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Santa Barbara Outdoor Adventures
With the grand Pacific Ocean to the west and beautiful mountains to the east, Santa Barbara is well-equiped for your adventurous side. Spend the day kayaking up or down the coast, sailing to the Channel Islands, or viewing the gray whale migration. If you are bold enough to try an ariel sport, Santa Barbara offers some of the best ocean landscapes on the west coast.
Kayaking – Paddling along the rugged coastal bluffs, past the yachts lining the Santa Barbara Harbor, or around the secluded coves of the Channel Islands is one of the best ways to appreciate Santa Barbara’s seaside setting. Kayak rentals and equipment are available at Aqua Sports, Paddle Sports, Santa Barbara Kayaks, Santa Barbara Sailing Center. For more adventurous options, expertly guided kayak trips are the way to go and typically include equipment and instruction. Santa Barbara Adventure Company offers guided kayaking excursions emphasizing marine ecology and fun for paddlers of all levels.
Sailing – Sailing Santa Barbara’s glistening waters can be an invigorating experience. Rugged mountains rise along the coast, the Channel Islands shimmer offshore, and light breezes and sunny skies provide ideal sailing weather most of the year. Santa Barbara Sailing Center/Double Dolphin Cruises offers sailboat rentals, skippered and bareboat charters, single and multi day drips to the Channel Islands and sailing instruction. Or for the younger sailors, contact Sunset Kidd’s Sailing cruises & Yacht Sales.
Aerial Sports – Get a birds eye view of the sweeping coastlinge and Santa Ynez Mountains by paragliding, hang gliding, skydiving, or flightseeing over and around Santa Barbara County. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, head to Sky Dive Santa Barbara for skydiving and tandem jumping. Or check out Fly Above All and Fly Away Hang Gliding for hang gliding and paragliding.
Whale Watching – with more than 27 species of cetaceans in habiting the channel waters throughout the year, santa Barbara is a major center for the study and ovservation of these magnificent creatures. Cruise the channel from December through May and enjoy a front-row seat to the spectacle of the annual gray-whale migration. Longer trips are schedule to the Channel Islands July through November to spot blue whales, humpback whales, minkes, and even orcas. Condor Cruises and Captain Don’s Whale Watching both offer daily whale-watching excursions during the whale-watching season.
