Luxury Whale Watching: Fewer People, Extra Speed, Expert Staff

Recommended by 90% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Newport Beach, USA

Trending

Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.

2 to 3 hours (approx.)

Why travelers loved this

4.6

· Taylor_R ·

Mar 2026

We had an amazing time! We saw a whale and several dolphins. Cocktail a where great and Jill was really friendly and knowledgeable.

· Brenda_N ·

Mar 2026

This trip was awesome! Such great memories made with my kids and grandkids (ages 6-14). Harrison and Matt were our hosts, they did a great job and made it understandable for kids and adults alike. Thank you for a great experience!

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Overview

Get close up views of amazing marine wildlife with one of the best whale watching tours on the coast, Davey's Locker. From our unique 360-viewing walk around boat feature you can see giant blue whales, humpback whales, meg pods of dolphins and more. Enjoy our low passenger capacity means more room and relaxation for you. Our favorite spot onboard is up front, where you can catch sight of bow-riding dolphins!

Relax on a 50' catamaran yacht
Get up-close views of giant blue whales, humpback whales, mega pods of dolphin, and so much more
Unique 360-viewing walk around feature
Low passenger capacity

What's Included

Landing and facility fees

Alcoholic Beverages
Coffee and/or Tea
Snacks
Binoculars
Parking

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

400 Main St, Newport Beach, CA 92661, USA
Davey's Locker is located within the Historic Balboa Pavilion- adjacent to Harborside Restaurant and the Catalina Flyer. Guests must arrive AT LEAST 1 Hour prior to your departure time for parking and check - in purposes.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Ticket Redemption Point

400 Main St, Newport Beach, CA 92661, USA

Itinerary

Balboa Fun Zone

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate

Arrive 1 hour or earlier during peak summer months for parking
Parking Fees located at Balboa Pier Municipal Lot and public lots
Trolley Information for the Balboa Peninsula can be found at the City of Newport Beach website
Trolley runs seasonally and not year round
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Anita_S

We went on the Catallac which is smaller and faster than some of the other ferries. We only had 11 people on our cruise and it was nice. The boat has a great viewing area in front but we were warned we would get wet on the way back so we went inside. We saw two gray whales and tons of playful dolphins. The crew was informative and made a point of going around so we saw the whales twice. Highly recommend this on a sunny afternoon!

Reviews

4.6

based on 168 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

It boat crew was...

Charles_p, Mar 2026

It boat crew was fantastic, guiding us to see dolphins and fin whales. They were knowledgeable and respectful of our group and the animals we saw. When you are near Newport Beach, schedule this experience.

My uber ran into a road...

Logan_S, Mar 2026

My uber ran into a road block so I ended up being a few minutes late and they left. They didn’t have the courtesy to call the number I gave them when I signed up. $300 down the drain

Memorable Experience!

Brenda_N, Mar 2026

Great time!

Taylor_R, Mar 2026

We had an amazing time! We saw a whale and several dolphins. Cocktail a where great and Jill was really friendly and knowledgeable.

Amazing

Rhonda_G, Mar 2026

It was absolutely an amazing trip. Well worth it. Educational.....informative crew. Beautiful sunset

5 stars and we didn't even see any whales!!!

Kerri_F, Mar 2026

We were lucky enough to come up on a pod of 30-50 dolphins that surrounded our boat and swam with us for a very long time. It was magical. Unfortunately we did not see any whales but the dolphins made the trip worth it. Captain Dani and Captain Bryce were awesome. 10/10 experience!

Watching whales

Anita_S, Feb 2026

Great day on the water!

Trina_B, Feb 2026

We did the whale watching tour out of Newport Beach. While we didn't see any whales, we did see a large pod of dolphins. The captain and crew were fantastic and made the adventure safe, informative and fun. I liked that there were refreshments on board for purchase.

Great tour

travis_f, Jan 2026

This was a great tour. We saw hundreds of dolphins, a few sea lions, and 2 whales. The capacity of the boat was limited which made viewing easy. The only thing I would change is saying "luxury" for this tour. Just put limited seating or capacity, nothing luxury about the cruise if your looking for that.

Totally Worthwhile

Edward_B, Jan 2026

Kayla and Matt are terrific. The boat is a nice comfortable size, the number of people onboard is small so it was fun to interact.

Whales, Dolphins, Sea Lions!

Lisa_H, Jan 2026

I was excited for this trip as it’s migration season for the whales going from Alaska to Mexico. We saw a grey whale and got to see it many times as it surfaced every 2 minutes or so. It was so awesome. Then we headed for a pod of bottle nosed dolphins who loved riding the bow of the boat. I stood right at the front and got the best view. They were swimming right below me and darting in and out of the water. It was everything I hoped it would be. On the way back stopped by to see some sea lions chilling on a buoy as well as seeing pelicans take off from the water. I absolutely loved the sailing aspect of the boat too, I got soaked but it was 100% worth it. I stood at the bow of the boat, in the rain, with the surf sometimes splashing me….it was excellent and I’d happily do it again. Great crew and wonderful cruise.

