Even though we made a last minute reservation, we received top-notch service. Unlike some companies, they have a flat rate for the snorkeling experience which includes the wetsuit and snorkeling gear. So there are no surprise fees. They keep the gear very clean, their masks are so clear in the water. Bonus: they carry hair ties should you need one! This is not my first time snorkeling but I'm the type to get anxious in the water. So I always have some safety net like a noodle or a kick board. This was my first time snorkeling without any safety net. Our guide (Rich) was very helpful and patient. He helped me get acclimated and helped me with my gear as well. He turned around and checked on us every few minutes. He gave clear directions and asked us if we are comfortable prior to entering a cave/moving forward. I felt very safe and comfortable. Best snorkeling guide! Highly recommend! read more

This snorkel adventure was awesome! When I called they gave me all the information I could possibly need, secured directions, & were very friendly. The day of the tour, everything was explained to our group from equipment to how the tour would run. I enjoyed meeting the new people and had a blast during our tour. Rich was our tour guide who was super knowledgeable and fun. I can't wait to take another tour with this company. Definitely a 10/10!! Oh!! They even took pictures and emailed them to us!! So no need to bring your phone or camera. read more

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Tour guide was knowledgeable and the location was beautiful. I wish we had more time and got to see more.

I'm not 100% sure if this is the correct snorkeling company, but our guide Rich was so helpful and friendly! There was a young girl in my group who became overwhelmed once she got in the water and he immediately knew what to say to calm her down. He even had her hold onto his arm until she was comfortable snorkeling on her own. The water was a bit choppy so Rich made sure to keep us out of the caves and away from the rocks, and he was consistently taking breaks to check in on how everyone was doing. This was such an incredible experience. Bring an underwater camera! read more

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We are so lucky another scuba company that did not accommodate our age group of kids referred us over to Rich. He was more than helpful throughout the whole process. Very quick to respond & very detailed to make sure we got all the needed papers signed properly and that we were 100% aware having little ones what we should expect. From getting our suites and gear on Rich was very patient & made sure we all would be warm and comfortable. Our smallest one didn't get to enjoy the water that much but we expected that and were happy she at least got in the water and tried. Our son who is 8 did amazing & had the most fun! We got to see lots of fish & seals. We also got some really good photos at no extra charge which was really cool too! Thank you Rich for all the helpful advice leading up To our visit & your patience with our crew. We will highly recommend to all family & friends who will visit the area ! read more

Snorkel & Scuba - Scuba Diving Near Me - La Jolla, California

He is the best one, it was our first time snorkeling. He keeps everyone safe and everything under control. read more

Excellent snorkel experience with Rich! He is a remarkably effective guide and mentor for those of us who have never snorkeled before, and/or who want to get to know the California coast. I really appreciated the clear communication, clean well-fitting gear, organized approach, and care that every person on the tour stayed safe. There were some unexpected swells the morning of our reservation that would likely limit visibility, and he gave us the option to reschedule or cancel if we would prefer to do that (how's that for business ethics?). We went for it anyway and were glad we did. Although there were places where it was hard to see anything at all underwater, Rich knew where to take us that would have calmer waters, and those spots were lovely with several kinds of fish as well as sea lions on the rocks nearby and in the water. Several of our group of 7 saw sea lions swimming nearby, and one got a face-to-face view when one popped up 6 feet away. Best of all was simply having a kind and careful introduction to what it feels like to don a wet suit, snorkel gear, and fins, and to manage oneself in ocean waters near rocky shores, kayaks, and sea lions. I know now what to do, where to go, and I can't wait to go back out independently on a calmer day! Totally worth the price. For other newbies considering it, I learned a few things that may be helpful to know: 1) Wet suits help keep you warm but also add buoyancy. In the thicker suits, we bobbed in the salt water with not much effort to tread water. On this day with 73 degree water, the thinner suit would have been more than enough for warmth and might have made it easier to dive down to get a closer look. 2) The tour covers quite a distance, and almost none of it includes places where you can touch bottom, so being able to swim is essential! Ideally, having been in the ocean before so you know what to expect from waves would also help keep it from feeling overwhelming. 3) It can take 3-5 minutes of wearing the snorkel in the water before mouth breathing through that funky tube becomes a comfortable way to get enough air. My first reaction was to hyperventilate, but only briefly. 4) For those like me with glasses, there is no way to wear them inside a standard mask. I'm big time near-sighted and worried that I'd see nothing or feel too disoriented. However, the mask gives 30% magnification, and once I was in the water, the vision issue wasn't too bad, and the fish were close enough to see them in detail. That's it. Try it! What an experience. read more

