Monterey Bay Kayaks

Fantastic experience: Took a tour here because I hear people talk about kayaking in Elkhorn Slough a lot. At first, I was a little intimidated because I was going by myself and had very little experience with kayaks. Now I'm really glad I did it because I was not disappointed at all! You're supposed to arrive 30 minutes before your tour. I knew this but still didn't plan well and was in traffic for a bit, so I didn't get there until a few minutes before the tour was scheduled to leave. The manager stayed very friendly despite this and got me in with no issue. My guide was Janice, who was very approachable and interesting to talk to. She was also really knowledgeable about the wildlife, local history, and the Monterey area. We saw seals, a sea lion, tons of birds, and several otters. You can appreciate the animals, plants, and scenery a lot more from in the water. I found out that this company offers tours in Monterey as well, so I will be back to try those. I would highly recommend their tours to anyone, just make sure to read the instructions on the confirmation email beforehand and get there on time!

Fantastic experience: Kayaking in Elkorn Slough is amazing, you get to see so much wildlife! The staff at the rental were very friendly and everything went smoothly.

Fantastic experience: Super helpful staff, gear rental so you won't get all wet and absolutely stunning wildlife views!

Fantastic experience: We saw so much wildlife and sooo many sea otters, which was exactly what we wanted! We did the 2.5 hour guided 10AM tour, though even if you just rented kayaks through them I think you would have a great chance to see so much wildlife! It does stink that you have to pay for parking here as they don’t have their own lot or parking spots. They do have their own bathrooms which is nice. They give you all the gear you could need which is great! Very nice and competent staff! Danny was a great guide!

Fantastic experience: Had a great tour with Janice! She was amazing and so knowledgeable and chill! Will be coming back, definitely.

Fantastic experience: This place is awesome! Did the guided 2.5 hour tour and were a bit hesitant because we are not very athletic people to say the least. lol. But to our surprise was a fairly easy, enjoyable activity. Being able to see the wildlife right in their habitat is so amazing and our guide Lee was very knowledgable about all the different species and the history of the place as well. We could tell he is passionate about his job and the slough which makes the expirience all the more special. The information on the website is really helpful to know before hand so make sure you read through the faq and keep an eye on the weather/winds. Thank you Lee!

Fantastic experience: Brandon was amazing and gave us such a precious tour of the slough. He took really good care of my family visiting from France while giving us many facts about the marine biology thanks to his knowledge. I also love that he knew how to navigate the slough while not disturbing the wildlife. 10/10!!

Positive experience: Experienced Kayaker’s take: Habitat & wildlife easily worth 5 stars and worth the money - would do it again purely for that experience. However, facilitation of the experience was lackluster at best and was in my opinion overpriced for the lack of staff involvement. The staff at check-in were professional and kind. The ‘gear shack’ staff provided little in the way of kayak safety or instruction - I had to instruct a struggling first-time kayaker on how to properly paddle. Further, they gave no information on the wildlife/ habitat/ conservation, offering only tidbits on how to avoid wildlife for fear of being fined. Lastly, there is no dock - you enter directly on the shore - so only wear shoes you don’t want to get wet (they didn’t warn of this either) because the staff will not help push your kayak into the water. Again, would recommend for viewing of Southern Sea Otters, a variety of birds, and seals - but don’t expect any additional information or assistance while kayaking.

Fantastic experience: Great support team, beautiful area. Otters, sea lions, common terns, pelicans. Just gorgeous.

Fantastic experience: Today we went on a Elkhorn slough guided kayak tour for an hour and a half on a 3 pm slot. The best time to actually kayak as there were just few kayakers out. We were guided by Brandon, this young and super knowledgeable guy who made the kayaking so much meaningful. My son and I truly enjoyed the kayak and it’s because of the fun facts Brandon had shared with us about all the sea animals we encountered today. We have seen tons of sea otters both active and sleeping and some different kinds of birds. Heron for one and lots of seagulls. Thank you Brandon for the fun kayaking tour. We definitely recommend Monterey Kayaks and look for Brandon!

Fantastic experience: The location is easy to find, and the free parking is limited, but paid parking is plenty.

Fantastic experience: Son and I had the best first-time experience. Our guild was fantastic!

