La Jolla Tide Pool Tour: Hold sea creatures with a guide

Hold starfish and sea anemones in the shallow pools where they live

A two-hour guided tide pool tour in La Jolla where you wade into shallow pools and hold brittle stars, sea anemones, crabs and other creatures under a professional guide's instruction. The tour runs one hour before peak low tide, so the pools are full and accessible. Small snacks and bottled water are included. A live guide leads in English or Spanish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. La Jolla Cove10m
2. Windansea Beach5m
3. Children's Pool Beach5m
4. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego5m
5. Ellen Browning Scripps Park10m
6. Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial5m
7. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve5m

Explore La Jolla tide pools and surroundings

• Visit La Jolla seaside community
• Explore La Jolla tide pools
• See La Jolla Cove
• Walk scenic shoreline walkway
• Visit Windansea Beach
• View sea lions at Children's Pool Beach
• Explore Shell Beach tide pools
• Visit La Jolla Village shops and restaurants
• See Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
• Visit local history and culture museum
• Relax at Ellen Browning Scripps Park
• Walk Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier
• See Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial
• Visit Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve

The experience

The tour starts at the tide pools of La Jolla Cove, a sheltered inlet known for calm water and abundant marine life. Your guide is trained in the local ecosystem and teaches you which creatures are safe to touch, how to hold them without harm, and what they eat and how they survive in the shallow water between the rocks. You'll get your hands wet (wear shoes that can handle sand and seawater), and spend the two hours moving between pools, picking up starfish and anemones, watching crabs dart between crevices, and learning why this stretch of the California coast supports such a dense population of animals in such a small space.

Timing matters here. The tour departs one hour before peak low tide, when the pools are deepest and most of the creatures are exposed. Tide schedules shift daily, so the exact start time changes. The operator confirms it when you book. Weather can also delay or cancel the tour, since rough surf fills the pools with sand and makes them unsafe to explore. On a clear day with good tide, you'll have time to visit multiple pools and move at a pace that lets you linger over what interests you most.

The route takes you along the shoreline walkway and through Shell Beach, a small secluded stretch at the southern end of Ellen Browning Scripps Park, then into the tide pools themselves. You'll see Children's Pool Beach, where sea lions and seals gather in warmer months, and Windansea Beach, another tide pool spot nearby. The guide carries the knowledge. You carry the curiosity and the willingness to get wet.

What’s included

• A live guide trained in the local marine ecosystem.
• small snacks like chips or a granola bar.
• bottled water.
• two hours of access to the tide pools during low tide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to2h before

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Another Side Of San Diego Tours

Is this one for you?The guide leads in English or Spanish, so you can follow the instruction and the marine biology in whichever language suits you. The shallow pools and slow pace work for families with children and for anyone who wants to explore without swimming or strenuous hiking.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What time does the tide pool tour start?

The tour departs one hour before peak low tide, so the start time shifts daily based on tide schedules. The operator confirms your exact departure time when you book.

Can I actually touch the sea creatures, or just look at them?

You hold and touch the creatures (brittle stars, sea anemones, crabs and others) under your guide's instruction on how to handle them safely so they aren't harmed.

What should I wear for a tide pool tour?

Wear comfortable shoes that can get sandy and wet, since you'll be wading in shallow pools and walking over rocks. Bring a change of clothes or a towel if you want to dry off afterward.

Is the tour suitable for children or people who aren't strong swimmers?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The pools are shallow, and you're wading rather than swimming. Infants and small children can come in a pram or stroller, though moving between pools on uneven ground is easier without one.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes a professional guide, small snacks such as chips or a granola bar, and bottled water. The guide speaks English or Spanish.