Such a peaceful place to go to watch the sea lions, otters, rabbits, birds.... Lovely wildlife all…read morearound. Some people go fishing here too. There is a little bit of trash that people leave behind that can get super irritating. Free parking. Access to nice beaches.

Smells fishy. Lots of dead fish along the shore. Lots of boaters and kayakers when we stopped for…read morelunch nearby. Busy, busy road here. Hwy 1 was almost bumper to bumper along this stretch. Patience, please!

Both our captain and naturalist seemed to truly love what they were doing and that really comes…read moreacross in the experience. It was clear that they worked with other groups to help track animals and when we stopped to take pictures of tagged otters and mating it made me feel like we were part of the scientific team. I learned more about otters than I had ever imagined. They are very endangered. I learned lore about seals that I ever imagined. Truly amazing trip. Worth every penny. Don't forget to tip your guide and captain.

What's not to enjoy about a chill boat ride with both John the naturalist and Roberta the captain…read morespittin facts and calling your attention to all the cool wildlife around you. They were super engaging and informative. There was a sneak attack of cookies and hot chocolate for the ride back which was a touch of whimsy that was appreciated. Tiny marshmallows for the win!! Great way to spend an afternoon.

Hidden gem tucked away unexpectedly!…read more Parking situation is small but then again, no one knows about it so a win-win for all. Came here horseback riding and only saw a few guys out fishing. Unsure why ppl keep saying it's a dog beach when the parks department says otherwise. "DOGS are not permitted on the beach or dunes." Maybe take another look - https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=572.

Free beach! It's a California State Parks Beach but there is no entry fee. Very small parking area…read more Very rough road to get in. But very few people there, mostly people fishing. It's a wide open, sandy beach. You can see south to Monterey and north to Santa Cruz.

Nose to Trail Nice…read moreflat trail, that is also known as "The Dune Trail" on AllTrails, that runs between the sand dunes of Salinas River State Beach to the west, and the tidal marshes of the Salinas River to the east. The Good: *Trail runs approximately two-miles one-way and basically runs between the three parking lots for Salinas River State Beach. *Free! *Port-o-potties at all the parking lots *Multiple offshoots that lead to to the Beach The Meh: *A good portion of the trail is that heavy, thick sand and partially uphill so it can be a bit of a slog. The Ugly: *We didn't use any of the port-o-potties, so we can't speak of their current, um, state but I'm sure they're fine... 0_o Conclusion: Nice trail with access to lots of nature and wildlife.

This outfit and Elkhorn Slough did not disappoint! The set otters were plentiful, playful, and so…read morecute. Getting in and out of the slough can be tough due to the current and wind. This was especially true since I was on double kayak and my partner had "issues". All the necessary gear is provided, along with a good amount of training. Getting cleaned up afterwards is a breeze as well. What is also great is that there is a good place to eat (Sea Harvest) in the same area. That restaurant is at the mouth of the slough which gives you the ability to see fellow kayakers coming and going.

Our kayak tour guide Nicholas was incredible! He knew all the fun facts about the slough, and did a…read moregreat job taking the time to make sure all the kayakers were well taken care of. We saw many, many animals and interesting flora. Well worth the money!

I took my first lesson with Eskape Sea Kayaking (ESK) back in 1999. I was hooked and have been…read moreexpanding my kayaking skills ever since, mainly under the tutelage of the instructors of ESK. Roger, the owner, is not only a great teacher, he is an amazing coach. He keeps his class sizes small so that he can give each person individual attention. Both in receiving lessons and watching him teach others, it always impresses me how much Roger tunes into the nuances and needs of each person in the class. The staff ESK brings in to help with the classes always mirrors that style as well. Roger, Tom, Bryan, Gregg and the rest are some of the best paddlers on the West Coast. Whether you want to just learn the basics or go out and take on the big waves, this is the place to go.

What Yoda is to The Force, Roger Schumann is to kayaking. If your future kayaking plans involve…read moreanything more then calm fair-weather kayaking on a pond, Roger's instruction will be invaluable. Roger will taylor classes to your skill level and comfort. We spent four consecutive days with Roger and left far more competent and safe than when we arrived. The classes are reasonably priced and you could not ask for a more beautiful location. We saw Sea Otters, dolphins and birds beyond count. We could not have been happier!!! http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33048-r317079943-Santa_Cruz_California.html#

Lily was a fantastic guide. It's amazing how skilled she is at keeping everyone safe, giving…read moreinstructions, protecting the sea life, sharing knowledge, helping a kayak in our group that needed support with navigation and still making light hearted jokes, smiling and taking pictures for everyone. You can tell she knows what she's doing and wants to make sure everyone feels confident while kayaking. I also want to mention the two phone encounters I had were so helpful and kind (unfortunately I did not catch their names) and the person who checked us in was also so pleasant.

We had a blast kayaking with the otters and seals!…read more Parking was easy as was check in at the store. They gave an informational overview of where to paddle to see wildlife as well as other recommendations and safety tips. They provide life jackets, waterproof jackets and pants which were great too keep water off your clothes. There are porto potties available if you need to use the facilities. The staff were well very nice and helpful. The main con of our trip was the two person top sitting kayak we were on seemed to have problems with steering. No matter how hard we tried to turn right, the kayak always tended to veer the other direction which was frustrating. We got another kayak to check if they saw anything wrong visually on the water, but they couldn't see anything so maybe there was something going on with the underside of the kayak. Besides that, we had a nice time on the water and were able to enjoy seeing all the birds and cute otters and seals out and about. Later in the morning and early afternoon we even got to see the otters get more active and go diving for mud worms that looked like bright orange cigars. It was super cute seeing the otters sleeping nested in the kelp too. Try not to disturb them though since they need to conserve energy to stay warm! We unfortunately saw one tour group led by a guide that went right next to a sleeping pod of otters and woke them all up. Overall, fun place to go kayaking with wildlife! Glad we went on this trip here!