When ocean-minded brands come together, meaningful experiences can happen both above and below the surface.
Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to bring that idea to life in San Diego through a collaborative pilot experience between Seatrees, Virgin Voyages, Everyday California, and researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. What started as a simple request- recommendations for shore excursions - evolved into something much more impactful: a hands-on, educational journey connecting travelers directly to ocean restoration.
Designing an Experience with PurposeAs part of the Partnerships team at Seatrees, Savannah works closely with brands like Virgin Voyages to help translate their environmental commitments into tangible experiences. When their team reached out ahead of a San Diego port stop, we saw an opportunity to go beyond the typical excursion and instead create something rooted in place, science, and impact.
La Jolla quickly stood out as the ideal setting. Not only is it home to incredible marine biodiversity, but it also sits adjacent to one of our kelp restoration sites - an ecosystem we’re actively working to bring back to life alongside our partners at Scripps.
We brought in our other Seatrees partner, Everyday California, to bring this experience to life. Everyday California’s kayak tours operate around the La Jolla Ecological Reserve, offering an immersive way to explore this unique coastal environment.
On the Water: A Different Kind of TourThe test run brought together members of the Virgin Voyages crew for a morning on the water. Paddling out from La Jolla Shores, the group moved through clear waters towards the sea caves, and along the edges of the kelp forest - an ecosystem that, while beautiful, is also in recovery.
While the kelp forests are still recovering, there was no shortage of wildlife to be seen still. Along the way, we were lucky enough to get up close and personal with dozens of leopard sharks in the shallow waters grazing the ocean floor. Sea lions lined the cliffs over the caves and cormorants were fishing for food around us throughout the tour.What made this experience even more special was the presence of a kelp scientist from Scripps, George Nassar. Rather than simply observing the environment, participants were able to understand it: how kelp forests function, why they matter, and what’s being done to restore them.
Conversations ranged from the role of kelp in supporting marine life and capturing carbon, to the challenges these ecosystems face… from warming waters to overgrazing by sea urchins. Seeing the restoration site from the water adds a layer of immediacy that’s hard to replicate on land or in a presentation.
Why It MattersExperiences like this bridge a critical gap. Many travelers care deeply about the ocean, but opportunities to connect that care with real-world action are rare. By bringing guests directly to restoration sites and pairing that with expert insight, we can turn awareness into understanding, and understanding into advocacy.
What’s NextThis pilot was just the beginning. As we refine the experience, there’s potential to offer it to Virgin Voyages guests as part of future San Diego itineraries, creating a new model for tourism that actively supports ocean health.
More broadly, it’s a blueprint for how brands, scientists, and local operators can collaborate to create experiences that benefit both people and the planet.
