Frequently Asked Questions

Of course, Adventure is always the perfect gift!

Buy gift certificates online here or email letsgo@sbadventureco.com and we’ll send you a certificate by email or in the mail.

Of course! Let us know your dates, the activities you’re most interested in, and if your plans are flexible. We will do our best to accommodate you.

We are unable to accommodate pets on our tours. Service animals are welcome. For Channel Islands trips specifically, there is a detailed process required by the National Park Service to bring animals along. More information is available here.

We only offer guided trips. We do not rent equipment.

Please make your reservation as early as possible to ensure your trip date. Same-day reservations are rarely possible.

A set of complete directions will be included in your confirmation email. It is helpful to have your confirmation email accessible on the day of your trip.

Select the date you are interested in and view available trips here.

Absolutely! We’re flexible and happy to customize an itinerary just for you. Private tours are available for online booking here.

Planning a trip for a group of students or interested in team building activities for your company? Fill out this form or send an email to letsgo@sbadventureco.com.

Most of our trips are suitable for beginners. Unless we’ve noted in the activity description that previous experience is required, beginners are encouraged to sign up. You may read more about the recommended eligibility requirements for kayaking here.

Our knowledgeable guides offer a variety of challenges throughout your day with us, and natural and human history/marine ecology are part of every trip. The views on our trips are so compelling and the cultural information is so fascinating that you can’t help but have a good time!

Kayaking: 5 years old. (Must be comfortable swimming in the ocean, able to follow instructions, paddle and get in/out of kayak independently. Must be in a double kayak if younger than 12)
Snorkeling: 10 years old
Surfing: 7 years old (Child must be comfortable swimming in the ocean and ducking under waves)
Stand Up Paddle: 7 years old (Child must be comfortable swimming in the ocean)
Biking: 10 years old
Wine Country: 21 if they are going to be tasting (Children 12+ can accompany a parent)
Rope Course: 7 years old

There is no maximum age limit if you are energetic and in sound physical condition.

We have adjusted our business model to accommodate COVID health and safety standards. For more information, visit COVID-Ready Operational Plan.

SBACo pays out considerable costs prior to the start of all trips. A full refund, minus a $35 per person processing fee, is available up to 7 days prior to your trip.

No refund will be granted for a cancellation within 7 days of the trip.

Date changes are available up to 7 days prior to your trip for a 15% change-of-date fee. SBACo reserves the right to cancel, reschedule or adjust the trip due to dangerous weather conditions. This cancellation policy may vary for custom trips and events which require more preparation.

Our kayak, surf, stand up paddle, snorkel and wine tours will all run rain or shine. All other tours have the potential to get cancelled in the case of heavy rain.

Should a trip not run due to inclement weather or sea conditions, we are able to offer a holding credit (no expiration), switch to a different date, or a full refund.

We can provide just about any activity for any size group. If you have a corporate group, youth group, event, or just have a big family, fill out this form or send an email to letsgo@sbadventureco.com.

Ferry tickets are not included as part of your tour, however, round trip day tickets to Scorpion Anchorage can be added during checkout. Camper ferry tickets are available directly through Island Packers, the ferry company.

 More information on camping at Santa Cruz Island is available here.

 About 1.5 hours for most trips.

Channel Islands National Park is a remote destination. There are no services (medical, food, or other) on the island. It is important to plan accordingly for your trip. There is basic information on planning for your day in your email confirmation. Additional information can be downloaded at the ‘More Info’ links for each tour here.

 Yes, there is potable water at the Scorpion Ranch campground on Santa Cruz Island, but we recommend that you bring enough drinking water for the whole day.

If your group booked separately, there is a field during checkout where you can list the name(s) of the other party.

That is perfectly fine. There is a section in your booking where you will include your ferry departure and return times.

When it comes to meet-up time on the day of your tour, you will meet us on the island (rather than prior to ferry departure as you would for a day trip).

Our Adventure Village is about a 5-10 minute walk from the pier where the ferry drops you off, back towards the campground. You will pass right by it as you make your way to your campsite. There is a large sign with Channel Islands Adventure Company on it. You will meet us there at the scheduled tour start time. There’s no need to arrive early.

We are always happy to accommodate last-minute guests when possible!

However, it is best to give us accurate numbers as soon as you can because we have limited space in our vehicles. Email letsgo@sbadventureco.com to add more guests to your booking.

Our staff will handle all of the details for the day, including winery selection and reservations.

We partner with over a dozen premier wineries and tasting rooms in Santa Barbara Wine Country, and schedule tastings depending on availability, time of year, and size of the group. We typically receive excellent feedback from our guests on our winery selections.

You can view our partner wineries here.

While we cannot guarantee that we will visit all of your preferred wineries, we are happy to take requests into consideration and will make accommodations to the best of our ability. Once you book, you may respond to your confirmation email with your preferences.

We do! We encourage all bachelorette groups to book privately out of respect to other guests in a public van and also to guarantee a truly special experience. Any decorations used on/in the vans need to be cleaned and removed prior to drop-off at your final destination. 

Our vans have either 7, 11, or 14 seat capacity for public tours and we often operate at full capacity, especially on the weekends.

Santa Ynez Tour – 3 wineries
Cupcake & Wine Tours – 3 wineries
Wine Country Shuttle – 3 wineries

Lunch is included with our weekday wine tours (not included with Wine Country Shuttle).

Our guides will serve chips, cookies, drinks, and your choice of item from the lunch menu, which is sent to you in your booking confirmation – it’s a gourmet, deli-style menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches. We try to find a scenic and comfortable spot for your group to enjoy lunch, usually at one of the wineries that we are visiting. If you have a food allergy or diet restrictions, please let us know.

On weekends, we will visit a winery or tasting room that has lunch options available for purchase.

Our exact itinerary varies trip-to-trip based on winery availability. This is what our typical itineraries look like for our Santa Ynez Tour, Cupcake & Wine Tour and Wine Country Shuttle:

~9:30-10:30am – Pick-up at hotel
~11:15am – Winery Tasting
~12:15pm – Winery Tasting
~1:15-2:15 pm – Lunch at winery
~2:30pm – Winery Tasting
~4:00pm-4:30pm – Drop off at hotel

We can provide just about any activity for any size group. If you have a group larger than 14 guests, please fill out the request form on our Private Group Tours page and we’ll get back to you shortly with options.

We will pick you up in Santa Barbara or Santa Ynez Valley (Buellton, Solvang, Los Olivos), and that is included in the cost of the tour. We can pick you up at other locations for an additional cost. You can review pick-up information here.