We had an overnight trip to San Diego planned and I wanted to do something memorable, so with only a day's notice, I reached out and spoke to Rich, who was super nice and helpful on the phone. My husband, son and I had never snorkelled before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. We had the absolute best time. Rich was super patient with us newbies and was great with my 12 year old son. I could not recommend this company more for a snorkeling tour in La Jolla. We plan to come back and maybe make this an annual event. Absolutely loved it. Rich was awesome. This is the company to reach out to for family groups, for sure. read more

Had such a great time snorkeling! Rich was so helpful, I was about ready to give up just five minutes in because I was getting pretty tired. Rich knew something wasn't right. Apparently I was trying to swim like an Olympic swimmer when all I needed to do was swing my hips and let my arms relax. With that advice and reassurance that he could take me back if needed, I ended up making it though the entire tour with ease! They also provide different wetsuit options. Rich was very knowledgeable, I felt safe with him as a guide, and I had an amazing experience. The caves are awesome, the water is calm enough to swim in, and the marine life seemed friendly. read more

Snorkel & Scuba - Scuba Diving Near Me - La Jolla, California

Honest, trustworthy, kind, helpful and totally impressive. Our tour guide called us this morning at 8:30 am to let us know that our 12:00 pm snorkel tour was still on... but the ocean conditions were not as good as they could be. He said the waves were a little bigger than he likes to see, and that the bottom of the sea bed would be pretty murky. He wanted to give us options to keep the scheduled tour, reschedule for another day or cancel with a full refund. WHAT? This NEVER happens; a company cared more for our comfort and safety than their bottom line. Seriously impressive. Since I am not the world's strongest swimmer, and we are in San Diego for just the day, we decided to take the full refund offered. He let us know the refund would be issued today, but we may not see the funds back on the card due to each banks particular refund process. Really? This amazing guy is taking the time to explain a refund policy while standing out on a public beach, calling each of his tour guests? Like I said before, impressive. I have traveled all over the world. I have been to 64 countries and been on countless tours. Snorkel & Scuba is by far the best tour company I've ever worked with. We WILL be booking with them in the future and will tell all of our traveling friends and family to give them a try next time they find some time in San Diego. read more

I foolishly booked a different scuba vendor based on limited research and a high trip advisor rating. On yelp that vendor is 3 stars. That other vendor didn't even show up to the reservation or return calls asking where he was, and I had to get a refund. While waiting, I talked to the instructor this group. He was very polite and professional. We considering joining him, but he let us know from the weather the 2 days prior visibility would be low and he had given the other people going out the option to cancel already. Given the cold weather that day combined with the low visibility (and incredibly bad mood from being stood up by another vendor and waiting around for 30 minutes) we decided to not scuba at all. But we got the number for this place and next time we are in San Diego absolutely would use them. read more

Thx you Rich for a wonderful time. We had a blast! The kids couldn't stop talking about the experience on the way back to our hotel. We will definitely be back and will be snorkeling again. Also, thx you for those wonderful pictures. read more

We signed up for this from a recommendation from one of my husbands employees. From our initial call we felt Rich was so committed to making sure we knew what to expect and answered all of our questions. Once we got there (we were quite early as my husband is quite literally NEVER late for anything) Rich was setting up and I could tell instantly he not only knew his stuff but he was so helpful in explaining the things we might experience as it was our first time. He remembered everyone's name throughout the tour and that was a super cool touch. His pace was awesome and he made sure our safety was his top priority. I can't say enough great things about this tour and Rich. I highly recommend Rich and his tour.. it was the most fun thing we did our entire vacation to San Diego! read more

Amazing experience! My boyfriend and I were visiting the area this weekend and booked a snorkel tour with this company. You can tell right away that they care a ton about making you comfortable -- it was gonna be cold so they brought us lots of options for what to wear (a thin or thick wetsuit, optional hood, gloves, etc.), and when we were in the water, my boyfriend was having a hard time with his mask, and our tour guide had other mask options he whipped out from his belt that fit better! The visibility wasn't the greatest underwater today, and halfway through, our tour guide offered to end the tour and give us a refund to come again on a better day. We stuck it out and saw some cool caves and fish :) But we were really impressed that they would offer that. Overall awesome experience that made us feel very comfortable and safe, and they took covid precautions very seriously with sanitizing everything and even giving us the opportunity to clean the gear when they first gave it to us in case we were nervous about it. Highly recommend! read more

