San Francisco Whale Watching Cruise from Fisherman's Wharf

Recommended by 92% of travelers

San Francisco, USA

Popular pick

Booked 10+ times last week!

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Give yourself the best chance of spotting whales off San Francisco’s coast with a whale-watching cruise from Fisherman’s Wharf. Benefit from your naturalist guide's insights into marine wildlife while the crew members make use of their local knowledge to lead you toward gray, humpback, and blue whales, as well as seals, sea lions, and seabirds.

Swap the busy streets of San Francisco for the open ocean
See the city from the water, something many travelers miss out on
Take the opportunity to ask your guide about whale behavior
Choose whether to soak up the sun on deck or stay cozy inside

What's Included

2.5-hour whale watching cruise
Indoor and outdoor panoramic viewing decks
Gratuities
Onboard restroom facilities

Meals

Full service bar available onboard to purchase drinks and snacks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Private Tour

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

San Francisco Cruises (Red and White Fleet)
Pier 43 1/2, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Red and White Fleet is located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf right next to the Franciscan Restaurant and behind the flagship Boudin Bakery.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Start time
.9:30 am

What To Expect

Golden Gate Bridge

Marin Headlands

San Francisco Bay

Fisherman's Wharf

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Most travelers can participate
The main deck of our vessels is fully accessible and features large panoramic windows for comfortable, scenic viewing.
Service animals and other dogs are allowed as long as they are leashed and well-behaved.
Smoking/vaping is not permitted on Red and White’s tours or while waiting in the boarding line. We kindly request that all passengers comply.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 200 travelers

Supplied by

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)

Reviews

4.7

based on 12 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Taking motion sickness...

Shonda_W, Aug 2026

Taking motion sickness pills might be a good idea . The ocean can be rough if you are not used to it.

Nice

Kate_O, Jul 2026

Overall, this was a great whale watching tour! We were lucky enough to see whales, which made the trip absolutely worth it. The only thing I'd mention is that the boat was much rockier than I expected. Even though it was a fairly large boat, the waves made for quite a bumpy ride, and at times it felt a little scary. I wouldn't recommend this tour to anyone who gets seasick easily. That said, this isn't a criticism of the tour itself—it was well organized and the crew did a great job. Just be prepared for a more adventurous experience than you might expect!

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience! We are so glad you enjoyed your time on board and got to see some of the wonderful marine life of the Bay. Seeing a whale is always such a memorable experience.

Look out 👀

Aamir_K, Jul 2026

I wish I never bought tickets with this company for this trip. They could never find a whale 🐳 and if they did they had no idea 🤷‍♂️ how to get closer. Plus they also spent less time after reaching deep see waters.

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Hi Aamir, we can see this is your second whale watching review, apologies you did not enjoy your time on board. We did see whales during the cruise you were on board for, we hope you were able to catch a glimpse of one.

Seeing humpback whales

Angie_M, Jun 2026

Great experience to see whales in their own habitat. The guides and staff were very informative and patient. The ship was super clean.

Whale watching

Sue_M, Jun 2026

It was wonderful! We saw 6 whales and several harbor seals and porpoises. Staff was great, informative , and friendly.

Easy, no fuss boarding....

Robert_H, May 2026

Easy, no fuss boarding. Very nice crew. Saw all kinds of whale, porpoises, sea lions. Very informative and friendly staff and incredibly fun all around. Don't forget to bring a warm jacket!

Wonderful Experience

valsweed, May 2026

Great experience! Very nice and large boat… lots of room. Bathrooms are huge and very clean!! Naturalist was amazing and so friendly! Crew was very friendly. Captain did his best to find whales and was able to spot a few… non emerged out of the water. Very nice and peaceful experience.