Positive experience: Very beautiful rowing experience. Cheerful and cool staff. Sea otters birds and seals. I would like to be pampered more: lockers for bags, hangers in changing boxes, and free parking would be nice. Showers and not washing the clothes I used would be even better.

Fantastic experience: loved the experience! we did the 11 am. "1.5h Elkhorn Slough Guided Tour" and our guide was John. everything went smooth from the first minute to the last! to start off, there were wetsuits, pants, and jackets available for free, which was very nice. at all the other kayaking places I've been, I've only ever been offered the life jacket, and that's all, but Monterey Nay Kayaks went beyond the requirements and also offered something for our comfort. I get cold very easily, and the wetsuits were just perfect. we saw about 30 otters total, 2 seals in the water, and more on the beach, lots of pelicans, and other small birds. our dream to see otters came true! John was also very knowledgeable and attentive. Good luck to him with his future studies!! We will be coming back :)

Fantastic experience: The kayak tour was great, we saw lots of others and seals, though there was some tough paddling.

Fantastic experience: It's a truly satisfying array of harbor seals to see within a very short easy kayak distance. The seals make eye contact with you which I like. I asked chat gpt whether or not humans can communicate with seals because we are mammals and it said no but I will be back to find out for myself through trial and error through the safe, federally protected distance within which they still stare at you inquisitively. The birds are good, too. The scenery is refreshing and to me feels safer than the bay as there are only lemon sharks.

Fantastic experience: A mesmerizing experience. We saw families of otters, pelicans, seals, and so much wildlife while kayaking! To Kayak with the otters seemed like an outlandish idea but it was amazing. If the sun is out and the current isn't too much - you'll have the best time possible. Though I don't know if the otters come out when it's sunny. A must do.

Fantastic experience: My family and I had a great experience kayaking on the slough. The employees were knowledgeable and helpful, and gave us a ton of useful and interesting information about the water/wind conditions and what animals to be on the look out for and where before we headed out on the water. The slough is an amazing place to kayak to see otters, seals, sea lions, lots of different birds, and aquatic invertebrates. Would definitely recommend this company!

Fantastic experience: Loved kayaking in Elkhorn Slough. Saw otters (baby otter too!), seals and pelicans. Excellent guides.

Fantastic experience: My partner and I had a great experience with guide Carlton in Monterey Bay. He is the friendliest guide I've ever met. And he is super knowledgeable. We got to see tons of sea lions, seals, otters, and some sea stars. Highly recommended!

Positive experience: The tour was about 2 hours long, it was a good experience!!

Fantastic experience: Great spot, had a lovely time out on the water! Our guide Jay was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and made the trip that much better.

Fantastic experience: A lot of fun and the folks there take good care to get you properly attired.

Negative experience: Spoke with manager unfortunately was not helpful and reinforced NOT ever taking trip again with monterey bay kayaking company which I d unfortunate , 7 years ago and 15 years ago was amazing. Seems to be different staff . Was continually hit by other tour members kayak in midst fog beginning 1/2 . had to dodge kayak paddles from hitting me in particular my head :( I guess they wanted to hear tour guide better

Positive experience: We started around 11am, got to Seal Bend in 1h, turned back and was back by 2pm. Tide and wind back was not that bad. You will get wet! Bring sandals and windproof jacket. They provide waterproof pants. Many animals along the way. Mainly sea otters, harbour seals and water birds. Can't get too close due to environmental protection restrictions. Recommend for family and kids. For adults, once is enough.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful place to rent kayaks and go out on an adventure to see the local marine wildlife. The kayak rental provides the kayak, plus life jacket and wet suits or rain gear depending on preference. The gift shop had lots of extras life phones protectors, water shoes, etc plus stuffed for the kiddos. The employees were kind and helpful explaining how to use all the gear and the best routes for travel. They also emphasize keeping wildlife protection. We had the best time, definite highlight of our trip! Saw tons of otters, seals, sea lions and birds. Will definitely be back again!

Fantastic experience: Had a Fantastic time kayaking in Elk Slough, and thank you for being such a cool group of people. You guys made us feel special by being so kind with us and Toby pup and offering the free loaner jackets, suits, etc. Out of all the kayaking companies that I have ever experienced, you guys are the best. And, getting to see so many seals and otters so easily was worth going out in the storm lol

Fantastic experience: Brought my own Kayak, its was fun, awesome time!

