Snorkeling with young kids

I am trying to find a decent snorkeling spot to go with my 6 year old daughter in Cali.  She is a beginner swimmer and will have a vest on.  Calm and water, something like Hanauma Bay, is there such a place in Cali?   
Suggestions?  Thanks in advance!

Awesome to see you getting the young ones ocean inspired! Lovers Point in Pacific Grove or Still Water Cove (SWS) in Pebble Beach are the two spots that come to mind. Both are pretty shallow and usually very protected from swell. Make sure to have warm wetsuits! (7mm) There are a number of shops to rent from. I personally go to Bamboo Reef for most of the things free dive related that I need.

If you go to Still Water Cove in Pebble Beach, here is a picture of where to swim that is shallow enough to see neat things. Lovers point would be easier access and quicker to get to your snorkel spot but its just a tiny bit less protected than SWC so it will depend on swell. Lovers also has a great beach to play on with kids. It's the popular spot for locals with kids.

Dad of 5 yo, here!

The NorCal equivalent of Hanauma is Fitzgerald Marine Reserve near HMB.  Its awesome, and you're guaranteed 2 see some UHHMAAZING c-life.  At flood tide, there'll be more real estate to swim around, but really anytime will be awesome.  Possible downers are (1) getting harassed by nazi rangers, (2) lack of washdown facility, (3) colder than eskimo naynay, and (4) crowds = crappy parking.  Swimming is not prohibited but the rules of conduct are actually extensive.

Same in Monterey and south of there, and it'll even be a little warmer than Fitz.  There's endless amount of places to park and snorkel in the 3 or so miles south of Lovers Point.  And you can even shoot fish and forage, unlike Fitz.

Then, you MUST take her to La Jolla.  Recommend Children's beach and/or La Jolla Cove, both are nice, and tons of fish.  Children's is a little more protected from surge.  Stay at the Grand Colonial, just two blocks up the street from Children's.  They have a golf cart shuttle and free of charge rental of any beach equipment you might want.  Their suite prices are very reasonable.

If you're going to hit up norcal snorkeling w the kid get a wetsuit.  Helps with thermal AND spf.  also, use a full face mask for additional cold protection and better viewing. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072F4PD73/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Greatever-Newest-Version-Panoramic-Snorkel/dp/B078YRFVQ6?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3

Dad of 5 yo, here!

The NorCal equivalent of Hanauma is Fitzgerald Marine Reserve near HMB.  Its awesome, and you're guaranteed 2 see some UHHMAAZING c-life.  At flood tide, there'll be more real estate to swim around, but really anytime will be awesome.  Possible downers are (1) getting harassed by nazi rangers, (2) lack of washdown facility, (3) colder than eskimo naynay, and (4) crowds = crappy parking.  Swimming is not prohibited but the rules of conduct are actually extensive.

Same in Monterey and south of there, and it'll even be a little warmer than Fitz.  There's endless amount of places to park and snorkel in the 3 or so miles south of Lovers Point.  And you can even shoot fish and forage, unlike Fitz.

Then, you MUST take her to La Jolla.  Recommend Children's beach and/or La Jolla Cove, both are nice, and tons of fish.  Children's is a little more protected from surge.  Stay at the Grand Colonial, just two blocks up the street from Children's.  They have a golf cart shuttle and free of charge rental of any beach equipment you might want.  Their suite prices are very reasonable.

If you're going to hit up norcal snorkeling w the kid get a wetsuit.  Helps with thermal AND spf.  also, use a full face mask for additional cold protection and better viewing. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072F4PD73/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Greatever-Newest-Version-Panoramic-Snorkel/dp/B078YRFVQ6?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_3

I forgot about La Jolla... haven't been there in decades. Also, if you do go to Still Water in Pebble, they have warm showers in the bathrooms at the club house. I'm surprised by how many people kayak and dive there and don't know about the best reason to dive there! haha Warm Showers are amazing.

Avalon is pretty great for snorkeling and in the bight it's reasonably warm especially compared to northern CA.  There's a spot right in town just north of the casino that is perfect for snorkeling.  La Jolla is pretty sweet too but I'd go to Avalon first.

All sounds like a great plan

I was limited to snorkeling in my friend’s swimming pool at that age

Even that gave me confidence

Later on I was introduced to Abalone diving

At times it was same as picking up those rings on the bottom of the pool

When I was teaching my kids to snorkel, we spent a couple days at a community pool to make sure they were comfortable using a snorkel.  Always nice to get comfortable in a controlled environment prior to doing it in an ocean.  Also, having a snorkel vest, which you already got, helps.  Both of my kids had a wonderful time snorkeling around Maui.

+1 on swimming pool to try out mask, kids faces can be hard to fit and change fast and they can get freaked by the confines of the mask, especially when their minds are on a dozen other things new to them at the water's edge, and especially if they aren't good swimmers for their age.   But it's great when they enjoy it and really fun to be able to do something together with them.

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions!  The kid had already done some snorkeling, but the closer spots to home would make this plenty of repeat.  Thanks again!
This one has a potential to be a fish and to fish with 
Please keep the suggestions coming.  Thanks!

If you are going to be doing this as a regular thing you might want to consider SS 

If you are going to be doing this as a regular thing you might want to consider SS 

I have one 

If you are going to be doing this as a regular thing you might want to consider SS 

I have one 

One

Lol ... true ... I hear you man, I remember your posts ...

Make sure to have warm wetsuits! (7mm) There are a number of shops to rent from. I personally go to Bamboo Reef for most of the things free dive related that I need.

+1 on the full wetsuit that includes booties, fins, gloves, hoodie, mask and snorkel. This is if you want to have a nice warm non rushed snorkeling session.

A life vest is used in warm water and you mentioned staying close to home.
If this is the case you can pretty much keep that vest in the closet since the wetsuit will provide all the buoyancy required. They will be bobbing around like a cork with the wetsuit and unable to descend unless properly weighted.

You can check with Diver Dans in Santa Clara for rental of some of this gear. They rent gear on a weekly basis so that will give you some time to try it out in a pool if you desire. I also recommend you doing this since it's different with all the additional restrictive gear on as opposed to just a swim suit.One of the problems I had with my boys is fitting the mask properly with the hoodie on without it leaking. You'll see what I mean  Figuring this out in a pool is easier than in the ocean.

You may have some difficulty renting gear for someone of that size though but you can get your gear there as well.

While it never turned out to be an ongoing thing, some of the best memories my kids and I have are of some of those sessions at Van Damme.