San Diego Whale Watching Tour
4.5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

San Diego Whale Watching Tour

By San Diego Whale Watch
Recommended by 92% of travellers
92% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 0-99, max of 100 per group
Duration: 120–180 minutes
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More


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


Start:
  • 1617 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
    Our Ticket / check-in booth is a small grey booth between H2O rentals and the Fish & Chips shop facing the marina. [Click this link for our exact check in location](https://goo.gl/maps/2hJEu6fC3pR2)
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Pushchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 69764P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Most travellers can participate
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 69764P1

    From
    £57.33
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
    Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 1617 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
      Our Ticket / check-in booth is a small grey booth between H2O rentals and the Fish & Chips shop facing the marina. [Click this link for our exact check in location](https://goo.gl/maps/2hJEu6fC3pR2)
    • Pass by
      Ocean Beach
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • San Diego Whale Watch
      862
      San Diego, United States
      Joined in September 2011
    • nancyfQ9173DC
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      WORTH EVERY DOLAR
      Amazing!!! Amicable staff, knowledgeable guide, everything as promised, pictures bundle came great! Def will do it again when in SD
      Written 31 January 2025
    • C9121QAjenniferd
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Wonderful
      Crew was great - knowledgeable and friendly. We saw 2 whales and a pod of dolphins. The sunset was beautiful. I highly recommend.
      Written 29 January 2025
    • WIWine
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Decent Experience, no whales
      Very enjoyable cruise, but do note that in September it is very unlikely you'll see whales. We managed to find one pod of dolphins toward the end, which was nice, and we really were along just for the cruise so we didn't mind. They did offer vouchers for half off another tour since we didn't see much, so that was nice. The boat is larger, with seating areas on top, in front, and in the back, as well as a row of benches along each side, so there's plenty of room to be outside. My only knock is that on our way back in they pointed out their sister company, I think it is Cruise San Diego, where the prices are half what we paid for San Diego Whale Watch. The boat looked a little smaller with less outdoor seating, but that's a big difference for the same trip.
      Written 23 September 2024
    • Navigate40066926746
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great cruise
      This was a great experience. Well worth it. We saw lots of dolphins, I don’t believe it was whale season. Definitely worth the trip. The naturalist was very knowledgeable and made the experience so much more enjoyable. I recommend taking a blanket for the evening cruise.
      Written 17 July 2024
    • Mooresmom
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Beautiful sunset cruise!
      Informative naturalist guided tour with friendly staff. Unfortunately didn’t see whales but 2 amazing pods of dolphins with hundreds swimming and jumping along our boat!
      Written 8 July 2024
    • Connie G
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic whale watch tour
      Excellent tour team, we saw 4 whales repeatedly, which was so exciting. My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed San Diego Whale Watch!
      Written 19 January 2024
    • eringC9716NQ
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      First time SoCal whale watchers
      Very laid back vibe yet professional and committed to finding us the grey whale and dolphin pod that we saw - knowledgeable, friendly and informative in a great way - highly recommend!
      Written 5 January 2024
    • O8262VNmaureena
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Love this tour.
      This is our 2nd time doing this tour. My family loves every bit of it. The crew are very friendly and helpful, the captain did a good job of making sure every side of the boat got a good look at the whales, dolphins, and other sea life, and the boat is comfortable. I highly recommend this tour.
      Written 26 December 2023
    • Daydream04344761957
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Humpbacks and dolphins
      Came from Canada hoping to see some whales and we were in luck! The naturalist spotted a humpback and took beautiful pictures. We were able to stay in the area to watch as it dove a few times. The guides were super nice and informative! Made sure all of us had opportunities to see the dolphins! It was definitely magical!
      Written 3 December 2023
    • cazzkeeler
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Give this a go
      Spur of the moment trip and well worth it. Went out for the evening and wasn't disappointed. Crew very knowlegeable, and saw four Whales {humpbacks} Sea lions and brown pelicans. Report of a shark swimming near the boat just made the trip. Good value for money.
      Written 5 November 2023
    • johnsU8089WV
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Superb knowledge from the staff on the boat.
      Superb.worth the money and very knowledgeable crew and staff.we saw all we expected too,one of the highlights of our vacation from the u.k.
      Written 16 October 2023
    • ltushla
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Saw a pod of 200 dolphins
      Not only did we see a whale and a pod of 200 dolphins, the crew and naturalist were wonderful. The Naturalist provided a lot of education on the way
      Written 7 October 2023
    • P4302ZManner
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Awesome Experience!
      Our sunset trip was amazing. The crew was so helpful and made sure we did not miss anything. We saw a large pod of dolphins that stayed around us for a long time. There was a brief sighting of a minke whale. We were thankful that the boat staff was able to capture the whale sighting with their camera. It was so worth purchasing the pictures they took. Highly recommend.
      Written 9 September 2023
    • Kelsi R
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Dolphin and Whale Cruise
      This was amazing!! So fun, and the crew was great!! I would definitely recommend! We saw so many dolphins and a few whales!
      Written 16 August 2023
    • MatthewCafiero
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Baby Dolphins are adorable
      While we did not see any whales, we saw several pods of dolphins, including a nursery pod of short-beaked dolphins with many younger calves. The staff was excellent, the boat comfortable, and the experience well worth the cost. Would go again.
      Written 13 August 2023
    See all 862 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    4.5
    4.5 of 5 bubbles708 reviews
    Excellent
    517
    Very good
    136
    Average
    33
    Poor
    9
    Terrible
    13

