Due to our contract with the National Park Service, we are unable to sell ferry tickets to passengers who are not taking a kayak and/or snorkel tour with us. If some members of your party do not plan on joining us for a tour, they must book their ferry tickets directly with Island Packers.
Return times from the island vary by day. Generally, the ferry departs from the island at 3:30pm in the fall/winter and at 4pm or 4:30pm in the spring/summer. The ferry arrives back in Ventura approximately 1-1.5 hours after leaving the island. Our guides can let you know your exact ferry return time during check-in on…
Ferry tickets can be purchased on our site (availability permitting) along with your tour. If you have already purchased ferry tickets to Scorpion Cove through 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. On…
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.
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…
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…
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 Corral is about a 5-10 minute walk from the pier where the ferry drops you off, back towards the campground. You…
We can pick you up in Santa Barbara, or the Santa Ynez Valley (Buellton, Solvang, Los Olivos). Those pick ups are 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.
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.
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: • 9:30-10:45am – Shuttle pick-ups• 11:00am-12:00pm – 1st winery tasting• 12:30-2:15pm – 2nd winery tasting + lunch• 2:30-3:30pm – 3rd winery tasting• 4:45-5:15pm – Shuttle drop-offs