Guided tours in Laguna Beach

Tide pool talks and museum docents

The Laguna Ocean Foundation says it gives free tide pool education at eight sites: Crescent Bay north and south, Shaw’s Cove north and south, Heisler Park, Treasure Island, Goff Island and Wood’s Cove. The sites carry low-tide guidelines of 2 to 2.5 feet or lower, and you can talk with a biologist or a Tidewater docent, though the page gives no docent days or times. The tide pools guide covers reading the tide table and the reserve rules.

The Laguna Art Museum lists drop-in docent tours on all business days except Mondays, with no start times posted. Call 949-494-8971 to confirm a docent is on duty. General admission is $15 as of October 2026, and the museum lists free admission on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 9 p.m., the same evening as the Art Walk. For November 5, 2026, it posts special hours: free entry from 5 to 6 p.m. to one exhibition only.

History and art on foot

The Laguna Beach Historical Society keeps the Murphy Smith Bungalow at 278 Ocean Avenue, open most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Volunteer docents show the memorabilia on display. The page lists no walking tour, so treat it as a docent-led museum visit. The history page covers the town’s past.

La Vida Laguna lists walking tours among its group and corporate outings, though its page gives no route or length. For public art, the city’s works are laid out on the public art page if you would rather walk them on your own.

On the water

Laguna Ethos lists a 1.5-hour guided kayak tour it calls the Sea Lion Adventure at $85 and a 1.5-hour guided paddleboard tour at $95, as of October 2026. La Vida Laguna lists daily kayak and paddleboard tours, plus outrigger canoeing and yacht and sail boat cruises for groups, and it books through FareHarbor. The kayaking page covers where paddling is allowed and the reserve rules.

Whale and dolphin trips do not leave from Laguna Beach. Captain Dave’s departs from Dana Point Harbor, at 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive in Dana Point, and lists year-round trips. Its site says blue whales are typically seen from May through October, gray whales from November through May, and killer whales may be seen year-round. The whale watching page lists other operators, in Dana Point and Newport Beach.

By bike and on foot

Laguna Ethos lists a two-hour guided electric bike tour at $125 as of October 2026, and La Vida Laguna lists daily e-bike tours from its Glenneyre Street location. The biking page covers the trails and rental rules.

For guided hikes, OC Parks says regularly scheduled tours by foot or bicycle at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park are led by volunteer naturalists and park staff. The park is at 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, and OC Parks lists a $3 daily parking fee. The Laguna Canyon Foundation lists its own guided hikes with RSVP. Its listings for late 2026 include orientation hikes for people new to the park and fitness hikes it describes as not for beginners. Laguna Ethos lists hiking tours as well. See the hiking guide for trail details.

Private tide pool outings

The Laguna Ocean Foundation also sells private outings. Its tide pool exploration packages run 1.5 hours at Treasure Island or Heisler Park. As of October 2026 it posts $150 for two to six guests, $400 for seven to 15 and $650 for 16 to 25, subject to tides and ocean conditions. It lists a family tide pool adventure at Treasure Island for $300.

Food tours

La Vida Laguna lists taco tours among its group activities, and as of October 2026 Laguna Ethos lists a luxury picnic for groups of 15 or more at $225. This guide found no stand-alone food tour company with a working site of its own, so it lists none.

Booking and timing

Check the date, tide and group size with the operator before you travel. Posted prices can change. Several offers depend on the tide, and the state marine reserve limits what you can touch on a tide pool outing. The marine reserves page has the rules.

Getting there

The free Coastal Route trolley runs on Coast Highway through town. The getting around guide and the parking guide cover trolley hours and downtown lots, which suit the museum, the bungalow and the Glenneyre Street and Coast Highway offices.