Positive experience: Nice people but NO hot Coffee or Tea what we needed in a cold-rainy day.

Fantastic experience: This was a highlight of our trip to Monterey Bay. The guided tour was great, it provided us all the equipment, info and best places to see/how to navigate the slough. Our guide, Carlton, knew a ton about the area and animals and had plenty of patience for anyone. Everyone we spoke with at Monterey Bay kayak was great, we can't recommend more for a memorable way to experience the area!

Fantastic experience: Highly recommend renting kayaks from these guys at the Moss Landing/Elkhorn Slough location. Guaranteed to see many sea otters here, as well as pelicans, herons, egrets, harbour seals, cormorants, red tailed hawks, and many other shore birds. If you are lucky, you may see a leopard shark. Our guide Patrick was fantastic - knowledgeable about the local sea life, and safety oriented. The kayaks themselves were in good shape, as were the life vests, spray suits etc. Elkhorn Slough is protected from the wind and incoming rollers so the water is super calm, even on windy days.

Fantastic experience: We were going on a trip with our own kayaks and realized we forgot our splash jackets. It was quite a bit colder than we had planned for. We stopped in and asked to rent some from Monterey bay kayaks. They kindly loaned us three jackets. We really appreciated it as the chilly wind came up on our return trip. Thank you!

Fantastic experience: Great employees! Joel gave us an excellent briefing before we hit the water. He convinced my wife she wouldn’t freeze to death out there….they had waterproof pants she could wear. We’re both glad they convinced her she’d be warm enough and she was. Thank you MBK for everything and being so environmentally conscious!

Fantastic experience: beautiful experience, I went sometime in August. I went with my father for a group tour. It was magical. Our guide was extremely knowledgable. It was obvious that he not only had a passion for kayaking, but for the ocean as well. He was very fun to talk with, constantly spraying us with scientific terminology for all the animals we saw. I forgot our guide's name, but I do remember that he loved to dive. The area itself is just so lush with wildlife. Those who come to Monterey are most likely seeking to see its famous sea otter. Monterey Bay Kayaks is the perfect place to do so upclose. We even got to see an otter walking on land!

Fantastic experience: We went on the night kayaking trip with three kids (11-19) and had an amazing time. They provided gear to stay dry and warm and the guides were excellent. This experience ranked higher than Six Flags according to the young people and that’s a huge win for our family. We saw amazing wildlife. The only thing I was sad about was not having enough time to also try out their day kayaks treks so we could get a better look at the animals. But the bioluminescence was amazing to see.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic experience!! Sea otters were not afraid of people. You can see plenty of great views so you don't have to hurry from the beginning. 3hrs of round trip was enough, and only pants and feet were little wet but thanks to they lend wet pants, my clothes were all safe from being wet. Just make sure you wear warm upper body, since you may feel cold on the way back on gloomy days.

Fantastic experience: Really cool experience. We had a perfect condition, very calm, and great time of the day to kayak. Our tour started at 9am and had our own tour guide, Carlton, who was super nice and knowledgeable on everything. He took us around to see different sea animals, like birds and also kept our distance from them so we don’t disturb their natural environment. Very respectful and knowledgeable. We had a great time with him. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: I took my son, daughter-in-law and grandkids on the guided Elkhorn Slough today. It was a wonderful experience for all of us. Up close & personal we saw sea otters, harbor seals, lots of brown pelicans and cormorants. The tour guides were great and provided information about everything we saw. It was a GREAT EXPERIENCE and I highly recommend it.

Fantastic experience: Our guide Sky absolutely needs to be recognized for how amazing a job she did through the whole entire process. We have some very amateur kayakers and she was flawless at the professional level of care she provided for them to ensure their safety through the whole journey!! She was positive, smiling and teaching by her clear passion for the wild life and the ecosystem. We had a few very close encounters with the big otters randomly popping up right next to us and she picked up the tone and made us get scooting away. Every inch of that bay she knew facts and got us close and safe at the same time to learn how important all the critters are. I loved this so much and my family had just a good time with her. Thank you Sky!! You truly were a blessing to go on this journey with. Keep up the amazing work!! Sorry for blurry videos. Had waterproof case on like a smart girl!

