Gray whale season starts in December and runs through April. The best time to view gray whales in SoCal is February through March. The best time to view Blue Whales is during the summer. Most southern California, whale-watching tour operators offer discounts. Groupon specials, half-price trips, and guaranteed lowest-price deals are the norm for whale-watching tours.
Dana Wharf Sports Fishing
Dana Wharf operates out of Dana Point Harbor in South Orange County. They guarantee you will see whales or dolphins. Of course, you will always see some dolphins, so the guarantee is more marketing than anything else. On the plus side, they do offer some deep discounts if you pre-purchase tickets. Value for weekend trips when most people go. Some Southern California Whale Watching tours only offer discounts for weekday trips. 34675 Golden Lantern Dana Point, CA 92629.
Hornblower San Diego Whale Watching
Hornblower runs whale-watching trips and bay cruises out of San Diego. Tours last a little over three hours and depart from downtown San Diego. Hornblower’s ships are modern, large, and fast. Hornblower’s Harbor Cruise 1066 N. Harbor Dr. San Diego, CA 92101, At the foot of Broadway in Downtown San Diego. Daily departures.
Davey’s Locker Newport Beach
Davey’s Locker runs whale-watching tours out of Newport Harbor. Trips last a little over two hours. One advantage of Whale watching trips out of Newport Harbor is this section of Orange County Coast Marine Sanctuary. Within minutes of leaving the Newport jetty, there is a good chance of sighting whales. Davey’s whale-watching boat features a snack bar and upper deck.
Newport Landing Newport Beach
Newport Landing runs trips daily during peak whale Southern California watching season. Like Davey’s Locker only takes a few minutes to get off the coast and start the search for whales. Outdoor seating and indoor seating are a plus. Newport Landing operates year-round tours from Newport Beach Harbor.
Seaforth Sportfishing San Diego
Seaforth Sportfishing operates out of San Diego. Whale watching and sport fishing trips are offered year-round. The Pacific Gray Whale’s annual migration provides ample opportunities to see whales from December through March. Whale-watching tours last about three hours. 1717 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA 92109.
H &M Landing San Diego
H & M Landing local Whale watching trips plus Baja California adventure expeditions. All trips include informative narration about whales and their migration along the California coast—onboard snack bar. During the peak season, whale watching morning and afternoon trips are offered. H and M Landing is the original San Diego whale-watching company.
Captain Dave’s Dana Point
Captain Dave’s is the premier Southern California Whale Watching tour. Capt. Dave’s boats are never crowded, with a maximum of 49 passengers. Knowledgeable marine naturalists explain how these animals live while you see and touch our whale and dolphin artifacts collection. Captain Dave’s is the place if you are looking for a unique whale-watching trip. No other whale-watching ship offers an underwater viewing pod. 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive Dana Point, CA 92629.
Harbor Breeze Long Beach
Gray Whale watching season runs from December through mid-April, and Blue Whale from May through November. Dolphins, Sea Lions, and Harbor Seals can be spotted year-round. There is a chance for Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, and even pods of Orcas.
Helgren’s Whale-Watching Trips Oceanside
Helgren’s whale-watching trips are convenient for South Orange County and North San Diego. Whale-watching cruises operate from December through April. Whale-watching tours last about two hours, and the captain fully narrates each trip. 315 Harbor Drive, South Oceanside, California.
Island Packers Cruises Ventura – Oxnard
Island Packers Cruises offers whale-watching trips from Ventura Harbor and Oxnard Harbor. : December-Mid, April Gray whales, April-September Humpback and Minke whales, and during the summer, Giant Blue whales, the earth’s largest mammal. Island Packers is the only exclusive boat concessioner transporting guests to the Channel Islands National Park.
Condor Express Santa Barbara
Condor Express is the only Southern California Whale Watching Tour in Santa Barbara that travels to the Channel Islands, where the chance of seeing whales is much better than the boats that hug the coast. The price is slightly higher, but the possibility of seeing whales is greater. Condor Express is designed for comfort with a top observation deck and lots of indoor seating. A gallery features drinks and snacks, or you can bring your own. 301 W. Cabrillo Blvd. Santa Barbara, CA 93109.
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