San Diego Whale Watching & Dolphin Cruise
Description
Set sail from scenic Mission Bay and encounter some of the ocean’s most awe-inspiring creatures on a 2–3 hour whale-watching adventure in San Diego. Time can vary based on the season and locations of sightings. In just 10 minutes, you’ll leave the bay behind and be out in the open Pacific, scanning for whales, dolphins, and other fascinating marine life. Led by an expert guide and naturalist alongside a skilled captain, every moment is an opportunity for an extraordinary encounter.
Tour Options
Itinerary
South Mission Bay Park sits at the southern tip of the Mission Beach peninsula in San Diego, right where the ocean meets the bay channel. The Ocean Front Walk begins at the South Mission Bay and runs north/up the peninsula for biking, jogging, or strolling. Fire pits make this a nice spot for an evening bonfire by the beach.
After setting sail from Mission Bay, you'll head towards the open Pacific Ocean. In just 10 minutes, you'll pass through the jetties and enjoy a scenic view of Ocean Beach's famous Dog Beach and the iconic Ocean Beach Pier before venturing into the vast blue waters.
Set sail from Mission Bay and slip past the Mission Beach Boardwalk—surfers, skaters, and the Belmont Park coaster off the beam—before we head into the open Pacific to find whales.
Palm-lined promenade, volleyball courts, and the Belmont Park coaster in view
Enjoy a pass-by view of Sunset Cliffs—golden sandstone bluffs, sea caves, and surfers below.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- 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 spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please arrive 30-45 minutes prior to your departure time
- Children ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult
- Dress code is smart casual. The ocean is between 10°-15° cooler than the bay
Reviews(1,738)
Not a good boat to be on. Engine was really loud and constant. Didn’t see anything. Seating was uncomfortable
Thank you for your review, Karen. We are sorry to hear the experience did not meet your expectations and we appreciate you sharing your feedback. We would like to look into your concerns further. Because no whales or dolphins were sighted on your trip, our sighting guarantee applies and you should have been given return passes. Please reach out to us at contact@sdwhalewatch.com with your booking details if you have further questions. We hope to have the chance to welcome you back for a much better experience.
Great way to get out on the water and appreciate the richness of biodiversity just offshore. Trip is long enough to see sea life and short enough to leave you time in your day for other adventures. The crew is super helpful and naturalist was knowledgeable and fun. Great for all ages. We saw two pods of dolphins on our trip. It was magical to be in the midst of a nursery pod with babies jetting alongside mamas. No whale sightings on our trip but it was still great. We were lucky to have glassy water. Do be sure to wear sunscreen even if overcast.
Thank you, Joyce! We are so glad you had an amazing experience! We love that the naturalist and crew made it fun and informative for everyone. We hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
Unbelievable experience. No whales but 100s of dolphins right by the boat. The team were also great, really knowledgeable and interactive.
You’ll get wet! Many passengers were getting sick which was kind of gross. Saw tons of dolphins but no whales. There is a lot of time just writing on the boat out to deeper waters were not allowed is happening, but it was still a pleasant couple hours.
Mainly more of a boat ride. Beautiful ocean views, random whale surfacing and we got lucky and saw a pod of dolphins.
We saw a Great White and humpback 🐋 whale. I have done my share of tours, but only seen dolphins. This was definitely a special tour. The team was interactive and genuinely could tell they loved what they do.
Thank you, Colleen! A Great White and a humpback whale on the same trip is truly special and we are so glad this one stood out from the rest! We hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
Great experience, great staff, kinda pricey though. Great views, sea sickness took part of the trip beauty . Still loved ot though
Awesome experience. Saw several whales, multiple pods of dolphins and even a mako shark. Our girls had an absolute blast. The captain and crew did an awesome job making sure everyone got to see something special.
Check in instructions and parking were easy. The team was friendly. We saw whales and dolphins. It was exactly what I hoped for.
Did not see any whales. Did see a few dolphins. For the money we did not think it was worth it. Word of advice… if you have even the slightest tendencies for motion sickness, do not do this tour. Dramamine will not help. It’s VERY rough and you will get sick. My family felt it was kind of boring and felt it was a waste of time. I was sick the whole time (despite having taken Dramamine) so I cannot comment too much.
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear the trip was uncomfortable and did not feel worth it for your family. We appreciate you sharing your feedback and your advice about motion sickness is a helpful reminder for future guests to come prepared. We are sorry the experience fell short of your expectations and we hope to have the chance to welcome you back under better conditions. Feel free to reach out to us at contact@sdwhalewatch.com if you have any questions.