Fantastic experience: Did a western states vacation over 10 days saw lots of wildlife but this was a highlight for our family. Saw TONS of sea otters and habor seals. We rented two kayaks (1 was a double) and had the best time.

Positive experience: Had a great experience here before, the otters and pelicans in the slough are really beautiful and the guides are very knowledgeable and kind. Today though we purchased our reservations and were told to go purchase a parking permit before coming back in to gear up. After buying the minimum parking permit ($12) and coming back we were told due to wind we can only stay in the harbor or get a full refund. This was fine and I understand safety is important. However, they refused adamantly to reimburse our parking permit with the refund. I understand the permits are not paid out to the company, but its the least they could have done after having had cancelled kayaking into the Slough (where all the wildlife is) right after we came back from the parking lot and paid the permit fee as they had instructed. I'll be going to Kayak Connection from now on next door.

Fantastic experience: We had an incredible time. Couldn't believe all of the wildlife we got to see up close. I have four daughters that range from 9 to 19 and they all loved it! My wife and I had a blast as well. The staff was so friendly, patient and super helpful. We plan to go back and bring others with us. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

Fantastic experience: Went on a kayak tour of the slough while on a solo trip. Patrick was excellent and obviously super passionate about educating the group and the welfare of the wildlife. We got to see otters, seals, sail jellyfish, and many, many birds! Very cool experience and I'd definitely recommend it for the wildlife lover. It's a workout, especially for the solo kayaker!

Positive experience: From the initial rental purchase to coming back, the whole experience was wonderful because we were set up with wetsuits and outerwear and saw many many otters including a baby, seals and birds. We really had a good time and went out for 3 hours of our 4 hour allowance - which we were told was flexible, anyway. I learned to not drink too much before hand, maybe not at all.... unless you know how to easily take a bathroom break in a wetsuit. hahaLOL

Fantastic experience: Great experience, great guide. Saw sea otters: 5/5 stars.

Fantastic experience: We were pleased with our rental experience at Monterey Bay Kayakers; their prices are slightly cheaper ($85 vs $76 to rent a double kayak for four hours) and they offered a military discount, whereas their competitor next door did not. They provide water-resistant jackets and pants as part of the rental package, their life jackets were pretty adjustable and comfortable, and the kayak itself was in adequate condition (missing one strap for securing gear). The guy who did our orientation, Dave, was friendly and helpful. The orientation process was thorough and took upwards of 30 min (not including actually changing and launching our kayak), so keep that in mind for planning purposes. Recommend filling out their waiver form online, as there can be a queue to use the kiosks in the office. Parking costs ~$12 and, as of May 2023, there is a machine in the parking lot that accepts credit cards.

Fantastic experience: Great kayaking tour for people who are just looking for a not too strenuous activity for the afternoon. Our guide Emma was extremely knowledgeable about the animals and the ecosystem and was very respectful of the wildlife. The rental place had lots of extra equipment available to us for no extra charge, including life jackets, waterproof clothing, and wetsuits. You do have to pay for parking in their lot (and it's kind of expensive) but you'll definitely see a lot of otters and seals in the slough!

Fantastic experience: Loved our kayak experience! Saw otters and seals

Fantastic experience: We brought a group of 10 (inexperienced) kayakers out to moss landing and rented from Monterey Bay Kayaks. Incredible experience! Very reasonably priced- rate includes rental + all the gear you could need for a half day. They provide a “paddle talk”/ kayak intro before getting you on the water. Staff were friendly, accommodating, and made it easy. Moss landing is one of the best spots to see seals, otters, and many kinds of birds. Highly recommend for kayakers of all experience-levels!

Fantastic experience: safe and enjoyable experience for beginners with no swimming/kayaking experience!

Fantastic experience: Elkhorn Slough is a go to place for me when I have family visiting, espescially younger ones

Fantastic experience: These people really know their stuff! Great place to rent a kayak. Rental includes gear of needed, pants and jacket. Super helpful and friendly.

Fantastic experience: We had the best time. Lots of otters, birds and seals.

