Our Tour Guides and Instructors
If you’re looking for something fun to do in Santa Barbara you’re in the right place. From high-end rentals to some of the best instruction and tours available we’re here to make your experience in Santa Barbara as fun and amazing as it can be! We’ll typically pick you up and bring you to the best location for your activity in town or meet you at that location depending on availability. That being said we can often do road bike tours right from your hotel/house or do stand up paddle lessons, kayak tours, and rentals for all beach related activities on the beach across from any of the beach front properties in Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Goleta. We’d love to show you the Santa Barbara many don’t see!
MITCH HAWKINS
SUP, Kayak, and Mountain Bike Guide
I was a collegiate baseball player and a biology student at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. This place is one of the most beautiful locations I’ve ever been to let alone lived in. I decided a few years back I’d love to be involved in helping others see some of the true beauties Santa Barbara has to offer. From those visiting to the many locals that have lived here for years and never ventured out on the ocean or hiked one of the trails overlooking the city, SB Channel, and Channel Islands. I hold a personal training certification from NASM and will do just about anything from mountain biking to stand up paddling to kite boarding. Myself and anyone at Cal Coast Adventures would love to take you on any one of the activities we offer.
Sergio Alvarez
Lead Bike Guide and Bike Mechanic
Born and raised Santa Barbara local boy. I grew up riding a bike and I was always enthused with how far i could go as a young kid. I got into bmx freestyle in the 80s, did competitions and shows while traveling around the world. After retiring from bmx i got into mountain bike racing. I did cross country racing for about 15 years. I’ve done a lot of off road bike touring in the local santa ynez mountains, which has helped my knowledge of the trails as well as learning the rich history of santa barbara. I’m excited to meet you and can’t wait to take you out on a ride. Whether it’s mountain biking or road biking I hope you're ready to hurt a little, but in a good and encouraging way 🙂
NATHAN WEBER
Surf & SUP Instructor
As a young surfer growing up on the central coast, I hadn't really grasped how incredibly lucky I was to be experiencing the coastline of California as my own back yard. It wasn't until I moved to Europe out of high school to travel that I began to truly realize where my home was. To me, surfing California wasn't just a place of exercise or an opportunity for sports. Although it was a place for those things as well, it was the place I felt most connected with nature. I remember so many times running into the house to tell my parents about the waves I had caught that day, and about the way it felt, only to have words fail me and a lot of sound effects come out instead. the ocean isn't something you can experience through someone else. The only way is to suit up and board up. Surfing makes me a better person, and I know now that the water is where I belong. My goal is to share my passion for the ocean as not only an instructor, but as a friend giving back to the sports that made me who I am today. I know with the skills I've learned, and the situations I've experienced, I can help provide the tools necessary to get you started on your own path of exercise, adventure and indescribable beauty. Wether its furthering your technic in paddle boarding, kayaking or surfing, or simply your first time in the water, I'm confident that either myself, or anyone else in the Cal Coast Adventures team can make your experience an unforgettable one!
Brennan Kinney
Head Mechanic
Bio coming soon...
JOHN STILLWELL
Biking Guide
I am an avid cyclist, who feels lucky to live and ride here in beautiful Santa Barbara. There are not many roads or trails I haven't ridden locally, so if it's a challenging climb or single-track trail, or a peaceful scenic tour you're looking for, I look forward to sharing my experience with you.
I love sharing my local knowledge with my riders; bike set up, gearing suggestions and safety are my main concerns. My goal is to have fun every time I get on my bike, and I am both enthusiastic and determined to show all of my riders the best time possible. I am keen to adjust the route to address any special requests you may have.
My lifetime passion for cycling runs deep, having raced road, mountain bike, competed in triathlons, ridden 24-hour events, century rides, and wilderness bike camping trips. Santa Barbara is a unique cycling destination, be it the weather, the roads, the trails, the scenery, the views, or all the above! I look forward to showing you the best Santa Barbara has to offer.
Connor King
Media / Sales / Management / Bike Guide
After growing up in Santa Barbara I wanted to explore life in a city that also offered access to the outdoors, which led me to live in Seattle for 4 years. After completing my BA at Seattle Pacific University I found myself craving travel-related work in my hometown of SB. Since joining the Cal Coast team I’ve found a love for helping travelers indulge in Santa Barbara’s treasures. Whether it's by promoting our services, designing new ways to improve operations or leading a group on a Bike and Beverage Tour around SB’s booming beer and wine scene - I’ve been happy to help people see Santa Barbara in a new and active way!
NICK BROWN
Kayak and Hiking Guide
A fifth generation Santa Barbara native, Nick grew up in the local hills and mountains, spending as much time exploring in the rock formations as he does paddling in the ocean. Graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2012, I focused in Geology, Film Studies, and Sociology. For the past Five years, I have led groups of up to 80 persons into the local as well as Sequoia National wilderness for hiking, backpacking and fishing trips, specializing in the local flora and fauna. My passion for the outdoors is one of my favorite things to share with visitors as well as locals of this beautiful part of the world, and I think too often we forget to look up from the trail and appreciate what's around us. Every day in Santa Barbara offers a new perspective on what's in bloom, or what fish is swimming through the channel and I hope to go check it out with you!
KAITLYN GRUETZMACHER
Surf Instructor
My name is Kaitlyn and I’ve surfed Santa Barbara my entire life. I was born and raised right here in Santa Barbara County, where the beach has always been my front yard. Surfing has been incredibly important to me growing up as well as needed in my life. It’s an escape from a busy life, something that gets you out of bed every morning, and puts a permanent smile and glow on your face that lasts a lifetime. While being a surfer, it has taught me to love and appreciate the ocean on a very deep and meaningful level. The ocean is the most beautiful and amazing thing on this planet, as well as the waves that it creates. Every time that I catch a wave, it is the most amazing feeling in the world. Surfing is an insatiable sport. After every wave or every session, you are constantly thinking how you want more and more! My passion and love for this sport is unexplainable, and the only way to experience this feeling is to get out in the ocean and do it yourself. I promise that after catching your first wave, it will be one of the most amazing and blissful moments of your life. My mission as a surf instructor is to make everyone that I teach feel comfortable in the ocean and give them a strong foundation to become an awesome surfer. I am confident in telling you that if you choose to do a surf lesson in Santa Barbara with us, it will be a memory, feeling, and experience that lasts a lifetime!
Elias Jordan
Manager / Surf Instructor / Water Guide / Bike Guide
Bio coming soon...