First off, I am an okay swimmer but haven't done much ocean swimming before and was feeling a bit nervous before going snorkeling. I had snorkeled once before in Cuba but that was in the Caribbean sea which is very different. Fortunately, Rich made everybody very comfortable and let us know what to expect during the experience. When I first got in the water, the wetsuit absorbed it and it felt quite cold, my body tensed up and it was momentarily difficult to breath. Rich let us know that when you first put on your mask and put your face in the water some people can panic a bit. I was one of those people. Rich told us in that scenario to try a few minutes of calming breathing and if the panic goes away then you should be able to continue on. I was able to get calm and comfortable and from then on it was a wonderful experience. Unfortunately the waves were stirring up alot so visibility wasn't as good as it could be but we still managed to see plenty of Garibaldi, schools of sardines, some sort of bass and seals swimming under us. I would highly recommend this experience if you haven't snorkeled before. I am already wanting to go out again! read more

Amazing snorkel tour with Rich! Rich is a friendly and knowledgable tour guide. I felt safe and had lots of fun! The water is cold and the visibility isn't great but it was super beautiful. Lots of huge and colorful fish, beautiful caves, seals, and birds. It can be overwhelming for people who don't snorkel much since it is very deep dark water with a lot of kelp. I've snorkeled a lot in clear tropical waters but this was still pretty cool. You can't drive that far because of the thick wetsuits but they are definitely necessary. read more

Snorkeled today with Snorkel San Diego SCUBA. Rich was amazing. He was patient and thorough. We were able to snorkel into the caves, saw lots of seals who found us very interesting, and saw a great many fish. An added bonus was all of the pictures Rich took and provided to us via dropbox complementary. From the initial phone call for meeting up, to getting our equipment and on heading down to the ocean the entire snorkeling experience was seamless. I cannot wait to come back and snorkel with this company and Rich in particular! Thank you! read more

Five stars all around for a fabulous time! I found their listing on line and made the call....talked to Stephanie and she hooked me up with all the info and directions to the cove. When I arrived, I was enthusiastically greeted by Stephanie and Margo who are totally awesome guides. Once I met them, I knew I was in for a fantastic time...they are fully qualified and super-cool. I am experienced so I appreciated the attention to detail they offered. If you not experienced, you are in safe hands, as I felt completely safe and comfortable in the water. We saw caves, lots of fish, and got right up close to sea lions...also got some local info about the area which was a nice touch. Their equipment is top-notch and very clean - have you ever been out in a skanky wetsuit or crappy mask? Well that is NOT going to happen with these guys, and the extra bonus was that Margo had some conditioner for my hair at the end when we rinsed off....these guys are the BEST! I am already looking forward to my next trip with them for DIVING!! Do it - you will be stoked!! read more

WOW.... Amazing experience. We found Snorkel San Diego Scuba online. We were able to call in the morning and book for that day. The person on the phone was very enthusiastic and helpful. When we arrived, I was very impressed with how prepared and how clean the equipment was. The mask, snorkel and wet-suit were in great condition. Our three tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable. I had only snorkeled one time before, so I was a bit nervous. The staff gave us a quick and concise refresher and I felt prepared to jump in the water. This would be a great company for a first timer. Being able to see inside the La Jolla cave was breathtaking. Multiple sea lions swam around us. They are unbelievable creatures to see up close. Bottom line: I will defiantly snorkel with them again. read more

My boyfriend and I were looking for adventure, and we certainly found it. Let me start off by saying, the instructors here are so freakin helpful! They take the time to learn everybody's name. And its a plus that they don't make you feel like an idiot, for being a newbie. I had a bit of anxiety at first, but Sandy helped me through it. We went out at noon, with a group of 12. From there we spent the next 2 hours swimming along side seals, cave exploring, and learning about the different fish we came in contact with along the way. We were pretty tired once it was over, but I would definitely do it again. I recommend the snorkel tour to anyone looking for some fun in the sun or an adventure. Thx again Rich and Sandy! read more

Snorkel & Scuba - We had so much fun on the tour!! - Scuba Diving Near Me - La Jolla, California

Thank you so much for the amazing time snorkeling today, mike and I had a blast. We appreciate you being so helpful and fun to snorkel with, we hope to snorkel with you again in the future!! read more

