Sea Quest has been creating custom kayaking tours since 1989. We design and plan private kayak trips for those who want to travel with their own intimate group but wish to rely on our professional experience to make their journey go smoothly and safely. Our custom kayaking trips allow you to choose when and with whom you wish to travel. Whether it’s your family, a group of friends or co-workers, school, or an outdoor adventure club, we’ll work with you to design a custom kayak tour that fits your needs. Your custom tour could be as short as a few hours or as long as a week!
Create a Custom Kayaking Tour for Your Special Interests or Needs
Most groups start this process by looking at our scheduled kayak trips to the San Juan Islands, Alaska, or Baja Mexico. Click here if you are interested in even more exotic locations. If one of our kayak tour itineraries looks perfect for your group, call us with your ideal time and dates. Then imagine how any of our tours could be personalized to make it your perfect adventure. We can answer any questions that you may have and may be able to suggest more options that will harmonize with your special needs.
Custom Kayaking Trips for Families with Kids is our Specialty!
Sea Quest led the way in developing custom kayaking trips for families with kids. We discovered that using specialty three-person kayaks enable us to take families with kids on tours in the sheltered waters of the San Juan Islands in Washington. These marvelously steady “triple” kayaks increase safety without sacrificing any speed. We can take kids 5 years and up in our triple kayaks on custom family trips. Our triple kayaks are also valuable for elder family members and those with injuries or physical circumstances that preclude strong exercise.
Our flotilla of three-person kayaks has also proven to be indispensable for school and youth groups on their custom trips.
Custom Kayaking Tour Ideas
We’re happy to offer custom kayaking tours to groups with all types of goals and agendas. Let your imagination fly and contact us with any questions or custom ideas. Here are some examples of custom trips that we have provided for our guests over the years:
Families with children and very young kids (we use special 3-person kayaks for these tours)
Birthdays, anniversaries and weddings on remote islands
Scouts and youth groups
Schools, colleges and universities
Natural history and science museums
Naturalists, tidepoolers, and birding enthusiasts (see our birding tours webpage)
Photographers and film crews
Work retreats and company outings
Recovery groups and healing retreats
Custom Group Discounts Available
Custom groups over nine or more and non-profits are eligible for a 10% or larger discount. Large groups should make their plans early!
Reviews
Jon M.
9/25/2023 - Google
Had a great time! Super fun guide, well maintained equipment, and excellent instruction made this a fun, safe, and memorable day trip. Will definitely be going ...read moreHad a great time! Super fun guide, well maintained equipment, and excellent instruction made this a fun, safe, and memorable day trip. Will definitely be going back!read less
Banu R.
9/24/2023 - Google
- great weather and trip to view the bioluminescence - excursion went great and is recommended even for novices -the guide was knowledgeable and provided good i...read more- great weather and trip to view the bioluminescence - excursion went great and is recommended even for novices -the guide was knowledgeable and provided good information and advice - tour is highly recommended and definitely worth itread less
Melanie S.
9/19/2023 - Google
Sea Quest Kayak Tours is excellent. Our guide Martine was awesome. It was everything we had hoped for and more. A wonderful memory for our family!
joshua d.
9/18/2023 - Google
Fantastic overnight tour with Cody! From the great food, to organized schedule, friendly folks and multiple picturesque stops - Would definitely recommend!!
Stacy M.
9/18/2023 - Google
Had a wonderful time night kayaking to see the bioluminescents. The guides Ben and Will were great and kind and helpful. The bioluminescents were so beautiful a...read moreHad a wonderful time night kayaking to see the bioluminescents. The guides Ben and Will were great and kind and helpful. The bioluminescents were so beautiful and I am glad I had this experience with Sea Quest Kayak Tours.read less
Josh B.
9/18/2023 - Google
Great trip with Martine as our guide. We were in for a family wedding with limited time and she absolutely helped us make the most of it. We saw plenty of harbo...read moreGreat trip with Martine as our guide. We were in for a family wedding with limited time and she absolutely helped us make the most of it. We saw plenty of harbor seals, some bald eagles and lots of other wildlife. As a side from reading other reviews: kayaks are not exceptionally heavy and we all carried it down the 40 feet or so as a group. Two men and 2 women, zero trouble. I’m not certain why anyone would book a tour which requires you to be physically active and then be upset when you have to actually be active. Great operator and would absolutely use again.read less
ing w.
