all of the incredible wildlife on Elkhorn Slough. The boat was quiet and stable. The tour was relaxing but so interesting. It was the highlight of our 8 day trip down the coast. As native Californians, it's easy to be jaded by the magnificent features of our beautiful state. Let me tell you that seeing dozens of ocean otters relaxing and playing together was one of my favorite things ever. What a worthwhile tour! read more

A wonderful 90 minute guided tour on an electric catamaran in Elkhorn Slough. This is a quiet ride on a roomy, very steady boat, about 2+ miles up the slough with wildlife everywhere. Wyatt, our onboard naturalist, was very knowledgeable and told us about the sights, the slough, and the many birds and sea mammals that we saw. Joey, our pilot, capably guided the special boat smoothly. If you like pelicans, you will be happy to know that they are everywhere, in flight and on land, for your viewing pleasure. Otters are everywhere. They came very close to the boat and we got good close up views of them floating on their backs, eating. We learned that they have to eat nearly constantly, consuming 20% of their body weight daily to survive. Sea lions and harbor seals are all here. The boat leaves from Moss Landing. There is no shade on the boat, so if you are sun-sensitive, make sure that you are covered (hat, sleeves, long pants, etc.) and have applied sunscreen. The weather on our trip started off overcast and cool, and then got sunny and warm, so dress appropriately. If you like to watch otters and pelicans, you will love this trip. read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Plenty of room on the smooth running El Cat catamaran. This is as we left the dock and before entering the Slough. - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

Very cool experience. I saw otters, seals, sea lions, so many kinds of birds. My favorite was seeing a mama otter feeding a clam to her little baby (SO CUTE). The guides were very knowledgeable and the views and vibes from the boat were killer. I'm definitely booking another tour soon. read more

My husband booked this tour while we were on vacation in Carmel-by-the-Sea. He's an avid birder and wanted to see the local birds. This boat tour did not disappoint. My husband got to see lots of birds, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the seals and sea otters along the way. The boat is an electric catamaran, very stable and smooth. There is a head or bathroom on board, but the trip is only an hour and a half, so chances are you won't need it. There is a nice flushable portable bathroom right at the check-in area as well. Emily greeted us and checked us in. She also was on the boat with Captain Joey, who drove the boat. Both are professionals in the local wildlife and surrounding waters & land. It's a fun and educational tour, very serene and beautiful. Emily and Joey couldn't have been nicer. It's a great way to see wildlife up close. I highly recommend this tour. read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Our tour guides, Emily & Joey - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

Absolutely wonderful! this is our second time touring with this energetic and eco friendly company. This is a great tour for kids. We took our one and three year old here and have returned now that they are three and five. you see a ton of wildlife and the all electric catamaran quietly and respectfully navigates around the amazing wildlife. You will see otters and sea lions up close, as well as birds and fish. They let you bring snacks and water. Highly recommend. read more

My brother booked this tour for us, he had been three times before and enjoyed it so much, he brings others! Sophie was our Naturalist, and had so much great information, was attentive, and took the time to chat with each client individually, including a young person that was really engaged. The electric motor made is so quiet, and it was very comfortable. We saw lots of wildlife, and learned a few new things! I would highly recommend this tour for all ages. read more

Wonderful tour for animal lovers, children, or anyone who enjoy the outdoor! The tour takes you miles into the Elkhorn Slough to see sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, and a variety of birds. The captain and the naturalist guide were knowledgeable and did a great job taking us through the waterway and pointing out the animals to us. The tour was about 90 minutes. We drove two hours from SF, had lunch near the dock, and walked around the pier. You can combine the tour with some stroll around Moss Landing and spend half a day here. We feel it was well worth the drive and the money! read more

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I've kayaked Elkhorn Slough many times over the years, but this was my first time taking the eco tour by electric boat with Monterey Bay Eco Tours, and I'm so glad I did! The entire experience was peaceful, quiet, and incredibly relaxing. The boat was comfortable, and because it's electric, we were able to glide through the water without disturbing the wildlife. Our captain was professional and friendly, and the guide was one of the most knowledgeable I've ever encountered, clearly passionate about the area and its wildlife. We saw so much: sea otters (including a few pups!), harbor seals, sea lions, and a wide variety of local and migrating birds. It was the perfect way to experience the beauty of the slough without having to paddle, just sit back, enjoy the views, and learn something new. Highly recommend for locals and visitors alike! read more

