Kayak Connection

Emily Savoca

2024-01

We visited from out of town and were so glad we were able to do an early morning guided tour of the slough. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable. The water was calm, peaceful, and full of wildlife. We were able to see plenty of birds, seals, and otters! One of the otters swam around us for at least twenty minutes and even popped out of the water as close as 10 feet from our kayaks. At one point we heard a baby otter crying out. What an incredible and unforgettable experience.

Karen Dearana

2023-09

Ok this was a bucket list experience for me! The Elkhorn Slough was filled with wildlife! Our guide Ky was amazing. Full of knowledge as a marine biologist student and her enthusiasm for the slough, she made our experience exciting and adventurous It was worth it to go at 7 am. There was no wind and the wildlife was abundant. And the only way to go that early! Otters, birds, seals and even sea lions! All playful and curious. It was a must do! Thank you!

Parina Patel Mosley

2023-09

We had a wonderful time with our private tour guide, Jenna! She was super knowledgeable about the local wildlife and was happy to share with us! She was super patient and informative as we were both first-timers. Never made us feel any pressure or anxiety about being out there.We saw a lot of great wildlife including sea otters, harbor seals, Marine birds, nudibranch, and even a salp!!We will definitely be back!

Lauren Friend

2024-04

We have used Kayak Connection many times in the past and always had a great experience. This time, however, we arrived and were told that the weather forecast had taken a turn for the worse. We were advised not to kayak, but Kael gave us great directions for local bird watching instead. We appreciated the advice and had a great time anyways.

VINAY PATIL

2023-05

Great place to go kayaking, the place is full of life where you can see different birds and animals. Experience the natural habitat and enjoy the kayaking in water with mild waves. The guides were super knowledgeable and friendly. Kayaking here is safe and enjoyable, couldn't capture the sea creature because of a bad zoom on the phone. But you can see them very closely in the tour.

Alex Booth

2023-05

We loved our guided kayak tour, and got to see Sea Otters, Pelicans, Seals and Jelly Fish up close. Jake was a great tour guide and knew so much about the animals, and ecosystem we explored. For anyone worried about sharks, the tour doesn't go in waters deep enough for sharks to be concerned about.

Kyle Windsor

2023-05

Easy to find; I booked online (wish there was a discount); Check in was easy; thorough instructions; patient and relaxed staff. Two things I would do differently-ask them about the tide (which direction and how tough is it) and I would ask them about any hidden places to find sea life. I definitely recommend this place!

Eric White

2023-06

We had such an amazing kayaking trip! We had an amazing guide by the name of Sam, he was super personable, knowledgeable and clearly had a genuine love and passion for marine life. I was blown away by the amount of sea life we saw and I can not wait to go back!

Malvika Chandhok

2024-02

Went here for my anniversary day and the tour guide Mac was just the best guide anyone can ask for. She was the perfect nerd, talked about Otters in a way that I started like seals more (:p - to know the reason you have to kayak with them) and was there to help us navigate through all twists and turns while kayaking backward all throughout and walking us through all what we were seeing. It's located in a beautiful, calm and serene place surrounded by lovely green trees. An otterly amazing experience - please just go !

Chad Drew

2024-01

We randomly tried this place after staying the night at the Inn at Moss landing, which was a short drive away. We rented a double kayak for 4 hours. Reasonable pricing comes with all the gear you’ll need. Free parking, and free storage for your personal items (keys, phones, etc). They give you a lay-of-the-land, then send you on your way! Plenty of wildlife to see, overall great and scenic kayaking!!

Tom

2023-05

The staff at the Kayak Connection were very professional, informative and friendly. We were greeted kindly, filled out our paperwork quickly and then were outfitted and briefed efficiently. The staff helped us into our kayaks and off we went to explore. The Elkhorn Slough was teeming with wildlife, seals, otters, sea lions, birds, we had a great paddle. Thank you Kayak Connection! Let's keep this area special!

Daniel Louie

2019-05

I recently went to Elkhorn Slough with some relatives and we had a great time. Not only was there wildlife everywhere we looked but the staff at the Kayak Connection was quite helpful with assisting us with our gear. They gave clear instructions on where and where not to go.