    Simon P
    Worthing, UK19 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2023 • Couples
    Review 2-11-2023 Overall Great However 1 particular staff member let the team & experience down Read On!
    So last minute morning of today we decided to research a Whale Watching trip & results showed up this company which we booked up for the 12pm tour.
    Check in with instructions were all clear, we were offered priority boarding at additional cost of $10 dollars each which we opted for as we were told this would prioritise our boarding to the vessel which it did.
    Wow what a trip we headed out with great commentary saw a couple of Humpback Whales Breaching to some fantastic photo ops & Staff taking pics with close up lens too with pics available to purchase after, we absolutely loved the trip & the Guys on board work hard to engage with passengers great stories shared.
    However, the Lady with blonde hair who was running the Bar downstairs was Rude beyond words to me at the end of our trip when purchasing some pictures, Im not sure who she thinks she is talking to Customers that way however she was Abrupt & Rude & would suggest a Customer Service course for her as she lets the team & experience down!
    As I said all the male members had a lovely manor approach & work hard however find it amazing how one individual can let the experience down.
    To the rest of the team keep up the great work!
    Thanks Simon & Michelle form the UK!!!!
    Written 2 November 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    c l
    Scottsdale, AZ1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Took the 12:30 trip. At first, I was a little concerned because sooo many people were in line to get on the boat, I thought it might be really crowded - it was full but not overly crowded. We got to sit in shade on the way out, which was important to me. Once out 3+ miles we saw 100’s of dolphins and 5 whales (4 blue and 1 fin) including a mom and baby blue whale. So they really did a great job of finding the whales and describing what we were seeing.
    Written 14 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    peter and jeanne
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    Tremendous experience for both the adults and the children in our party. We spotted three blue whales and one fin whale, along with hundreds of dolphins as we went eight miles out in the Pacific. The excitement among all the passengers only enhanced our own. The crew were outstanding and attentive, helping us spot the whales and explaining their habits. They got superb photographs, which were made available at an additional charge. The skipper seemed very skilled at getting within viewing distance but not too close to be threatening. Wholeheartedly endorse this experience.
    Written 11 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Jake B
    Charlottesville, VA54 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2023 • Solo
    I figured if you're in San Diego during blue whale migration, go with the experts, City Experiences. For best viewing and fabulous photo opportunities, I always recommended finding a perch at the front of the boat. If whales are sighted it's easy to move to either side, never minding the hordes of tourists who are not picky where they sit. Wonderful morning, 9-miles from land sighting the world's largest and most magnificent creatures on earth. Got great images with my 400mm lens, in stark contrast with tourists happy to use their smartphones. What were they hoping to get with that? Saw sea lions and a Mola mola, an unusual type of fish, which looked like a white plastic bag in the water. Trip was four hours and worth every dime, passing scenic Point Loma and the naturalists on board did an amazing job.
    Highly recommended and a must for wildlife photographers. Ticket prices were reasonable.
    Written 11 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We appreciate your recommendation for wildlife photographers and your positive feedback about our naturalists and pricing. We hope to welcome you back for more amazing adventures and wildlife sightings in the future! 🐋📷🌊
    Written 2 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    mj
    1 contribution
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2024 • Couples
    We didn’t see any whales on this trip, I don’t think it should be advertised as a whale watching tour to avoid disappointment. We weren’t offered any free or discounted tickets to come again and even if we were we’re on holiday like many other customers so it’s unlikely we’d get the chance to go again. There were several passengers that arrived late meaning we left the dock late which is unfair on everyone else who had the same info on the email to arrive 45 minutes before the departure time. We were unable to hear a lot of the info over the microphone during the trip it was very muffled. The majority of the time is spent just staring into the ocean (which is great) however not what was expected, it also takes a large chunk of time out of your holiday.
    Written 13 October 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Kathy C
    Denver, CO114 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2023
    We bought a Groupon the day before to go in early Feb. 2023 and had a wonderful experience--saw so many whales! The marine biologist provided such great information over the intercom, and as she spotted whale spouts in the distance, the captain guided the boat carefully toward the whales. We slowly followed along a group of 3 gray whales for roughly 30 minutes, watching them come up and dive over and over. We got so many great photos. There is a snack bar available inside the boat and whale photos were available for purchase at the end. It was a warm February day, but the breeze and occasional ocean spray made it cool at timesl, so layers, a hat and jacket are recommended.
    Written 22 February 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Bruce B
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2023 • Solo
    It was a beautiful sunny morning. with the break was said to be around 2-3 so it was relatively a calm Ride. The captain for the day was Ryan and he seemed to have this unique ability to stay in the grove with the Mega Pod of Dolphins 1000 or more for about as long as possible. I learned a lot about the dolphins. and the habitat in which they live from the naturalist Melissa tht wa working that day. The entire Crew Allison you is also a naturalist as well as Austin in the gallery. They were all very friendly and professional. I will absolutely recommend this tour to anyone that wants to experience real nature at sea for bird watchers there were also many different species to see.
    loved every minute and will absolutely book again in hopes of seeing the granddaddy of them all a Blue Whale on my next watch. Respectfully yours Bruce
    Written 30 August 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks for your detailed review Bruce! We're so pleased you had a great time on the water and learned so much. Hope you come and see a blue whale!
    Written 29 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    AjayJM
    Plano, TX182 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2023 • Family
    We booked the tickets for whale and dolphin watch in advance, which was the best decision. We reached the venue about 45 mins before time, which helped us get to the upper deck. The sign in process was smooth and then we had to queue up for the boarding. While there was an incident and there was delay in boarding for about 15-20 minutes, it was not that bad. The guide on the boat was very good and was providing good commentary of the things around us. It all started with seeing lot of pelicans, then several pacific white sided dolphins in the wild and that experience was amazing. And finally, the highlight, we were able to see the gray whale doing lot of spouting. Finally, taking lot of pictures of sunset and getting back to the shore. Highly recommended trip in San Diego
    Written 2 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Nick B
    2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2022 • Family
    We enjoyed our experience. We saw 1 blue whale, and a few pods of dolphins that probably totalled over 200. The staff and guides are very friendly helpful.

