The 11 Best San Diego Dolphin Watching Tours

1.Dolphin and Whale Watching Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 249 reviews · from $71Our pick

Set out from Mission Bay Park for a 2 to 3-hour sunset cruise with a certified guide and an experienced crew. You will scan the coast for dolphins and whales, hear facts about local marine life, and finish with wide sunset views. Bring warm layers, since the boat can feel windy and choppy after dark.

“It was an amazing experience! Beautiful day in the ocean. The naturalist on board was amazing as well. Highly recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.San Diego: Whale and Dolphin Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 186 reviews · from $77

Cruise from San Diego Harbor for 3.5 to 4 hours while captains and Natural History Museum naturalists search for gray, blue, humpback, and fin whales. You may also see dolphins, sea lions, sunfish, and seabirds. Outdoor and indoor seating are available, with food for purchase and a whale-or-dolphin return pass if needed.

“The captain did everything he could to show the best possible whales sighting, yet without approaching too close to them. This is appreciable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.City Cruises San Diego: Whale and Dolphin Watching Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 143 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $56Best value

Cruise from Navy Pier with City Cruises San Diego for about three to four hours of whale watching. Captain Rick, Kyle, and volunteer naturalists from the San Diego Natural History Museum explain whale migration and help spot gray, fin, humpback, and blue whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, and seabirds. Indoor seating, outdoor decks, restrooms, and snacks are available.

“Such a great experience! Learned how to follow the whales. Got to follow 2 different types of whales and 100s of dolphins. Learned a lot and it’s always a great time when on the water. Guides were amazing and helpful.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Whale and Dolphin Watching in San Diego

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 129 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $149Top rated

Cruise from Mission Bay on a 22-foot expedition boat with Captain Ray or Alyssa. With no more than five people aboard, you get open views of dolphins, whales, sea lions, seals, and ocean birds. The trip lasts about three hours and includes life jackets and waterproof windbreakers. Bring snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

“What a great 3 hours, guided by Alissa, we saw a couple of humpbacks, sea lions, pelicans, sand pipers and '000's of common dolphins up close”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Private Family Whale & Dolphin Adventure in San Diego

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 98 reviews · from $179

Join Captain Rich aboard a private six-passenger boat for a three-hour search along San Diego’s coast. You’ll have access to an enclosed cabin, restroom, and observation tower while looking for dolphins, gray, humpback, fin, and blue whales, plus sea lions and other marine life. The trip includes safety equipment and bottled water.

“Our captain, Rick, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We had a lot of fun seeing all the dolphins and sea lions. Didn’t see any whales but that’s just a hit or miss especially since it had been really windy the previous couple of days. Definitely recommend it to everyone.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.San Diego: Dolphin and Whale-Watching Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 83 reviews · from $70

Set out from San Diego for a 2 to 3-hour sunset cruise with an English-speaking naturalist guide. Look for humpback, gray, and fin whales, large dolphin pods, sea lions, and seabirds, then watch the sun drop over the Pacific. Bring warm layers, since the boat can feel cool even on a pleasant day.

“To see whales, dolphins and Sealions in their own habitat was amazing. 4 humpbacks 2 fin whales and 600+ dolphins and numerous Sealions”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.San Diego Whale/Dolphin Watching Cruise Aboard Luxury Vessel

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $76

Cruise from H&M Landing aboard Peregrine for about 3.5 hours with naturalists such as Melissa, Captain Quinn, and Blake. Look for gray, blue, fin, and humpback whales, huge dolphin pods, sea lions, and seabirds. The vessel has indoor climate-controlled seating, outdoor decks, restrooms, and stabilizers, though rough water can still cause seasickness.

“Fantastic boat; indoor and outdoor options. Very stable. Crew was knowledgeable and customer oriented. We didn’t find any whales but you could tell they were trying there best, communicating with other whale watching companies, etc. They did manage to find us a pod of >800 short nosed dolphins and we stayed with them for a good 20 minutes.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.3-Hour Guided Whale and Dolphin Watching Experience in San Diego

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 39 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $149

Set out from Harbor Island on a 2.5 to 3-hour wildlife trip in a fast Zodiac limited to six people. Guides including Rick, Chris, Kyle, and Bree look for gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, and other marine life. The ride is lively, but bring warm layers because the water can feel 10 to 15 degrees colder than shore.

“Rick was a fantastic guide. I learned so much about gray whales and look forward to going back during humpback season”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.San Diego: Luxury Year-round Whale Watching & Dolphin Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 20 reviews · 3h 30m · from $75

Spend about three and a half hours aboard the 82-foot Peregrine, cruising from Point Loma in search of whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds. Marine biologists and certified naturalists explain what you see. You get indoor seating, open decks, restrooms, snacks, air conditioning, and a free return trip if no whales appear.

“Staff members were super nice, the boat tour was great and we have seen three grey whales and a lot of dolphins!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.San Diego: Whale and Dolphin Watching Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 13 reviews · 3 hours · from $188

Join Netzero Expeditions at Seaforth Marina for a three-hour whale and dolphin trip in a six-person Zodiac RIB. A USCG captain and marine naturalist guide you toward seasonal whales and year-round dolphins. Captains and guides have included Jack, Bogart, and Manolo. Expect speed, cold spray, and a real chance of seeing wild animals, but no guarantee.

“Gids Bogart was heel vriendelijk en had lekkere jazzmuziek aan op het water. Van drie walvissen een stukje van de rug gezien maar dat was niet spectaculair. Wat helemaal te gek was was de drie kwartier dat we tussen honderden dolfijnen aan het varen waren terwijl zij speels en vrolijk om ons heen uit het water aan het springen waren”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Whale and Dolphin Watching in San Diego Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews · from $199

Set out from Mission Bay with a USCG captain and in-person guide for a 2.5 to 3-hour trip in a Zodiac speedboat. The small group, capped at six, searches waters up to 12 miles offshore for seasonal whales, playful dolphins, and, on rare occasions, orcas.

Check availability →Read our full review