San Diego: 3 Hour Whale Watch Cruise with Legacy Whale Watch
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
San Diego, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Swap city sightseeing for some time on the water with this exciting whale-watching cruise. Avoid the guesswork when trying to figure out where to spot whales, and let the experienced crew take you directly to places known for sightings. As well as whales, you may spot sea lions, sea birds, and sometimes dolphins—with commentary from the naturalist guides who can share plenty of facts about marine life.
- Go on a boat tour with a special focus—to spot whales
- Comfortable vessel with onboard restrooms
- Learn from experts: Hear commentary from naturalist guides
- Enjoy time for questions and answers during the trip
What's Included
- 3-Hour Whale Watching Tour
- Wildlife Spotting Opportunities
- Restroom on board
- Free Parking
- San Diego Natural History Museum Certified Naturalists
- Food and Beverages (available to purchase)
- Binoculars (available to rent)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1717 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
We depart from Seaforth Sportfishing. Please check-in inside Seaforth Tackle Shop at the top of the dock and then we will all walk down to the boat after a brief introduction. Please do not park in Seaforth Boat Rentals, Seaforth Marina, Marina Village parking lots, as you do risk being towed.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Ticket Redemption Point
1717 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
Itinerary
San Diego (Pass By)
Mission Bay Park (Pass By)
Dog Beach (Pass By)
San Diego River (Pass By)
Ocean Beach (Pass By)
Ocean Beach Municipal Pier (Pass By)
Mission Beach (Pass By)
Belmont Park (Pass By)
Pacific Beach (Pass By)
Crystal Pier San Diego (Pass By)
La Jolla (Pass By)
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (Pass By)
Point Loma (Pass By)
Old Point Loma Lighthouse (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 130 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Robin_R
This was such an awesome experience. We have decided this will be a regular activity when we visit once a year. The cruise it's self was wonderful but it is the staff is what made it a 5 star rating. The staff is super nice and friendly. I cannot say enough nice things about them. The staff in the store and on the boat were fantastic. The staff on the boat were genuinely excited when we came across sea life. You could hear the excited in their voices. It really made all the difference to me. There are all kinds of whale watching adventures to choose from. Some are more expensive some are not. This one is very reasonable. However, you cannot get that kind of staff on every cruise. If you are undecided, pick this one. You will not regret it.
Reviews
4.7
based on 216 reviews
Ray_F, May 2026
Great time. Host was very knowledgeable. Great views all around the boat which has restroom and snacks/drinks. Was on time both departing and arriving. We saw a fin whale, search lions, and dolphins. Dock is only 10 - 15 minutes from downtown san diego.
Laura_F, May 2026
Fantastic experience! We saw thousands of dolphins, humpback whales and a fin whale plus lots of sea lions.
Pam_C, May 2026
If you have motion sickness take medicine the night before. It was super super rocky and the water wasn’t even that rough. It was the longest three hours of my life. Most of it was spent feeling like I was going to throw up, throwing up over the back of the boat, and looking at the clock, waiting and counting down the minutes until we get back. The crew was wonderful. This was no fault of theirs. Unfortunately we also saw a whale. I will never do this again.
Kurt_W, May 2026
Only saw 1 bait ball that had dolphins, seals and sea birds. Was only able to see wildlife that came to the surface.
There is no guarantee to see whales but that is the chance you take.
Staff was very friendly.
Joanna_F, May 2026
A wonderful trip! We saw numerous dolphins and 4 humpback whales. Dramamine recommended for anyone who gets motion sickness.
Steven_S, May 2026
Nice boat, great crew! We were here at the end of the season where whales pass this area so weren't sure if we'd see any. Fortunately, there were still some in the area (about 11 miles out) that had been seen by the early tour so the crew knew where to start searching. Before we started for the boat, Evin gathered everyone in to talk about the trip and give advice about sea sickness and suggestions about pills or wristbands that were available. I have never been out on a boat that far on the ocean so I took Dramamine as a precaution (and I did fine). Evin said the water was a little rough for the first tour, but our trip apparently was a bit smoother. It took over an hour to get to the area and we did see a few on the way from a distance. We catch up to a blue whale and a fin whale and were about to get glimpses of them when they surfaced (not the kind of breaching you see on Pacific Life commercials or YouTube). But it was pretty cool. And the Fin whale came closer to the boat, actually going under it. It was a bright, sunshiney day so weather was great, actually warmer than we thought it would be. All in all, it was a great day and I would definitely recommend someone to try it.
Becki_h, May 2026
Most amazing trip ever!! We saw so many whales!! The crew is great! Just a great experience! Great job!
Camillia_W, Apr 2026
It was a very great and memorable experience. We seen dolphins, whale and even
A white shark. I did get sea sick
Lori_M, Apr 2026
It was a fun day. We saw hundreds of dolphins. We also saw a great white shark. There was one whale which unfortunately had passed away
Maxwell_S, Apr 2026
The waves were so rough that the majority of the boat got sick and were throwing up. I think the crew was holding out until we saw a whale… we did not.