Absolutely fabulous tour and well worth the price! The naturalists aboard the boat were incredibly knowledgeable and were able to spot all kinds of bird and other wildlife we would have missed if just going on our own. We had a pretty special day on the boat as well because there were 12 whales just offshore, so we not only got to see plenty of otters and birds, but got the bonus of seeing whales and sea lions feeding a mile offshore. Truly great experience that I would recommend to anyone! read more

Wonderful experience! Erica and Joey were our guides for a 90 minute exploration of the Elkhorn Slough. Very peaceful and beautiful. Erica did a g great job balancing between sharing information and being quiet and letting us take it all in. I admired her ability to spot both sights and sounds that were worth our being attentive to. I would definitely do this again. read more

Had a wonderful excursion this morning on Elkhorn Slough! Marina and Cindy treated us to many otters and pups, visiting birds, and a feeding frenzy by Forester's terns. A wonderful opportunity for any age! read more

It was a very fun ride. I saw much of the wildlife. The guides were very knowledgeable about the area and I will say that I got a lot out of the experience for a good price. read more

Would highly recommend. Super nice and knowledgeable naturalists. We brought our two young kids (2,4) and felt very comfortable having them on board. We loved checking out the otters and learning about the slough. read more

My family of four, including a four year old and 17 month old, loved this tour. My kids and I adore sea otters and this trip was the perfect way to see them up close-ish. It's a violation of federal law to get too close to them, so don't expect to be right up next to them - bring binoculars if you can. We also saw harbor seals, sea lions, pelicans, herons, and a bunch of other birds. The ride is very calm so you're allowed to walk around the boat and move to where the good views are. The fact that the boat is electric is so awesome. Not only is it more eco friendly, it's less smelly and quieter. read more

Wow! We had the best time today on Elkhorn Slough. We took off saw sea lions, lots of otters, pelicans other birds. My niece and nephew (10 and 5) had a great time spotting animals as our naturalist told us what we were seeing and about the area. This was my first time visiting the slough. I hope to take more visitors there in the future. read more

The your guide was very informative. He explained every animal that came across. Basically did a loop around. Not allowed to go out to the ocean but there was definitely a lot to see. You can bring a drink & snack as long as you clean up after yourself. read more

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We took the noon tour of the Elkhorn Slough today. It was totally enjoyable! We saw harbor seals, lots of sea lions and lots of otters. We also saw dozens and dozens of pelicans. It was wonderful! Wyatt was our naturalist who answered all of our questions about the wildlife. Joey was our pilot. They were both informative and fun. The boat ride is an hour-and-a-half tour that I would recommend to everyone. Dress in layers. read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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We had an amazing time on this tour! Countless sea otter and sea lions, as well as many different species of birds. Our guide was Rachel & she was a wonderful wealth of knowledge. Also loved that you don't have to worry about sea sickness, as there were little to no waves. read more

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Excellent tour. Knowledgeable guide made the trip so interesting. Loved the electric boat.

I think I was trying to book with Elkhorn Slough Safari Nature Boat Tours, but mistakenly booked with these guys and I think this place is probably better because of their electric boat and the fact that it had a lot fewer customers to share the boat with. The guide was nice and interesting. The boat was really quiet and spacious, and there were only 11 people on the boat for a 25+ person boat ... sort of like having a semi-private charter. We saw lots of sea lions and sea otters and seals, and a wide variety of sea birds. The landscape is also quite beautiful. read more

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We enjoyed the tour of the area on an all electric catamaran. Obvious benefit there is the quiet and lack of smell from gas powered vehicles. The crew took the time to show us around, explaining everything we see along the way. It was an enjoyable experience to see the area and the nature around it. I would recommend anyone visiting the area to take the tour and learn more about the habitat. read more

From the moment we booked the trip to the end of our 90 minute trip, we were struck by how responsive and friendly the staff were. On our way to Elkhorn Slough, we hit major traffic. When we called ahead, Marina (who it turned out would be our boat captain) told us not to worry- they could wait! She suggested we could find street parking to avoid parking fees. And she gave us a minute to run to the restrooms before launching. The boat is a one of a kind - the first and only electric powered boat. It's spacious, clean, and open-topped - so bring a hat and sunglasses! Compared to the noisy and jam-packed boats of other Elkhorn Slough companies, we felt like we were riding in luxury. Cindy was our naturalist, and she not only identified each of the birds and animals we saw along the way, she shared facts about their behaviors and how they are faring in the slough (rhymes with "through"). Cindy shared that the otters have been growing in number as they are released by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We had questions about sea urchins and Cindy even shared information about experiments that local scientists have been doing to determine what percentage you have to cull to bring the population down. Her knowledge was wide-ranging and deep. From the moment we left the harbor, we saw otters thriving in the slough, coddling with pups and fluffing their fur. We also saw harbor seals and their pups sunning on the banks. We had a brilliant afternoon learning about the ecosystem of the Elkhorn Slough. read more