Fantastic experience: I chose a private tour for my aunt and I of Elkhorn Slough. We had Danny as our guide. He made the experience absolutely wonderful! He made sure we focused on things that interested us. He even helped to tow my aunt in her kayak when she had difficulty paddling. He went above and beyond to make the whole experience memorable. This was one of the highlights of my vacation to California. I have plans to return again! Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Fantastic experience: Great kayaking experience to see the wildlife (otters, seals, birds). Appreciated the company giving water resistant pants/jackets in addition to life jackets. Cool experience. Would go again and recommend to others

Fantastic experience: I would definitely recommend this spot if your interested in doing a tour of Monterey wildlife. The tour guide was super friendly and really informative. He made it fun while also keeping it educational. We were able to see sea otters, jellyfish and pelicans from a safe distance while also enjoying kayaking along the water. We did the 2.5 hour tour and it was well worth the price and time. I would encourage anyone who is visiting the Monterey county area to put this on your list of things to see and do when your in the area.

Fantastic experience: Had a great time. The staff are very friendly and the equipment is well maintained.

Fantastic experience: Those otters are too friggin cute. Staff was chill AF. Water was easy. Could be more parking, or signs to tell boaters to stick to available trailer parking.

Positive experience: Staff is nice and intake of customers relatively streamlined. However, 2 things to know about going: first, you will not be allowed to go out, no matter how experienced a kayaker you are, until a sufficient number of people are ready to go and to sit through the presentation. This might easily mean 1/2 wait or longer (45 mins for me on a Tuesday). Second, only after you paid you might find out that your rental is actually limited by weather, and that you might not be able to go as far as you want. I appreciate the caution, but things should be clear from the onset, especially given the cost ($45) and the long wait.

Fantastic experience: We went with a guide (Matt) and absolutely loved it. We saw lots of wildlife, including sea otters. The equipment was good and Matt was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend this trip!

Fantastic experience: Amazing experience! Would have been great to have a vegan hot chocolate option at the end, but the tea option was very nice of them : )

Fantastic experience: GREAT! We did the US 1 route. Going from SF to LA We started and this location and it was a GREAT surprise. Being able to kayak with otters, and seals was a very nice experience. They offer the complete renting experience, to include also the outfit for the cold and if you want to stay dry.

Fantastic experience: Great place to get a rental and go see some wildlife. Prices are reasonable and they have all the equipment you will need. Friendly staff, but a long training and you have to pay for parking. All in all, a wonderful experience.

Positive experience: A nice not So crowded spot for paddle and kayak activities during July 4 weekend. We wanted to do something at Santa Cruz harbor at first but seeing how crowded and busy it was we decided to drive further south. Capitola was the next choice but we couldnt manage to enter the harbor so again drove further and picked Moss Landing. Many of available parkings. Very peaceful. We would come here again. The only reason I don’t give it a 5 star is that they charge 11$ for launching and parking, but the state of the public bathroom/toilet is horrible, worse that places that charge nothing.

Fantastic experience: There were lots of otters, Birds and Sea lions. Plan to visit early in the Morning, winds really picks up as day moves toward noon. Staff is very friendly. Last time they didn’t rented me Kayak because winds were high (around 12:30), this time I understood it was for my own good as it was very difficult Kayaking in wind and Kayak was moving in opposite direction.

Negative experience: Paid for a 55$ tour, but was placed in a rental group and then didn’t have a tour guide even though we told them we were specifically part of an 11am tour. Then talked to manager said couldn’t get refund or compensation. Basically, it’s pretty unorganized and this isn’t the first time I’ve heard it’s been confusing to get around. They should have more signs or banners or more specific grouping. Otherwise it was fun and had a lot of seals and otters

Fantastic experience: There are so many sea otters and seals around. You will be titled to point at them every minute. It is better to go early in the morning with your kayak. The rent is $70 for a double kayak.

Fantastic experience: We love kayaking with this company! I appreciate that they talk to you about staying away from the animals. In our time on the water, it was clear that other kayak tour operators did not do this as we saw several people box in sea otters. We will always come back here to rent kayaks!

Fantastic experience: Beautiful place to kayak. I rented everything. The water jackets and pants to cover your clothes came with the kayak rental.

Fantastic experience: Great experience. We've gone several times and always see a lot of otters, seals, and birds. Fun and peaceful.