Glenda_Y, Apr 2026
When they say it’s a little rough, they really mean it! Overall, it was a nice trip—we only saw dolphins, but that’s better than nothing. We still had a great time and enjoyed the experience.
Michael_R, Apr 2026
The staff was great! Check to see if the time of year is a good one. We went at the start of the season and unfortunately didn't see any Whales. We did see Dolphins and Sea Lions. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee of seeing whales although more times than not you will see them. The staff did make it right in the end. The sea was a little rough on the day we went so the average person may need to tale something for sea sickness BEFORE boarding. Nice experience overall.
Patricia_R, Apr 2026
Knowledgeable and friendly crew! Boat had all the amenities needed. Highly recommend this tour, great restaurant available beforehand.
MARYJO_G, Apr 2026
Great experience!! Crew really worked hard to make it fun and to find the whales and dolphins. We say many dolphins and a whale that surfaced 3 times! Definitely a memorable experience. Take a sea sickness pill to be on the safe side!!
Rosanne_C, Apr 2026
Plenty of seating under cover or out in the sun. Wonderful play time with the dolphins thanks to the captain. Very calm ocean and caring crew.
Patricia_L, Apr 2026
Had a wonderful time!! There were 14 family members with me from ages 5 to 68. The captain and his crew were very accommodating to our needs and were very informative. I plan on doing this again. We saw dolphin and a balene whale.
Geraldine_S, Apr 2026
Lovely day out, great guides, very informative, we really enjoyed it and did manage to get a couple of whale sightings
Doug_S, Apr 2026
Very nice fun time with my family.
The crew were friendly and helpful.
We saw lots of dolphins and 2 different species.
Tammy_L, Apr 2026
It was a wonderful trip. We seen a large pod of dolphins and a fin whale! It was my first time on a whale watch! I would definitely do it again! Great crew and very enjoyable.
pratibha_s, Apr 2026
Motion sickness is real after 1 hr. So, better be prepared. You can have beautiful view of dolphins.
David_F, Apr 2026
Getting to see a whale is hit and miss. We, for about 2 seconds, got to see one whale. We did get to see a pod of about 200 dolphins that hung with us. It was a great day on the ocean but, a little disappointed we didn't see a couple of whales. If we could have seen a couple of whales, it would be a 5. The trip was wonderful.
Kathryn_P, Apr 2026
Fabulous trip out on the ocean to see whales. Beautiful boat, fantastic staff. Saw dolphins, sea lions and followed a whale for a long time. Definitely worth the price! Can't wait to go again!
Kayla_P, Apr 2026
This was a great tour! We saw a whale, dolphins, and lots of sea lions. Our guide were knowledgeable and fun. It was the highlight of our trip to San Diego.
Lyndsee_G, Apr 2026
Crew was great! We found a mama and a baby fin whale. Great views! The crew was knowledgeable and gave a lot of fun information!
Dajana_M, Apr 2026
Great experience! We got to see bottlenose dolphins and blue fin mother whales with their calves. We were really lucky to be able to see them up close. The check in process was easy and getting on the boat was pretty quick. There were plenty of seats and the boat could probably accommodate 100 guests. The crew was friendly and very knowledgeable. There were two naturalists from the Museum of Natural history that were sharing whale facts and what to look for before we got on the boat. Overall great experience.
Amarsimha_Y, Apr 2026
Once in lifetime, must visit and I would love to again. Whales and Dolphins are awesome. Must visit again
LaTrenda_P, Apr 2026
The best tour of the ocean I ever been on, we actually seen whales, dolphins, and sea lions. I am so happy I did this for my kids and us. I will do it again and again, can’t wait to go back and book this same company because it was so worth it and it’s 3 hours so it’s worth the money and time. If you go to San Diego and want to have fun definitely book this tour
Constance_B, Apr 2026
Great company to deal with, very easy parking and check in.Plenty of space on the boat to get prime viewing. Very welcoming, knowledgeable staff. Throughout the 3 hour cruise the staff pointed out various marine life and we were very lucky to have spotted several whales. Fun to see the dolphins chase after the boat’s wake. Highly reommend using this company.
Angela_S, Apr 2026
Excellent experience. Crew is exceptionally talented, knowledgeable and personable. Nature cooperated with us too. We got the best show from a friendly fin whale and a happy group of dolphins!
kevin_s, Apr 2026
Its definitely a family adventure, i believe that everyone will enjoy the adventure unless you get motion sickness. The trip was educational, fun, it had some exciting moments as we was searching for whales. I heard from friends that they have been on several whale tours and they never saw anything lmbut we was able to see 3 whales im guessing lick was on our side.
From $34.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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