San Diego Whale Watching Tour

Overview

Our trips depart from Mission Bay, which requires only a short 10 minute journey access to the open ocean where whales and dolphins can be seen! The search for whales and other animals begins as soon as you depart the dock and our marine biologists are on the microphone explaining exactly what to expect and what you are seeing from the get go!

City: San Diego

Sat 16 Nov

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $65.00

Make a reservation

Sat 16 Nov

Starting at $65.00

Make a reservation

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (103) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (113) Entry Tickets (47) Sporting Events (1) Good for Small Groups (6) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (41) Walking Tours (697) Outdoor Activities (20) Limitied Availability Tours (6) LGBT Friendly Tours (4) Family-friendly Activities (7) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (27) Travelers recommend (73) Good for Groups (8) Top Activities (18) Guided Audio Tours (3) Art, Culture & History (135) Attractions to explore (38)

What's Included

Marine biologists are on the microphone explaining exactly what to expect.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms

What To Expect

Ocean Beach

The tour will take you to the ocean without stopping

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (820)

Victoria E

Nov 2012

The staff was very accommodating and helped any passengers that got seasick. There were only two whales that decided to appear but there were plenty of dolphins playing around the boat. Because of the lack of whales appearing, the whale watch gave all the visitors a 50% discount on another trip. I will take advantage of this probably in January. It was just a great experience being on the sea, even if there was a lack of whales.

jalake

Nov 2012

I'd been meaning to go on a whale watching cruise for sometime now and finally this past weekend, my wife and I took the opportunity. We chose to go with San Diego Whale Watching and a Saturday morning three hour excursion. It was a wonderful November day. The sun was shining and it was pleasantly warm. We arrived at SD Whale Watch around 9:15 am for our 10:00 am departure. There was ample free parking available. After receiving our "boarding passes" we waited until around 9:30 am and boarded The Eclipse. The staff was friendly and welcomed us aboard. We grabbed a few chairs at the stern of the boat and waited for everything to get underway. The warm weather and calm seas were exceptional. I'm not sure we could have picked a nicer day to go. The naturalist aboard the boat pointed out the types of birds and other marine life as we made our way further out to sea. Leaving from Mission Bay we traveled Northwest off the coast of La Jolla. After about an hour and a half of travel we spotted a Minke Whale. It was a bit on the shy side, but we did get to see it surface a few times. Even that brief exposure was exciting. I know that it is technically a whale watching tour, but the highlight for me really was the pod of Bottle Nose Dolphins. I would guess there was about 15 or so. They swam alongside the bow of the ship and played in the wake. We got to see the dolphins swim and jump for about 10 - 15 minutes. It is as close as I've ever been to marine life in their natural habitat and it was refreshing and exciting. Overall the experience was wonderful. Again, the staff was amiable and welcoming. At the end of the journey they even extended us some 50% off coupons (no expiration date) I would definitely go out again in hopes of seeing some larger whales. The only detractor would have to be the number of seasick passengers. I certainly can't fault anyone for that. Some times people just don't know how they will react to the pitch and roll. However, if you have an aversion to people losing their lunch (or breakfast) I'd recommend staying up towards the bow.

yolos

Nov 2012

This 3 hour whale watching tour was absolutely everything I hoped for. We had at least 10 sightings of the California Blue Whale and had a pod of more than 100 dolphins follow our boat. It was a trip that exceeded my expectations. The crew was wonderful and the guide provided detailed information on what we might and did see. There are restroom facilities and snacks availabe for purchase. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants the experience of looking for whales.