San Diego Whale Watching & Dolphin Cruise
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
San Diego, USA
- 2 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Encounter some of Earth's most magnificent creatures on a 2–3-hour whale-watching cruise in San Diego. The voyage departs right from Mission Bay, so you’ll be out into the open Pacific Ocean and looking for animals in just 10 minutes. Expert Guides and Naturalists on board help you spot whales and dolphins and learn about their lives in the deep blue sea.
- Venture out into the open ocean on a San Diego whale-watching cruise
- See whales, dolphins, and other marine life in their natural environment
- Learn from a skilled captain and onboard expert guides and naturalists who know the best places to find wildlife
- Cruise across scenic Mission Bay with a convenient departure point
What's Included
- Expert guides identify wildlife and landmarks in real time over the microphone.
- Galley with Food & Drink options for purchase
- Restroom on board
- Free Parking on Quivira Road
- Alcoholic Beverages - Available for purchase after 3 miles
- Soda/pop/snacks - available for purchase
- Optional Gratuities
- Parking Fees - Free Parking on Quivira Road only
- Priority Boarding available upgrade for $10.00 a person
- Binocular Rentals available for $6.00 a pair
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1617 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109, USA
Ticket booth / Check-in: Look for a grey shed with a blue awning facing the water. Located between H2o Jet Ski rentals and the Fish & Chips Restaurant. https://maps.app.goo.gl/1P1Qt8Uea5m8ZpM56
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
South Mission Beach Park (Pass By)
Ocean Beach (Pass By)
Mission Beach Boardwalk (Pass By)
Belmont Park (Pass By)
Sunset Cliffs Natural Park (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- 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
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Lisa_L
Great experience and very informative. Very friendly and knowledgeable crew. Highly recommend this excursion !
Reviews
4.6
based on 1,739 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Jacqueline_C, Aug 2026
Great experience!!! Didn’t see whales but saw other sea life and the crew was so engaging and helpful. Took care of everyone
diane_A, Aug 2026
Knowledgeable and personable staff/crew
Pleasant trip! Loved the dolphins!
Sorry we missed the whales but still worth it!
Karen_G, Aug 2026
Not a good boat to be on. Engine was really loud and constant. Didn’t see anything. Seating was uncomfortable
Response from Host, Aug 2026
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.
Joyce_M, Aug 2026
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.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
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!
Luke_R, Aug 2026
Unbelievable experience. No whales but 100s of dolphins right by the boat. The team were also great, really knowledgeable and interactive.
MaryFrances_L, Aug 2026
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.
Tara_M, Aug 2026
Mainly more of a boat ride. Beautiful ocean views, random whale surfacing and we got lucky and saw a pod of dolphins.
Colleen_D, Aug 2026
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.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
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!
Ahmed_S, Aug 2026
Great experience, great staff, kinda pricey though. Great views, sea sickness took part of the trip beauty . Still loved ot though
Alejandro_E, Aug 2026
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.
Margaret_R, Aug 2026
They did not inform me the trip was cancelled. I waited at the dock for an hour. It was only when Ivwent back through all my emails that I found one that said cancelled. The rest of the texts and emails said “Today’s the day! Or One more day until Whale Watching!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review, Margaret. We are truly sorry to hear your experience was frustrating and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
We always aim to communicate any changes to our guests as clearly and promptly as possible and we are sorry to hear this did not feel like that was the case. We will be sharing your feedback with our team to make sure our communication process is reviewed and improved.
Joy_A, Jul 2026
We paid for the early boarding which was a waste of money. You can move around the boat so it was pointless. We saw 2 large pods of dolphins which for me was the highlight. Our guide gave us lots of neat facts and information along the way. We saw a humpback whale breach and then it pop up here and there. We also had Navy fighter planes flying overhead which was cool. A really fun experience!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you, Joy! We appreciate your honest feedback on the priority boarding. It is designed to get guests on board first via a single dedicated line, which works best for those who want to settle in early, though we understand it may not feel as valuable to everyone. We are glad the overall experience was a fun one and hope to welcome you back on board again soon!
Catharine_C, Jul 2026
Great day on the water! We saw 3 species of dolphin. Two of the pods were 100+ in size. And the highlight was a Mother and baby humpback who came up so close to the boat. We were very lucky however the captain knew where to look and took us out a bit farther just so we could see them.