    One thing to note, you will be on a large boat in the ocean... so if you easily get sea sick, you might want to pick something else to do. On our trip there were half a dozen people in the indoor section of the boat throwing up, and it was not a particularly rocky/wavey day. It was just the usual sway of the ocean. Luckily there was enough room on the top deck or outer deck to not be incumbered by the smell of vomit. I do not fault this tour operator whatsoever. I could tell they were being attentive and caring to the ones that need attention. My only point is to understand your own comfort level with a gentle ocean sway for 3 hours before booking. You don't want to be miserable for 3 hours, and we don't want to smell you being miserable for 3 hours.

    Overall we had a great time, and enjoyed all the knowledge and humor the tour operators shared. I would definitely recommend them.
    Written 12 June 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Amy P
    7 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2021
    This cruise goes 8 miles off the coast so there were a handful of people who were seasick and had their head over a bucket the entire time. My husband and two teenage kids were fine. We paid for the $10 per person extra to board early and I recommend that: sit at the back of the boat with a view over one of the sides. The front of the boat gets really wet. The boat cruises straight offshore for about an hour and the front got soaked and everyone left the front. We didn't see anything for over an hour and a half so just be prepared to enjoy the day or evening on the water. After we had turned to head back in, we eventually found a pod of over 100 dolphins and it was absolutely incredible. They were all over place right up next to the boat. I was amazed and it was worth it. They sell snacks and alcohol after they get 3 miles out. We got binoculars but didn't need them.
    Written 30 July 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    San Diego Whale Watching Tour provided by San Diego Whale Watch

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