• 1. Where to Stay
• 2. Where to Eat
• 3. What to Do
• 4. Insider’s Tip
• 5. An Oddball Day

(Photo: Courtesy Captain Jack's Tours)

On Full Moon Friday (held every month except February), go kayaking with Captain Jack’s Tours (888-810-8687). The friendly outfit was founded by Mark Hicks, who launched his company after losing an eye in a battle with cancer (his friends took to calling him Captain Jack the One-Eyed Pirate). After a quick lesson on land, Hicks and his staff will guide you toward the open sea to glide in the company of sea lions, harbor seals, and pelicans. Reward yourself for all that paddling by grabbing one of the outdoor tables at Brophy Brothers (119 Harbor Way; 805-966-4418) on the pier. Don’t expect haute cuisine—this is a clam-chowder and coleslaw kind of place.

Published on November 22, 2006 as a web exclusive.