Fantastic experience: Amazing wildlife viewing and super friendly and knowledgeable staff! I also love how dog friendly this place is- it was my dog’s first time in a kayak and they gave useful advice. Definitely recommend!

Negative experience: Monterey Bay Kayakers - Moss Landing location was a huge disappointment. I have rented from many places with far better customer service. First they tell you must kayak with bare feet. The concrete walking from the rental place down to the water is very rough (they could have laid mats on the ground so it wouldn't be so hard on their customer's feet). You would think they would let you wear your flip flops. 95% of people had bare feet, a few oppose this rule and wore their flip flops. The staff isn't professional and lack customer service skills big time. You get down to the beach area, there isn't staff available to rest the kayaks on the shore or to assist you into the kayak. The customers are dragging their kayaks from the beach to the water. In my case, I objected so the orientation guide dragged my kayak for me to the water edge. The staff could care a less if you complain, they act as if you are the person with the problem. When I verbally expressed my dissatisfaction, the older man said I am sorry you feel that way and the mid 20s lady stated I could have brought my flip flops, in other words go against their rules. Never ever again! The beach was soggy muddy, I ended up with mud all over their protective pants (comes with the rental). Due to my poor kayaking experience (mud from the beach into the kayak), and staff that lack customer service skills I will not be going back. We all have choices on where we spend our money - little does the staff know we are paying their salaries. Rent from the kayak place at the yacht club next door. You will have a better experience. The slough is beautiful with otters, seals and sea gulls.

Fantastic experience: Love love love this place. Kayaks are about $45 for a single sit on top and as long as you look at the tide info for that day you won't get into any trouble getting out or back. We saw dozens of harbor seals and sea otters... Huge ones! And babies! Pelicans were constantly zipping over our heads and zooming over the water. Had a blast. We were out there for about 2 hours which was perfect. I could've stayed out longer but the ride was starting to come in more so we decided to head in. Was mid October and we headed out around 12:30p.

Fantastic experience: Great tour. Saw all sorts of sea otters, seals, & sea lions. Excellent tour guides. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Great kayaking experience, very helpful and knowledgeable staff and outstanding environment. Going out early is definitely helpful and more enjoyable, the slought can get a bit tricky to navigate in high winds and currents.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful experience for the price! We saw otters, seals, sea lions and a wide variety of birds on our tour. And our guide, Patrick, was very encouraging in showing us how to paddle, and was very informative and engaging in communicating his knowledge about the slough. He even let our tour go a little overtime so we could see everything. Everyone should take the tour! Perfect for beginners! Can’t recommend it more! And thanks, Patrick, for helping me on my road trip

Fantastic experience: Amber our guide was super knowledgeable about the area and the plants and animals there! Loved it!

Fantastic experience: Fantastic service, equipment that was in great condition, clear information delivered, and friendly staff. SO wish that they would offer discounts to nonprofit groups like BSA, and SO wish they would open at 8a instead of 9a, as it took us 40minutes to get our group of 28 into gear and into our boats.

Fantastic experience: Lots of sea otters and birds! Enjoyed the experience. Note: it’s much harder to paddle back since it’s against the current.

Positive experience: What a great time. Animal life everywhere, fresh air, cool little place. Lots of people though, takes away from the overall experiance.

Fantastic experience: Fun on the water with shorebirds and magical sea otters. Remember your sandals before you go so that it’s a snap to get in/out of water… and it’s definitely worth taking the offered water proof outer layers to ward off the splashes and sea breezes. Bring a Ziplock bag for the camera and binoculars … and enjoy!

Negative experience: Really strange place. The communication here was awful which is particularly odd given they had so much staff. Ended up requesting a refund before going out since we couldn’t get anyone to help us get outfitted.

Fantastic experience: Staff were super nice and relaxed and made me feel relaxed. My boyfriend and I signed up for a tour for our first ever time kayaking. We shared a kayak and took a little time to get adjusted to paddling. I however forgot I get super seasick and since we went after noon, the waves were enough to make me uncomfortable when we rafted up for the tour bit. (Plus my boyfriend was the experimental type paddler). There were two guides with us, one in front and one in back. The one in back kept track of our progress and offered help in our paddling techniques as well as a way out for me and my nausea. We ended up taking the offer halfway into the tour and got off the side of the slough that led us to a road to the highway. Another staff member met up with us and made us feel comfortable about our decision to leave early. And another helped us cross the highway back to the rental store. Overall the experience was easy and amazing and the staff's readiness was greatly appreciated. I only wish I could pay attention to the otters and the pelicans and the seals more!!