Beth Wasek

2024-04

My husband and I kayaked the Elkhorn Slough (marine wildlife preserve) with Kayak Connection on a guided tour (tho you can just rent kayaks and paddle on your own) and were thrilled from start to finish. Our guide, Megan was very knowledgeable, friendly, and you could tell she really enjoyed showing people the local critters and sealife. The tour is suitable for beginners and kids, the company is very safety conscious and provides quality equipment, floatation vests, and water pants and jackets for extra protection if you get out there and it's a bit rainy or windy. If you're looking to paddle the Monterey Bay area, go with Kayak Connection.

Nahm Lee

2023-05

This is a nice recreational kayak place. Elkhorn slough has a abundant wildlife including sea otters, seals, perlican, and other sea birds. One nice thing in this kayak place is that it is easy to hop on a kayak because it starts from a deck instead of beach.

Dianna

2022-05

Did a private guided kayak tour with Jake and it was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. Would highly recommend. I’ve never been so close to marine life ever, saw soooo many sea otters, it was awesome!

Simon Ayala

2021-05

Great Kayak tour experience. Service is very professional and they are very careful about covid-19. Took a guided tour to see sea otters (saw a lot of them, and harbor seals and lots of more fauna!) and my guide Kristen was great and very committed with the group and the environment. Highly recommend it.

Daniel Celaya

2022-05

Been awhile since I've been out kayaking but it was definitely fun. Got to see some cool things, got some photos and video. Definitely worth the time they allow you to be out. Staff was friendly and caring. I'd recommend going here if you're in the area and just want to stroll out in the slough. I'd probably recommend using the pants if you don't want to get too wet, we opted out but then realized at the end we should have.

HY L

2023-07

Very pleasant experience. Definitely want to come again. People here are very friendly and welcoming.

Candice Eagle

2019-05

Apr.12, 2018 - I'd heard great things, but the entire Elkhorn Slough kayaking experience exceeded expectations! With Larry's (Kayak Connection) caring & knowledgeable assistance we picked an optimal departure time (tide/wind) & decided on kayaks (one-person sit-ins). After a short safety video, we met Amber in the equipment area. She was great, getting us set-up w/ pants, parka, paddle & vest. She & Larry explained the map & routes to us, then walked us to the dock to select kayaks. Mine was fine, but my 6'-2" companion's was too short for comfort and Larry swapped it for one that did fit. He also took our picture (attached)! :)They kayaks were stable and easy to maneuver. After only a short paddle from the docks, we started seeing sea otters! We saw them in groups of up to 30(?) -- mostly laying on their backs & snoozing, grooming, or eating. Knowing that, not long ago, only 50 of them were left, added to the special & happy experience!We also saw lots of seals, a few noisy sea lions & a myriad of birds. The many Brandt's Cormorants on the old wooden pilings & marina sign seemed to be brooding and the males displayed their blue necks.Overall, it was a top life experience!5/8/18 edit - A bit embarrassed to admit this, but when going through my photos, I saw that I had somehow missed a WHALE between me & the otters! I've posted the photo. :)

Felix Franco

2020-05

This was my first time kayaking and my fist visit to Monterey Bay. We came in on a Wednesday morning and were greeted by a lovely lady named Rachel. Rachel was a delight and knowledgeable. You are first instructed with a short video on the do’s and don’ts but the staff will also explain to you what to do. Make sure you understand about the tides as they can be strong. I was surprised to learn how little control you have when you are been pulled by tides. Their equipment is your average equipment but it is well taken care of. They will also provide you with gear to wear to be protected from the elements.Once you are out in the water you will not have to go in too far in order to start seeing wildlife. Seals will greet you right away at beginning of experience. We also saw sea otters which were so playful and are eating all the time. Overall it was a wonderful experience and staff made it that much more enjoyable.Staff ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Equipment ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Wildlife Experience ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Price Point ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Michael Rock

2019-05

We spent a week in Carmel, and wanted an adventure for our kids. Well, we found it alright!!! In Moss Landing, this outfit is tucked back near the docks in an unasssuming building. We went during the week, over Thanksgiving holiday (weekends and warmer weather months are CROWDED, our trip was 8 of us).The guide was super friendly, very knoweldgable, gregarious and seemed to genuinly enjoy what he was doing, and had an obvious love of the animals and area. Great 2 person kayaks, perfect for one aduly in back and a kid in front (ours are 9 and 11 and small...fit no problem). They have neoprene skirts that cover your hips down so your dry, and have weatherproof jackets too. The kayaks have short backs, so while it isnt cozy, its tolerable for the few hours your on the water. Highly recommend these guys, and the area is AMAZING.