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This excursion was so much fun! The electric catamaran is quiet and smooth. I get motion sickness easily and this was not a problem. The Elkhorn Slough is very calm too. There were 2 crew members, our driver (Jason I think?) and our naturalist Aaron. Both were very knowledgeable, professional, and entertaining. Thank you so much guys! We happened to be there at a perfect time. Our tour was on Sunday, April 24th and there were so many otter babies and baby harbor seals it was unbelievable! The boat is so quiet and the animals seemed undisturbed. I learned so much, got great pics, and had a blast! Thank you! read more

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I stepped out of my Yelp retirement to write this review because of this amazing experience here at Monterey Bay Eco Tours. The day started off by meeting with Wyatt who was our guide for the day. He was very courteous with us by asking if we would have a preference of having him masked or not. This was very nice as "the virus" is out and about. Since my gf and I were both vaccinated and the tour was outdoors, we didn't mind if he didn't have one. He asked every guest before the tour started just to confirm with everyone. The name Eco Tours comes from the boat, as it is an all electric motor boat designed especially for Elkhorn Slough which is nice as it doesn't interfere with the environment. The tour started off from the harbor and Wyatt and our captain, Marina, were both really knowledgeable about the area as well as the local animals that live there. In this tour you're pretty much guaranteed to see a sea otter as there's plenty of food for them to eat off from (see my photos I took!). The tour provides some blankets for those that feel that the weather is too cold which is a nice added touch to the tour If you're a nature lover, a birder, a nature photographer, or want to see a sea otter in the wild, I highly recommend booking with this company. I definitely will coming back to this tour and sharing my experience with my friends and family. Thank you Wyatt and Marina for the tour! read more

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Don't plan your day around this. Confirmation the night before means nothing, they will email you a few hours before and cancel your trip. It's a fun thing to do, but being unable to depend on them to actually sail when they say they will makes it impossible to plan with any confidence. It's incredibly rude to send a confirmation and then a cancellation a few hours later. read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Pelicans cruising by the bow of the El Cat. - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

Our group had a terrific time with Marina and Aaron on our tour. Great views, terrific chance to see wildlife, generous people who shared history, science, and personal connections with this beautiful part of the coast in an up close, unrushed way. We were able to take in a lot. Our tour was made up of a lot of serious photographers who were pleased that the electric vessel was so smooth and had great visibility which allowed all to enjoy the angles. We were even able to set up tripods as there was no vibration to our glide through the estuary. With their special design and consideration for the environment, as well as passenger safety and enjoyment, I highly recommend this as an educational resource and fun way to see the Moss Landing area at eye level. read more

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This was such a cool way to see the slough! Ok, I admit it, I didn't even know what a slough was until I went, but I am fully educated now. The boat was very clean and quiet. The captain and guide were both very nice and knowledgeable about all the wildlife and history around us. We saw otters, seals, sea lions, and tons of sea birds. Very cool!! read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

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I got this as a Christmas gift for my partner as she has always want to see sea otters in the wild. We booked it for May hoping there would be babies around to see and we were not disappointed. We saw some otters as soon as we entered the channel! And even saw a mom and her baby up close! Rachel was extremely knowledgeable giving us great facts on all the wildlife in Moss Landing. Definitely worth the trip! read more

Monterey Bay Eco Tours - Sea lions packed on a dock. - Boat Tours Near Me - Moss Landing, California

Went out with MBET for the 11 a.m. tour today. Marina was our captain and Cindy our naturalist. Both very vivacious and more importantly both were really knowledgeable! Answered all of our questions and more! Lots of otters and other marine mammals along with various and numerous birds. I'd highly recommend MBET not only for the great staff and tour site, but most definitely for their all electric boat. No awful diesel smell to spoil a wonderful tour of the Elkhorn Slough. read more

Checked off another item on our bucket list since moving to Marina 5+ years ago. If you have any sort of otter fascination, than this is the best way to see them up close in their natural habitat! The MB Eco Tours out of Moss Landing uses an electric powered catamaran that takes you up the Elkhorn Slough. Their naturalist, Rachel, did a great job explaining the habitat. It was an informative, super quiet/relaxing 90-min experience - loved every minute of it! read more

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