Price from:
62 USD
*San Diego's #1 Whale Watch!*
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Rates
- **Adults** *(Ages 18+)*: $65
- **Juniors** *(Ages 3-17)*: $59
- **Infants** (Ages 0-2) must have their own ticket (complimentary) & be booked with an adult
- **Seniors** *(Ages 62+)*: $59
- **Military Members** *(Active Military with ID)*: $59
***Specials***
- **Tuesday & Thursdays Special:** *All Tickets ~ $56*
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Duration
2.5-3 Hours
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About
***Get ready for the best whale watching in San Diego!***
Whether you are from Los Angeles, or anywhere else in Southern California (or even USA!), it’s definitely worth the drive for this whale watching tour that never goes out of season! Not only will our friendly crew provide you with sightings of beautiful whales & dolphins, but you’ll also get an educational experience where you can learn about these animals that visit the ocean near San Diego harbor.
Our on-staff marine biologists will, of course, have a bunch of cool whale facts to tell you on your cruise, but if waiting to learn isn’t your style, take a look at our educational links.
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Our Whale Guarantee
We’d love to be able to show you real whales on every trip but sometimes these big beautiful animals just don’t want to be seen. So our promise to you is this, if you don’t see a whale or dolphin then you’ll receive a **free pass** to join us again for another whale watching trip.
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Whales All Year
**December through April**
You can observe part of the amazing 10,000 mile annual migration of the Pacific gray whale from Alaska to Mexico. At 30 to 50 feet in length and weighing up to 40 tons, these whales leave their summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea and make the trek south to the isolated lagoons of Baja to give birth to their calves. We’re fortunate enough to see both south and north bound migration all the way through April. We’ve even had sightings as close as 1/2 mile from our bay!
**May through November**
Means the migration of the great blue whales and mighty fin whales. The blue whale is the largest animal to ever exist on the earth!! They can range in length from 90 feet to over 100 feet and weigh up to 200 tons! The fin, or finback whale is second only to the blue whale in size and weight. Among the fastest of the great whales, it is capable of bursts of speed of up to 23 mph (37 km/hr) leading to its description as the “greyhound of the sea”. Minke, humpback, and sperm whales are also possible sightings. All of these amazing whales are generally found 5 to 9 miles off shore feeding on our local banks.
**Throughout the year**
Various types of playful dolphins (Short-beaked and Long-beaked Common, Pacific Bottlenose, Rissos, and Pacific white-sided) are encountered on most trips with some pods numbering into the thousands! These dolphins will regularly seek out the boat on their own to greet you and to show their amazing acrobatic abilities. California sea lions, Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola), and a wide variety of sea birds also await you on every trip!
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What to Bring
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Layers of clothing
- Camera
Booking Notes
##Thank you for choosing San Diego Whale Watch!
**Please read the important information that follows.**
##Timeline
Please follow the timeline below to ensure a smooth and on-time departure.
- **45 minutes before departure – Check-In Opens**
• Arrive and proceed to the Ticketbooth to check in and receive your physical boarding pass.
• We’ll confirm that you’ve completed the electronic waiver (scroll up to find the waiver link).
- **20–30 minutes before departure – Priority Boarding Begins**
• One of our crew members will make an announcement for priority boarding, and those who upgraded to priority boarding may begin boarding.
• You must still check in at the Ticketbooth to receive your boarding pass.
- **10–15 minutes before departure – General Boarding Begins**
• General ticket holders will begin boarding.
• Be sure to check in beforehand and have your boarding pass ready.
- **5 minutes before departure – Check-In Closes**
• We cannot hold the boat for tardy parties, however, we can rebook to a later time or date if applicable
• A $2.50 rebooking fee per person applies if Trip Protection was not purchased.
##Check-In Location
- Ticketbooth / check-in address: 1617 Quivira Road, San Diego, CA 92109
- Look for a grey shed with a blue awning located between H2O jet ski rentals and the Fish & Chips shop facing the marina.
##Parking
During the summer months, holidays and weekends there is a lot of traffic in Mission Bay so please plan to arrive early to find a parking spot.
**There are three parking options for Cruise San Diego:**
- Free street parking on Quivira Road (we recommend you park on the street)
- $10 paid parking in Sportsman's Seafood lot (paid for at our ticket booth)
- Paid parking in Hyatt Mission Bay lot. We will provide a parking validation at check in should you choose this option which will take care of some of the cost.
Any other parking lots in the area are private and have towing signs and restrictions. We also recommend using an app-based car service such as Uber or Lyft.
To help reduce our carbon footprint, we encourage using public transportation, walking, or biking when possible. The nearest bus stop is a one-minute walk from our ticket booth.
