Small Group, Exclusive Dolphin & Whale Watching
Description
Get ready to witness nature’s majestic giants up close and personal like never before! Unlike crowded tours, our intimate setting ensures an unparalleled experience, granting you the unique opportunity to experience these magnificent creatures from up close. Our expert guides, well-versed in marine biology, will provide captivating insights into the fascinating behaviors of these gentle giants. With our limited capacity, you’ll never feel rushed or jostled, allowing for uninterrupted moments of awe and tranquility. Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure—book your exclusive spot now and embark on an intimate journey with whales and dolphins that will leave you with memories to cherish forever. Visit our website for SEASONAL RATES AND SPECIAL OFFERS!
Tour Options
Itinerary
We specialize in creating an intimate and exhilarating experience for our guests, with the rare opportunity to be closer than ever to some of the most incredible marine mammals in our local coastal waters of Oceanside, Carlsbad and Encinitas without the jostle of an over crowded boat.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(104)
This was everything I was hoping for! Small group, close to the water, wind in my hair. I’m a 62 year old woman with unsteady knees and the step into and out of the boat was not challenging for me. Our captain was great: friendly and knowledgeable. Although we didn’t see any whales, we were able to “play” with a pod of bottlenose dolphins for a good bit of time and see some sea lions lounging on a buoy.
Nate was so friendly and fun! We saw a massive, massive pod of dolphins probably around 400-450 I would guess, so amazing. The only thing that could have even made it better was getting to see a whale also, but it was still amazing.
Our captain Andrew was very friendly and knowledgeable. It wasn't whale season but we did spend a significant amount of time observing a pod of several hundred common dolphins. Great being on a smaller boat where you could actually see
Andrew, the guide was fantastic giving us a lot of information about sea life and finding sunfish a gargantuan pot of 100+ dolphins and a humpback whale. Really time.
This was without a doubt the best whale watching experience I have ever been on! to start out with the staff was very helpful in guiding us to the parking lot which was located very close to the dock where we departed. the check in process was easy and quick and the tour itself was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! we saw 4 humpbacks and what seemed like thousands of dolphins! our captain Andrew was easy going,funny and very informative! We will 100% be returning !
We were denied boarding for this tour because our 5-month-old infant was not listed on the reservation. We completely understand the Coast Guard requirement that every person onboard must be accounted for. However, the Viator booking page only allowed Adults, Seniors, Youths, and Children ages 3–12. There was no option to add an infant under 3 years old. What disappointed us most was the customer service. We arrived on time and were ready for the tour, but after being denied boarding, we were also denied a refund despite the booking system not providing a way to register our infant. A little flexibility or understanding would have gone a long way. Families with infants should contact the operator directly before booking.
Thank you for your feedback. We understand your disappointment and appreciate the opportunity to clarify what occurred. For safety and Coast Guard compliance, every passenger—regardless of age—must be included on the reservation and manifest prior to departure. When your party arrived, there were four guests present, including your infant, while the reservation was made for only three passengers. Additionally, check-in occurred after our required boarding time, leaving very limited opportunity to address the reservation discrepancy before departure. Unfortunately, the vessel was fully booked for that tour and operating at its maximum Coast Guard-approved passenger capacity. Because of this, we were unable to add an additional passenger, regardless of age, once the manifest had been finalized. While we were unable to accommodate your party on that departure, our staff did offer the option to reschedule to a future tour. We always try to find a reasonable solution when possible, but we cannot exceed our permitted passenger capacity or compromise safety requirements. We welcome guests of all ages, including infants, and many families join us each season. If there is ever an issue with a third-party booking platform, we encourage guests to contact us before their tour so we can ensure all passengers are properly accounted for and avoid any issues at check-in. As outlined in our booking terms, reservations that cannot be honored due to an incorrect passenger count remain subject to our cancellation policy. While we regret that we were unable to accommodate your party that day, our team followed the same safety, capacity, and operational requirements that apply equally to all guests. We wish you and your family all the best and appreciate your understanding of the regulations and capacity limits we are required to follow.
It was like heaven hanging out with the playing dolphins! Our Captain, Nate, had the perfect relaxed Cali vibe which was great for our family with teenagers. Highly recommend!
Excellent trip. We saw lots of dolphins up close and personal. Whales were definitely farther away and obviously un-predictable in terms of when they surfaced and what we saw. Nate is great captain, very engaging and easygoing. The whole experience felt very laid back and relaxed. Would strongly recommend.
Up close indeed! Andrew navigated directly to where the dolphins were playing around the boat, in huge groups. Then, when we saw a whale, he was able to locate it multiple times for us to see. He was also kind, funny and knowledgeable. Then on the way back, he stopped to pick up balloons, to prevent the sea life from choking on them, which we think is a wonderful thing to do. Highly recommend!
Great open air experience. Nice to be out on the ocean. Had fun observing dolphins close up. Guide was friendly and capable.
