About La Jolla Kayak
La Jolla Kayak is San Diego's original ocean adventure company, founded in 1994 by La Jolla native Michael Luscomb who started the operation out of his garage with a handful of kayaks. Now a family-run institution on Avenida de la Playa — just steps from La Jolla Shores beach — the company was the first outfitter to offer guided kayak tours from La Jolla Shores into the legendary seven sea caves. They rent single and tandem kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, surfboards, snorkel sets, and boogie boards, all with direct beach launching into the 6,000-acre La Jolla Ecological Reserve.
Guided tours are the heart of the business. The signature Original Cave Tour paddles through the ecological reserve and into the sea caves on tandem kayaks with a knowledgeable guide, while the seasonal Kayak and Snorkel Combo adds underwater exploration of the kelp forests and leopard shark aggregation that draws visitors each summer. A dedicated Whale Watching Kayak Tour runs from December through April during the grey whale migration, and the Sunset Tour takes paddlers along the reserve as the sun drops over the Pacific — one of the most scenic experiences in the San Diego area.
La Jolla Kayak's guides know the marine life intimately, from garibaldi and sea lions to the dolphins that occasionally cruise through the reserve. Co-owned by Michael and his wife Sharon, both lifelong La Jollans, the company maintains a family-friendly atmosphere with tandem kayaks welcoming children as young as five. Community involvement runs deep — the team organises beach cleanups and makes charitable donations locally. For visitors who want to experience La Jolla's coastline with the outfitter that pioneered kayak touring here over three decades ago, La Jolla Kayak remains the definitive choice.