9/17/2023 - Google
our paddle under the stars with Julia was amazing! She was terrific and seeing the bioluminescent water was magical
dentonphillips
9/16/2023 - Google
This was a spectacular experience to see the bioluminescence in the water while kayaking. Our guides JJ and Nathan took great care of us and lead an amazing tou...read moreThis was a spectacular experience to see the bioluminescence in the water while kayaking. Our guides JJ and Nathan took great care of us and lead an amazing tour. We all had a fantastic time.read less
Kenyacktie H.
9/12/2023 - Google
I recent went on the Quest Kayak Tour along with a friend. It was my first time in a kayak. Quest made the tour safe, engaging and informative. I had a great ti...read moreI recent went on the Quest Kayak Tour along with a friend. It was my first time in a kayak. Quest made the tour safe, engaging and informative. I had a great time and gained a new experience.read less
Ian L.
9/11/2023 - TripAdvisor
Had a great time! Sea Quest had our rental right in time. Delivered it to the ferry dock and had us on our way. The equipment worked great, no break downs, no p...read moreHad a great time! Sea Quest had our rental right in time. Delivered it to the ferry dock and had us on our way. The equipment worked great, no break downs, no problems. Had only good times paddling thru amazing scenery. They made the drop off go so smoothly, just took out our gear and the picked the boat up. Couldn’t have had a better time!read less
Duration
1 to 5+ days
Group Size
All Group Sizes
Age Range
All Ages
Activity level
Beginner Friendly
Starting From
$99
DEPARTURES
Every Day
Custom
LOCATION
San Juan Islands, WA
Rated 4.9 / 5 (437 Reviews)
Frequently Asked Questions
How large of a group go you accomodate on a kayak tour?
Sea Quest Kayak Tours can accommodate kayak groups as large as 50 people depending on the time of season! Large groups should reach out to us in advance so we can make sure we have enough resources to accommodate your desires.
Can we cook our own meals while sea kayaking?
Yes! You can absolutely cook your own meals if you should desire. However, we really recommend that you let a kayaking outfitter like Sea Quest Kayak tours take care of meal preparation! We are familiar with cooking in the field and systems in place to make sure everyone get fed delicious and nutritious meals. Cooking in the field is relatively straight forward but being prepared with the proper gear takes time and effort!
Can we make our group a private kayak tour?
Yes! We can absolutely make your tour private if it is a large custom tour!
Can we incorporate group events or activies into our kayak tour?
Yes! We can help to facilitate anything you might desire. It doesn’t matter to us if you want to paddle for 12 hours a day or spend 3 days on the same island playing cards! Our guides are flexible and willing to facilitate your groups desires. Especially if its a children’s group with adult chaperones.
Gear List
We provide the following:
Sea kayaks, all related sea kayaking trip gear, safety equipment, transportation to and from Friday Harbor and the launch beach, instruction and expert guides. While camping, meals provided include breakfast and dinner. Our all inclusive listing price includes spacious tents to ensure you will be well rested for adventure. Sleeping bags and pads can be rented for an additional nominal fee – but feel free to bring your own!
What you need to bring:
Beach clothing, beach foot wear, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and lunch. Bring a hat, warm sweater and rain jacket if cool, cloudy, windy or rainy. A detailed packing list of camping related household items will be provided after you book your tour!
We offer highly customized and flexible tours and itineraries for large groups. If you can dream it we can make it happen! Reach out to use over phone or email if you have something specific in mind.
National Geographic chooses our San Juan Islands kayaking tours in "10 Best Trips in the World for 2011."
National Geographic chooses our San Juan Islands kayaking tours in "10 Best Trips in the World for 2011."
Sea Quest Kayak Tours is on ABC News! See us Kayaking with Orca Whales in the San Juan Islands. View the video now.
San Juan Islands Kayaking Trips in Killer Whale Waters of Washington - a World's Top 10 Adventure Bargain!
San Juan Island Kayaking Trips in Orca Whale Waters in Washington State - Selected as a Top 20 American Adventure!