Beautiful, relaxing day on the ocean.

Barbara_K, Dec 2025

We had beautiful weather in late Dec. we did not see any whales - it’s bit too early in the migration season. But the trip was great!

Highly Recommend

Jackie_P, Nov 2025

We had a great time. Saw 2 whales, hundreds of dolphins and sea lions. The crew was great and did a wonderful job at locating whales for us to sww. I definitely recommend this tour!

Dolphin Glory

Sheri_H, Oct 2025

We didn’t see any whales but witnessed two dolphin pods coming together. It was an amazing experience!

No whales not luxurious

Roseann_D, Oct 2025

Nice ride out to ocean. Staff was nice. No whales. Boat is not a luxury yacht but a catamaran. Got wet and saw dolphins and seal lions. Long wait on line and valet charges to park.

Captain Larry is very...

Jon_D, Sep 2025

Captain Larry is very knowledgeable when it comes to wildlife in the ocean and surrounding coastal area.

Highly Recommend- Whole party was still talking about the experience days later

Julie_S, Aug 2025

Captain did a wonderful job of setting passengers up for success in viewing animals. You may not see whales but the dolphins alone made the trip worth it. And the sea lions 🐬🦭 Perfect length of time on the water and group size. Snacks available for purchase on the boat.

Very Nice Experience

Michele_P, Aug 2025

It’s a good tour with fewer people onboard, which is really nice. We saw dozens of dolphins and several seals, but alas, no whales. We loved the female captain and the cute male bartender, who did a nice job with the full bar.

Stunning Sunset Cruise on Comfortable Craft

Anna_D, Aug 2025

This whale watching experience exceeded my expectations. The boat was comfortable with indoor and outdoor seating options and snacks and drinks available for purchase. The captain of the boat made every effort to ensure we saw whales and dolphins. We were able to see a blue fin whale and many dolphins during our excursion. The captain shared facts about the sea life in the area. The stunning sunset on the glassy waters of the Pacific made the experience truly spectacular. Highly recommend!

Amazing experience!

Hannah_A, Jul 2025

This was a great activity for my family visiting! The weather was beautiful and we got to see so many amazing animals. We first saw a whale, then a pod of dolphins, and even sea lions! The captain and crew was fantastic and very knowledgeable of the animals. Would highly recommend recommended! FYI- I would try and go earlier in the day if it could possibly get windy. This will affect your trip so plan accordingly.

The boat ride was great!...

Carol_D, Jul 2025

The boat ride was great! Our captain was very informative we did not see whales but we did see Rizzos dolphins and hundreds of common dolphins! Loved it

Great for solo travelers....

Anita_Z, Jul 2025

Great for solo travelers. Captain was very knowledgeable and respectful towards protecting animals. Would recommend!

Do it

Stephanie_F, Jun 2025

This was such a fun adventure. We were lucky enough to see a large pod of common dolphins as well as a whale. While the whale didn’t breach, it was fun to see even a little bit and track it. The crew made the whole experience fun. Would recommend.

3 minutes late.

Mark_J, Jun 2025

It's impossible to park any where near the location. We called for help and were told to "just keep looking". We arrived 3 minutes late and the boat had already left. Leave LOTS of extra time. No refund issued. Only option was another date and we were leaving the next day.

thousands of dolphins in stampede was still well worth the trip

Maria_G, May 2025

we were advised that even if we had great weather , finding the whales will still be challenging. Our captain tried his best to give us something to look forward to.

Great experience!!

Monna_O, May 2025

This was amazing! Easy booking and great experience overall! The crew was friendly and the captain was entertaining and knowledgeable! We will do this again!

Not like advertised

Shaquana_C, May 2025

The Captain came out to greet us in line. Not friendly and disappointed it was only 6 of us. He then went on immediately stating we probably will end up turning around due to wind One man crew. No personal experience ie...like a tour guide. The boat was not luxury at all We returned offered tickets for another day. The captain said its better in the mornings thats the best time not 3pm end of tour

Your operator will cancel...

Lisa_C, May 2025

Your operator will cancel your expedition if there are not enough participants, which is what happened to us (we were offered a refund or a booking on a later expedition). But this was not the fault of the captain and crew, who were delightful.

Disappointed

Chris_D, Apr 2025

If I had known the probability of seeing a whale was so low, I would have skipped it. We saw dolphins and the boat ride was fine, but users should understand there is probably a greater likelihood of nit seeing whales than seeing whales. They should change the name accordingly.