• Eastbound: Stop ID 10372
• Westbound: Stop ID 11131
##Additional FAQs
- **What Should I Wear**: The temperature on the ocean can be 10–15°F cooler than it is at Mission Bay, even during summer. Please dress in layers and feel free to bring a blanket or jacket. We strongly recommend wearing non-slip or secure footwear, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
- **What Can I Bring**: You’re welcome to bring food and personal items—just no glass containers or alcohol. We sell drinks and light snacks on board as well. Please keep all belongings with you during the trip. We do not have storage lockers and cannot hold luggage or large bags at the Ticketbooth.
- **What Not to Bring**: Please do not bring glass containers, alcohol, cigarettes or vaporizers, or drones.
- **Will I Get Seasick?** Sensitivity to motion varies from person to person, and ocean conditions can change throughout the day. While some trips are smooth, others can be a bit bumpy. If you’ve experienced motion sickness before - or think you might - we strongly recommend taking precautions ahead of time. Options include motion sickness wristbands, ginger, over-the-counter remedies like Bonine or Dramamine, or prescription medications. For best results, many products should be taken at least one hour before departure. We carry over-the-counter seasickness medication for purchase at check-in and on board.
- **What is your cancellation policy?**
- Customers will receive a full refund or credit with 24 hours’ notice of cancellation. Contact us by phone to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation before departure, due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. No-shows will be charged the full price.
- Trips are subject to cancellation due to under subscription or unforeseen weather conditions. If a trip returns early due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, customers will be offered a free rebooking to another day. If you do not plan to return to San Diego, a 50% refund will be given.
- All bookings are subject to a $2.50/ticket rebooking fee if a rebooking is requested over the phone, email, or in person and trip protection has not been purchased.
- **What is trip protection?** Adding Trip Protection to your tickets allows your purchase to be refunded up until 24 hours prior to start time. Regardless of whether you choose the trip protection option or not, your tickets can be refunded up until 24 hours prior to start time. Any refunds requested past the 24-hour window will not be refunded unless you have opted for the trip protection add on. Reply to this email if you would like to add trip protection to your reservation.
- **Do you guarantee whales?** We try our hardest to find whales and dolphins on every trip. If we don’t see either (dolphins or whales), you’ll receive a free return pass for a future whale watch. While we can’t promise sightings every time, we promise another chance if dolphins or whales don’t cooperate. We do not offer refunds if you do not see a whale or a dolphin.
- **Where can I find more information?**
- Visit: [https://sdwhalewatch.com/faqs/](https://sdwhalewatch.com/faqs/)
- Call: 619-542-9931
- Email: contact@sdwhalewatch.com
- Or reply to your confirmation email with any questions!
##Driving Directions
**From I-5**: Take the Sea World Drive exit. Go west on SeaWorld Drive. Continue 1/4 mile past the Sea World entrance to West Mission Bay Drive. Stay to the right and go through the traffic loop to the first stoplight. Turn left onto the short access road, then turn right at the end onto Quivira Road. Look for San Diego Whale Watch signs.
**From I-8**: Take I-8 West to the West Mission Bay Drive exit. Turn right at the end of the off-ramp. Go over the bridge, past Sea World Drive, and continue 1/4 mile. Veer right onto West Mission Bay Drive. Go through the traffic loop to the first stoplight. Turn left onto the short access road, then turn right onto Quivira Road. Look for San Diego Whale Watch signs.
##Walking Directions
Our check-in booth is located at **1617 Quivira Road, San Diego, CA 92109**. Look for a small grey booth between H2O jet ski rentals and the Fish & Chips shop facing the marina.
From the Red Marlin Restaurant: Walk east along the boardwalk with the marina on your right and hotel pool on your left. Continue until you reach the Fish & Chips Shop. Our booth is just beside it.
**From the Fish & Chips Shop** (Sportsman’s Seafood): Our booth is located between H2O jet ski rentals and the Fish & Chips shop, facing the marina.
##Our Commitment to the Ocean
San Diego Whale Watch is committed to building a healthy future for the world’s oceans by deepening the connections between people and nature (by bringing people into nature) and empowering our passengers to make ocean friendly decisions — on our trips and beyond. We have partnered with another organization called Oceanic Society in order to make a positive impact in the tourism industry. You can join us and help conserve whales and their habitats by ensuring our whale-watching adventures are plastic-free:
- Bring a reusable water bottle
- Carry a thermos or reusable mug for coffee/tea on board
- Pack your lunch/snacks with reusable containers and wraps
A growing number of people are taking substantial steps to reduce their use of plastic, including avoiding single-use plastic containers. For more tips and ideas on how you can reduce your plastic footprint and other ocean-friendly actions, join our community at [www.BlueHabits.org.](https://www.bluehabits.org/)
We encourage you to bring these items along with sunscreen, sunglasses, layers to keep warm, and a camera. We ask you please NOT bring alcohol, cigarettes or vaporizers, and drones.
Important Information
We strongly recommend, and encourage, wearing non-slip/secure footwear for the cruises.
