Explore San Diego Tide Pools with a Marine Biologist
Overview
Available languages
1 hour
Mobile ticket
Adventure with a marine biology educator along the coast and learn more about wildlife living in the intertidal zone of San Diego. Great for all ages and skill levels. There are some stairs and lots of uneven terrain we will walk on, so this is not a wheelchair-friendly activity.
I taught middle and high school marine biology for more than a decade before committing to environmental tourism! With fifteen years of teaching youth and adults in outdoor education settings, plus my background in conservation biology, provides guests with in-depth (pun intended) knowledge of marine life during our tide pool exploration.
**Important: After booking you will receive a welcome message with important details. Be sure to have notifications and/or emails from your booking platform turned on!**
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Explore the fascinating world of tide pools and discover the incredible variety of animal and plant life that inhabit these unique ecosystems! With guided tours for all ages, you'll learn about different species that live in the tide pools, their adaptations to survive in this environment, and what you can do to protect them. So come join us and experience the wonders of the tide pools! Tide pools, or rocky intertidal zones, are small collections of ocean water trapped by rocks as the ocean level recedes. This area is covered by the ocean half of the day- during high tide- and the pools are exposed at low tide, which creates a unique, yet fragile, habitat for lots of small invertebrates and fish. At our meeting spot, you will receive a brief talk on safety and tide pool rules, as all San Diego tide pools have a strict "no collection" policy. Once we understand how to tide pool safely and respectfully, the adventure begins! Any living animals found will be left on their own; we do not interfere, touch, or handle any living marine life, following Viator's Animal Welfare Policy.
What‘s Included
Digital photo album
Gratuities
closed-toe shoes/strapped sandals that might get wet (required to participate)
Options
Explore San Diego Tide Pools with a Marine Biologist
Reviews
214 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Tide pool fun!
Sarah B,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Matt was a great tour guide, really knowledgeable and interesting. We all had a fun time exploring the tide pools!
Tide pool Tour
rachelbI2599WT,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Matt was great. My boys had a blast learning about the tide pool marine life. Matt was very knowledgeable, made the group setting very comfortable, and even took pictures along the way to send to all the families. Glad we went and would recommend to families with kids who love to explore!
It would be such a shame to miss this!
383sandip,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We joined Matt and a handful of other participants, children as well as adults, to explore the tidal flats. I was totally captivated and thoroughly enjoyed the knowledge Matt shared. His talent to interact with youngsters was evident and he addressed all questions with clear answers sprinkled with just a bit of humor. Loved it. The meetup directions were clear, very easy to find. Quick responses from Matt when I reached out with parking concerns. Meet this guy, take his tour - you won't regret it!
Tidal pools with a great guide
Sarah S,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It worked out really well to meet Matt where he directed. We had so much fun checking out the La Jolla tide pools. They got to see several types of crabs, sea anemones, sea slugs, sculpin etc.
Great experience!
G9033WWclaireb,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Matt was great! Patient and explained things in terms our kids could understand. Highly recommend for families with small kids!
Must do
Quest791350,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Matt was a wonderful guide. Sea slug, incredible!
Great experience
Allison Z,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience! Matt was a knowledgeable guide and my whole family had fun. We were able to see a lot more than we would ever have seen on our own, and learned a lot too!
SnorkelMatt Delivers the goods!
461josiek,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00SnorkelMatt Was professional, great with kids and deliver the best tide pool tour imaginable. 100% recommend!!!
Expert helping in seeing more and explaining
jenniferpB6756VG,Mar 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time on this activity and recommend it to others -
Best way to explore the tide pools!
Journey611941,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Matt is so knowledgeable about the tides and the plants and animals in the area. We brought our 6 and 9 year old kids and they enjoyed it as much as my husband and I did. We saw so many cool animals and plants and learned so much. Matt is also an excellent communicator and we were well prepared for the experience. Highly recommend!
From US$32.00
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