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This experience was absolutely amazing!!! My two best friends and I decided to hop on a plane from Houston TX to San Diego, this first thing we did was look up things to do and San Diego Snorkel and Scuba came up!! We met up with Rich, our tour guide, he was awesome! As first time snorkelers we were nervous and kind of uneasy about the masks. He walked us through everything, step by step, some added humor to pump up our energy! We got in the water and from there it was heaven!! He took us to the caves, and to see the sea lions, told us some historical knowledge about San Diego, the protected waters, even had a few things to share about Dr. Suess's background! I could go on and on about how truly fantastic this experience was. Rich was the top of the top, when you go ask for him! He's hilarious, knowledgeable, kept up the positivity, and definitely knows what he's doing. We will definitely be coming back to see you guys soon! Thank you so much, and we hope to see you sooner than later ya'll!!! read more

After reading their excellent reviews, I booked a group snorkel tour with a group of six in La Jolla Cove. I was provided with very thorough instructions before arriving, so we felt very prepared. All of our gear was neatly organized for each individual upon arriving. Rich was an excellent guide and made all of us feel safe and welcome. We had an amazing time in the water, swimming with the garibaldi and even a sea lion or two! Rich took lots of pictures of us with his GoPro, which was an awesome incentive given that you usually have to pay for photography. They provided attendees with a Dropbox link to all of the images a couple of days after the tour. My friends are still talking about what a wonderful time it was. I would absolutely recommend this shop and will happily return in the future to check out their scuba tours. read more

I went snorkeling on my birthday and it was such a great experience. Rich was our tour guide and he was so friendly and knowledgeable. We were able to into the caves and see sea lions. The equipment was well maintained and good quality. I would highly recommend! read more

Called Snorkel San Diego Scuba after a disappointing experience with another snorkel company (to be left anonymous)...and the man answering the phone was AWESOME. Talk about customer service!!! He was extremely knowledgeable and amazingly helpful!! I was not even booking a tour today but he was more than willing to answer all my questions on the phone as opposed to some companies who want to get you off the phone as quick as possible. I have not used their services yet but will definitely use them and refer them to all friends that are looking to snorkel in this area! From the other reviews on here it sounds like the experience is going to be just as wonderful and stress free as booking tours is! read more

Awesome tour! Our guide Rich was great! We caught a nice sunny day and were able to see many fish and while they cannot guarantee it, the seal activity was high and they were swimming all around us. If you have never done it before, it is a must-do. We are both decent swimmers and were both tired by the end so make sure you are ready for the activity. It's probably too much for young kids. read more

Snorkel & Scuba - Scuba Diving Near Me - La Jolla, California

I had a great time. Took a friend/client here. She really enjoyed herself. The staff is very knowledgeable about what's under water and where to go for photos. I brought my under water camera case and went to town with photos. We got to see so many different types of fish, lobsters, crabs, etc. It was a blast and I would definitely go through them again. read more

I had to call three different shops in order to go scuba, I'm happy I found Snorkel San Diego Scuba on the third try. Rich was calm, confident, and helpful! He was informative and verified my PADI certification over the phone with my name and birthdate (diver agrees to bring photo ID). He made booking my first cold water scuba dive easy and reassuring. Great equipment (I wasn't cold), great guide named Anna (attentive), and great dive (La Jolla kelp preserve)! The first La Jolla scuba shop I contacted three times, only 1-2 can look up your PADI if you forgot your card, and they are rarely available/in the shop. Finally one looked up my PADI and couldn't find me. He had sounded distracted and I could always hear chaos in the background when I called. I contacted PADI who found and verified my certif. The second scuba shop I called requires $10 just to verify PADI certif. For professional treatment, I recommend Snorkel San Diego Scuba! read more

Found over the Internet and made reservations for my family and I. Instructions were to meet in a park near the cove we were going to dive in. we went and found Oki and Anna who were very friendly and explained everything in advance about the trip, equipment, safety, etc. Had a great time! Didn't have much visibility but saw lots of different fish including the cute Garibaldi. Also not only got close to a group of seals, but got to swim close by one that passed near. Equipment was clean and in great condition, btw. For those with kids, I would mention that both guides seemed to really pay attention to how our kids were doing, checking that they were not getting too cold or tired. Highly recommend. If I get back there, I'm trying scuba next time read more

Rich was awesome he was very helpful and knowledgeable. We had so much fun snorkeling for the first time. He took lots of photos of us so don't worry about capturing the special moments.. He has it covered. I would recommend this place to anyone he wants to snorkel. The process was easy as can be called booked gave my parties info size weight etc. they email you back with directions instructions. Try this place. read more