Victor Berchet

2018-05

The equipment is ok but you can see it has been used a lot (some of us got word that were no more water proof).The Elkhorn Slough is a beautiful place. We were able to see a lot of sea otters and bird.It's better to go early before the wind picks up and make getting back to the dock harder.

Bob S

2022-05

great place, great guys! We had a tour, two guides. Lot's of wildlife, especially otter pups.On the way back we encountered very strong front wind. Our guide Mark had to work especially hard to get everyone back safe!

Nick

2024-02

Mark was really helpful in advising on which kayaks to use and how to use them and very patient with our group. I have used both kayak connection and the one nearby and I prefer them.

Zachary Shepard

2023-08

I went on a sunset kayak with a guide named Mark along with a friend, and he was really great (Mark was, my friend was fine). Knowledgeable and helpful, he had us paddle around while being respectful of the animals, and making sure we gave each animal the appropriate distance. We saw like 20 otters, and so many harbor seals including cute pups. Tons of birds too. Highly recommend Mark.

Terri Hanson Mead

2023-08

I was so focused on enjoying the experience I didn’t take any pictures. Our guide Cam was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in sharing his love of the water and wildlife.We did a 5:30 am, 3 hour private tour on a Wednesday. It was so peaceful and we saw sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, and lots of birds. I thought 3 hours would be too much but it was perfect. We would paddle and then stop and observe the wildlife.My 18 year old and I shared a 2 person kayak and were very comfortable in the pants and life jackets provided to us. We wore our own rain jackets under the life vests.We’d completed the forms before we arrived and handed them to Cam making it that much easier to get started. Cam had gotten the kayaks ready for us so we were in the water within 10 minutes of arrival.We both wore hats but didn’t really need them that early in the morning. I brought a small dry bag that I clipped into the kayak with a borrowed carabiner to not lose my phone.Next time I’ll bring a waterproof camera so I can take pictures.The harbor seals were playful and came so close to us despite us wanting to give them distance for their protection.The birds were spectacular in both their behavior and quantity.We didn’t see anyone else until about 7:45 am which was amazing.I’ll be bringing my husband back to do this soon.

Nishka Uberoi

2021-05

I took part in the night-time kayaking tour with a small group of people. All of us were hoping to see the bio-luminescence in the water. We were very happy to see it and experience it as a casual pace. The tour guides are very helpful and knowledgeable. I am happy to have found a good socially-distant activity to do in these times.

Grace Stetson

2023-11

Quite possibly the sweetest place to go for a little surprise treat -- make it a birthday trip, a girls adventure, or just a weekend fun activity!My boyfriend surprised me with a 4-hour Kayak Connection visit for my 30th birthday this year, and it was the BEST. As a disclaimer: neither of us are water people -- but we are cute sea animal people, and so this place was perfection. For a 4-hour visit, you get to paddle a kayak out to Elkhorn Slough (2-person kayak for this time period is ~$110) and go see all the creatures.We saw so many seals, sea lions, different types of birds, the WORKS. There were even kayakers around who were tour guides as part of the local wildlife preserve, and they gave us insights on the different types of wildlife out there, which was super interesting to hear about.Make sure to pee before getting situated into the kayak, and bring snacks! If you're over 5'10", it may also be worthwhile to get a kayak that's not enclosed. Otherwise, 5/5 visit! Looking forward to coming again!

steve tubbs

2022-05

Our Guide at Kayak Connection was really knowledgeable of the wild life, and made the trip an amazing experience. It was really an enjoyable and relaxing trip. Thank you Mark. Make sure to ask for him, he is your guide.

Cheri Jensen

2022-05

What a great place, friendly personable service!! We definitely recommend them and will come here again!!! They have sit upon kayaks and the type you sit in and 3 person kayaks. Nice to have options!! Thanks Margo for your help!!!