Positive experience: The wildlife viewing was great from our single sit-on kayaks. The organization, communication, and timing of the rentals were poor. The greeter was not friendly or helpful, they didn't give us info on what to wear, they didn't let us know we would be able to go out, no info on what we could/couldn't take with us, no info on how to return kayaks, etc. The delays and lack of info made this simple adventure a little frustrating.

Fantastic experience: As a visitor from Florida, I was not prepared for when my feet got wet upon launching our kayak! Apart from that, rowing gives one a decent arm and shoulder workout while exploring the slough. I came here with some friends this week on the 27th and 28th. There's a chance we'll return this Sunday.

Fantastic experience: Very fun place to get close to the nature and observe the sea otters, pelicans, seals and other sea birds! There are two designated place for launching kayak. You may rent the kayaks from the shop or bring your own. You have to purchase the parking permit from the red box outside of the restroom if you would like to launch your own kayak in the parking lot. Leave the cash inside of the envelope, and put the permits in your car. It’s a little bit easy from starting point to the seal bend where we enjoy our time. But it gets more harder of your back trip because of the high tide. Suggest you checking the tide table and not late than 3pm with your back trip. We spent 1 hour to seal bend, while took 3 hours back to the launching place for strong water resistance. Bring your jacket to keep warm even in summer! Keep distance from the wild animals for keeping their habits and peace.

Fantastic experience: Awesome experience kayaking amongst plenty of marine life: sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, etc. Kids will enjoy the fun, too.

Fantastic experience: The tour guides leading our group were very informative and helpful every step of the way from start to finish. This was important as we had never kayaked before. The weather on the day we kayaked (although in June) was spectacularly unusual with clear sunny skies and virtually no wind. September and October trips would be best for the 3.5 mile circuit.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic Experience. Allen is a fabulous guide. Facilities and set up of the operation is great.

Fantastic experience: The guides are awesome and the tours are more fun than the motorized boat ones because you can get closer to wildlife like otters and harbor seals.

Fantastic experience: We had an excellent time on our guided tour of Elkhorn Slough with Monterey Bay Kayaks! Our tour guide, Patrick, did a phenomenal job of educating our group on the Slough and the animals that call this place home. I greatly appreciated the company wide push to "respect the locals" by giving all wildlife reasonable space. We had some amazing animal encounters while allowing the animals to remain relaxed and behave naturally. As a former worker in the ecotourism industry, Monterey Bay Kayaks does things right and I highly recommend taking one of their guided tours to learn more about the area.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic experience. It's recommended to come in the morning when winds are down. They allow dogs on the kayaks.

Fantastic experience: Great tour with Allen on 4th of July. Plenty of sea otters and wild life.

Fantastic experience: Great location for kayaking. Rentals here are great.

Positive experience: Overpriced and mediocre experience. The employees seemed less-than-enthusiastic about having to tell us the rules and there was a lot of upfront stuff to get through. We couldn't go far and for paying for a 4-hour experience, there was only about two hours worth of paddling to do without just sitting or doubling back. Sea otters were cute, though.

Positive experience: We rented the kayak for four hours. We toured the Elkhorn Slough for about 3 miles, this took us about 2.5 hours up and back. Therefore, I wish we could rent the kayak per hour. The staff was very friendly and helpful and were thorough in their instructions about where to go, what to see, tides, wind and weather conditions. The gear was in good condition and we got to "test drive" a kayak we were thinking about buying. We will definitely rent from here again; unless, of course, we buy a kayak.

Fantastic experience: Great kayak rental experience. We had a great time in Elk Slough.

Fantastic experience: So fun and informative. We saw a lot of wildlife on our tour and Finn was a great guide!

Fantastic experience: Great ecological tour. So fun and a great guide in Chelsee at kayak connection. Would definitely go back!!!!

Fantastic experience: enjoyed they day kayaking. our tour guide Allen was wondeeful. Hebwas very knowledgeable of the wildlife in the surrounding area