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 minimum (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 with an adult guardian if younger than 12)
Snorkeling: 10 years old minimum
Surfing: 7 years old minimum (Child must be comfortable swimming in the ocean and ducking under waves)
Stand Up Paddle: 7 years old minimum (Child must be comfortable swimming in the ocean)
Wine Country: 21 years old minimum to drink alcohol (Children 12+ can accompany a parent)
Rope Course: 7 years old minimum

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.

Santa Barbara Adventure Company 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. No date changes will be granted within 7 days of the trip.

We reserve 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.

In terms of weather and ocean conditions on the island, conditions vary throughout the year. We recommend checking out our blog on what the various seasons at the Channel Islands may look like regarding weather. Most days are very nice with a light breeze picking up in the afternoon, however at times it can be very windy on the Channel Islands, and occasionally on the mainland.

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 the ferry company Island Packers.

Yes, ferry tickets are required for all of our Channel Islands tours. You will have the option to add them during checkout or you can purchase them directly through the ferry company Island Packers.

Due to our contract with the National Park Service, we are unable to sell ferry tickets for passengers who are not taking a kayak and/or snorkel tour with us. Ferry tickets for additional passengers who are not joining the tour must be booked directly with Island Packers.

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

We do not offer senior discounts on ferry tickets. Ferry tickets for passengers 55+ ($58 per person) can be booked directly with Island Packers.

 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.

Channel Islands National Park does not permit any food service on the islands, so please bring your own lunch and snacks (please do not bring glass). There is nowhere to purchase food once you are on the island.

See our list of recommended Channel Islands National Park food options here.

Yes, there is a weight limit to ensure the safety and performance of our kayaks. The maximum weight for kayaking is 450lbs. Guests weighing between 230-450lbs will be provided a single kayak. When making a reservation, please inform us if anyone in your party exceeds 230 pounds. You can find additional details on ocean kayaking requirements 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.

If you have already purchased ferry tickets to Scorpion Cove with Island Packers, you can skip the option to purchase ferry tickets during checkout. Please let us know your departure and return times in the comments section of the checkout page.

Departure times from the island vary by day. Generally, they are 3:30pm for the fall/winter and 4pm or 4:30pm for the spring/summer. You will arrive in Ventura approximately 1-1.5 hours after leaving the island. Our guides will let you know your exact ferry return time during check-in on the day of your tour.

The Adventure Sea Cave Kayak Tour is our most popular trip. This tour is nearly a full-day adventure. After getting to the island via ferry the kayak tour usually begins at either 9:30am or 10:30am and lasts a total of about 4 hours including gearing up, orientation, and kayaking. After the tour is done there is limited time to explore the island before boarding the ferry back to Ventura Harbor. For the Adventure Tour, you must have a 3:30pm or later return ferry ticket. This tour is perfect for those who want to spend more time kayaking and exploring sea caves during their time on the island.

The Discovery Sea Cave Kayak Tour is a shortened version of our Adventure Tour lasting about 2.5 hours in total. Generally, the Discovery Tour runs twice a day: first beginning at 9:30am-11:30am and another round at 12:30pm-2:30pm. This allows guests additional time to hike and explore the island on foot before or after kayaking. There are many hiking trails that have amazing views of the Channel Islands coastline, a visitor center, and plenty of space to sit back and soak in the beauty of the park. Guests on our afternoon Discovery Tour must have a 4:00pm or later return ferry ticket. This tour is best for those who would like to spend more time hiking during their time on the island.

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.

Yes, there is a weight limit to ensure the safety and performance of our kayaks. The maximum weight for kayaking is 450lbs. Guests weighing between 230-450lbs will be provided a single kayak. When making a reservation, please inform us if anyone in your party exceeds 230 pounds. You can find additional details on ocean kayaking requirements here.

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

The train to Santa Barbara is famously late. Therefore we encourage guests who are traveling to Santa Barbara via train to arrive the day prior or to allow plenty of time the day of for a delayed train arrival. Generally, a train arrival of 9:30am or earlier is recommended in order to make your pick-up time.

Refunds will not be issued due to late train arrivals.

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.

Our guides work hard to ensure you have a great time. Therefore 15% gratuity for your tour guide is included in the price of all private wine tours.

If you’d like to leave an additional gratuity for your guide, you can tip them directly on the day of your tour.  We are also happy to apply additional gratuity via credit card at any time by calling our office.