LaShae_R, Jul 2026
Boat was on time. Friendly crew. Got to see both baby dolphins and a whale. Would love do it again soon
Maya_P, Jul 2026
Great experience! We were able to see so many dolphin and 2 humpback whales! The all-women staff were so helpful and motivated to help us all see whales. The 3 hours flew by.
Katie_M, Jul 2026
My 5 year old and I had an excellent time on this tour! We saw so many dolphins and loved listening to all the information that the naturalist shared. Would 100% recommend!
Austin_L, Jul 2026
Big shout out to Sandy and the crew. They were very informative from the moment we got in line until the very end. Sandy offered suggestions on the best place to sit and which areas may get wet.
The staff cared for each person on the trip and it made me and everyone else feel safe.
Although we did not see any whales, it was great to hang out in the ocean.
I will definitely be back!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you, Austin! Sandy and the crew will love hearing this! We are so glad their attentiveness from the moment you got in line made the whole experience feel safe and enjoyable. We look forward to welcoming you back and fingers crossed for a whale sighting next trip!
Dorothy_I, Jul 2026
My granddaughter and I hit the Grand Canyon, SD Zoo, Safari Park, and Sea World all in one week, but she says this excursion was her favorite part of the entire vacation. Thank you all!
DeAva_L, Jul 2026
Be prepared for sea sickness! Several people were sick. It's not very pleasant hearing people vomit.
Angie_S, Jul 2026
We started and an engine was out. Cancelled. It was our last day, so no way to reschedule. It was a bummer.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review, Angie. We are truly sorry the trip did not work out, especially on your last day in San Diego.
We appreciate your understanding and hope we get the chance to welcome you back on a future visit to San Diego!
Iris_E, Jul 2026
Had a wonderful day on the ocean, enjoyed the ride, great and friendly
And informative captain is that personnel and an informative captain. We will be back.
Brandi_M, Jul 2026
We had a blast. It was overcast most of the day so a sweatshirt is recommended but also sunscreen...we got sunburnt. The crew was amazing. We will definitely do this again!
Natalia_R, Jul 2026
We had a great experience and saw whales, dolphins, birds, seals, sunfish. The crew was very pleasant and helpful
Leigh_S, Jul 2026
Relaxing morning on the ocean. No guarantee that you’ll see much and what you do see if for mere seconds, but still a cool experience. Snacks and beverages available in the galley. Clean bathrooms. Plenty of seating, all with decent views.
Marianne_W, Jul 2026
The staff were nice, and clearly they don’t control the whales. Still, we didn’t see any. We did see a large group of dolphins, which was cool; but it seemed they gave up on us seeing whales once we saw the dolphins, turning back immediately after. We also got the feeling they may typically take the same route. Not sure if that makes a difference? At any rate, it was a nice boat ride and a beautiful sunset!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review, Marianne, and we are glad the staff made a good impression and that you got to enjoy a beautiful sunset and a great dolphin sighting!
We appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the route and the timing of the return. Our captain and crew are always working to maximize the chances of wildlife sightings and make decisions based on conditions, known activity in the area, and communication with other vessels out on the water. We hope to welcome you back for another chance on a whale sighting!
Niraj_S, Jul 2026
The tour was good but did not see any whales
The guides and crew weee good food available on the boast
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review, Niraj, and we are glad to hear the tour was enjoyable and that our guides and crew made a good impression!
We are sorry no whales were spotted on your trip. We hope to welcome you back soon and get you that whale sighting!
Jamie_S, Jul 2026
Didn’t see whales but the dolphins were amazing. The crew is pretty helpful but be sure to take motion sickness meds.
Tracy_L, Jul 2026
It was a nice boat trip saw a couple of dolphins which was neat but a 21 hour drive to go on this one not sure it was worth it
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your review, Tracy, and we're glad you enjoyed the boat trip and got to see some dolphins!
We understand the disappointment of making such a long drive and not getting to see whales. Sightings can never be guaranteed as wildlife follows its own schedule, and we know that doesn't make it any easier when you've travelled that far.
We hope to have the chance to welcome you back and make the drive worth it next time!
Matthew_G, Jun 2026
Highly recommend this trip! Crew was awesome! Sights were great on the sunset tour. Definitely bring a jacket and/or blanket for cooler temperature and sea spray.
Doreen_P, Jun 2026
It was a wonderful day. We got to enjoy dolphins playing while enjoy the waves and our host wwere all fantastic
From $71.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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