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to start, I am a SD native. I own my own snorkle gear. I booked this tour because I had invited my 13 yo nephew to come out with me. Not knowing my nephews swimming abilities other than him stateing "I can swim" I decided the responsible thing to do was to go out with professionals. Any one who has ever scuba or snorkled knows a pool and open ocean are NOT the same thing. These guys and gal delivered exactly what I had hoped for by way of safety! I didnt think much of the tour (thats why only 4 stars). Our guides were very nice and professional. Stephanie (i think that was her name) was absolutetly great! She was ALWAYS aware of my nephews location and wached him like a hawk. Not to say that she didnt give him enough room to do his thing she did, but I was completly at ease knowing that this professional was on duty! The other 2 guides were also great, but again I am a WSQ prior service Marine. I did not hire them for my sake. If you are a strong swimmer and comfortable in the ocean you may be disappointed with the tour. If you are not and/or you are taking less experianced swimmers or children with you, these guys are the one you want! read more

My girlfriend booked this trip for us on a mini LDW getaway to San Diego. The instructors were helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. They have your wet suit ready for you and all go over brief information and take you on your Snorkel adventure. I highly advise to take into account traffic as it may delay you if you are arriving from far and do help them by arriving on time. Great time overall and saw fish, sea lions, and got to enter a cave :) The hardest part was getting into the wet suit but after that it was all fun. Sandy and Ian were our instructors and were awesome...I highly recommend this group. read more

I cant say enough good things about Rich and this company. I went with my girlfriend and we were a bit apprehensive because neither one of us had been snorkeling before. From the moment that we met Rich all the way to the end of the tour he helped us to feel nothing but confident and comfortable. He was literally with us every step of the way and you could tell he not only enjoyed giving tours but that he was highly experienced as well as professional while doing them. Once in the water, it took me a bit of time to get used to it but I could see that Rich was observing everyones level of comfortability and spending the appropriate amount of time with each person based on their comfort level. He really made an effort to observe how everyone was feeling and was able to step in immediately and help where help may have been needed. We felt safe and in good hands the whole time and he took us to some awesome spots where we got to see a lot of really cool and interesting stuff. I was having trouble picking a tour originally because there seem to be quite a few but what ultimately led me to going with this tour were the previous reviews...after going on the tour I see why the reviews are as good as they are. I highly recommend this company and Rich specifically if you are interested in a San Siego snorkel tour. They are highly prepared with all gear and necessities and are honest and professional as well. I will definitely be going on another tour with them when Im in the SD area. 5+stars easily. read more

A great company to do a snorkeling tour with. Rich does a fantastic job explaining what to expect from start to finish. They will allow you to reschedule for another day or cancel and get a full refund if conditions aren't idea (you can do this at any time prior to getting in the water). Rich makes the expedition fun and informative. Would highly recommend read more

Had an amazing experience as it was my first time snorkeling and all thanks to Rich! He's an amazing instructor all around! RICH YOU'RE AWESOME! read more

What a fantastic first time snorkeling experience with Rich! Everything was great, starting with my phone call to reserve our spots. After reserving, they send detailed emails regarding everything you need to know (location, parking, what to bring, Etc). Equipment and suits were ready for us. Rich explained things well and made sure we were all comfortable before and during the excursion. He was super patient, even with a kid who was a little hard to handle. He brought his GoPro camera to take pictures in the water-- they later send a Dropbox link to you after so you can access the pictures. It was such an amazing experience-- highly recommend!! read more

What a wonderful experience! From booking the tour to the very end, Rich and Stephanie were great. Well prepared with everything including a camera to take photos. It was my son's first time snorkeling and they kept a close eye on him until he was comfortable and then constantly checked in with him throughout the tour. We saw a great deal of fish, explored the caves and swam with sea lions. I highly recommend them for anyone wishing to go snorkeling in the San Diego area. read more

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My son (15) , daughter (13) and I went snorkeling on April 10th with Rich. We called as a spur of the moment - Rich was great, informative and made the event very special. He was great with the kids - neither of which had snorkeled before. He walked the kids through the process and stayed very close to ensure their comfort. Everything was included; mask, snorkel, fins and wet suits - do two - water was only 61 degrees. I would highly recommend Rich and San Diego Snorkel and Scuba. read more

Wow!! We went for my boyfriends birthday and it was so amazing!! Rich was SO nice and great! He took some photos of us with his GoPro and even helped me get my goggles off at the end (my hair got super tangled in them). What a great guy, incredibly knowledgeable, and overall such a great experience! 10000% recommend! read more

Such a pleasant experience. Rich our guide was very friendly and helpful. Will definitely be booking with them again.