Amazing trip around the coast of California today. I booked a private tour for my family along with nyc friends and we had the best time. The weather was perfect. We saw a mega-pod of dolphins that was quite amazing. We didn't see any whales today but had a sighting of a great white shark. Overall just amazing. Boat was clean, great customer service, and we enjoyed our time. read more

Wonderful people. Lovely experience. They went above and beyond. We saw many dolphins and the boat ride itself was worth it. They genuinely cared about us enjoying ourselves. We were running late and they even waited for us! Thank you!!! read more

We had a fantastic whale watching private charter trip with Captain Gary two weeks ago. Saw a beautiful blue whale. Boat was fantastic and Captain Gary was super! This is my second charter through captain Dave's and Also been on a few of their whale watching trips. Highly recommend!! read more

Capt Dave's - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

We really enjoyed our Dolphin/ Whale cruise! The all female crew was great! Professional & Informative! I guess early June wasn't the best month to see whales but we will return and try again on our next visit. Everything was professional and great, but kept Dave's highly recommend them.! read more

05.05.23 I had my very first whale watching excursion experience on March 25, 2023. It started from one of those morning decisions to make - "what could I do today or that weekend"- "what could I do for my birthday weekend" - So glad I tried Captain Dave's Dolphin & Whale Safari experience! I booked online and luckily me - off to new experience! Excellent follow through after I booked online, i.e., I received a phone call to confirm my reservation and tips/how to prepare for my experience. That was really good follow through! . On the day of excursion, I definitely appreciated the checking in call because I was running late. That call totally helped because I didn't know where exactly was the place or where to park. I didn't make notes of the tips ... Totally awesome experience! Customer service at check in, the really nice birthday greeting sign and clip, captain's greeting (Captain Chuck I think - I'm lousy in remembering names). Clear announcement and instructions, Matt and Hanna's expertise on board - their knowledge - sharing their knowledge and expertise about the marine mammals, their environment, habitat, etc., made the excursion totally worth it. We got to see at least four grey whales, tons of dolphins, sea lions, just absolutely amazing experience. I'll definitely do it again and highly recommend taking time out to enjoy nature, especially out there in the deep waters although above water Best tip here after listening to the information during the excursion - call to find out when is the best month or time to do this type of excursion and they'll tell you. Why? So you can guarantee a great experience. read more

Amazing experience at Captain Dave's, the small boat was very fast, we saw at least 2 different types of whales. The brownies given by the Captain were fantastic!! read more

We loved this experience and highly recommend it! We took the 8am tour and arrived early to snag the available free parking, which fills up fast and later in the day becomes hard to get. We brought some snacks and drinks - but They are also available to purchase there before you head out. They have tables set up with activities for little ones to keep them busy as you wait for the captain. It was a super relaxing and fun ride out. We saw bottlenose dolphins! Lots of them up close and personal. The viewing pods are super cool. You go down into the pod and see the dolphins right next to you playing! Everyone on the boat gets a chance to view. You can also lay down on nets. My five year old nearly got to touch a dolphin! Super fun for her and fun for us. Other wildlife on our trip included flying fish and lion seals. We didn't see any whales but our family of three were far from disappointed. It was memorable and a great experience appropriate for all ages. Staff make it a point to talk to all patrons on the boat which is a nice touch. They frequently check in to ensure passengers are happy and good. Every interaction with a company rep went smoothly, from inquiries via yelp to booking over the phone. They offer photos and a video - taken by a drone - of the trip for a fee. At the end of the tour they do a presentation on the wildlife and once odd the boat you get a brownie. Tasty brownies! As good as the one we picked up earlier at a bakery for a snack. We loved it and my five year old would love to do it again. Highly recommend. read more

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This whale and dolphin watching tour was amazing! Even though the ocean was slightly choppy, Captain Alex expertly drove the boat in a way that made the waves exciting to travel through. He was able to spot a pod of common dolphins from a mile away. He was also willing to travel 8 miles away for the chance to spot a whale, and we did! We got to see a baby or juvenile humpback whale. Safa, the first mate, and Jaida, the photographer, were both incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. The facts about marine life, photo collage, and brownie at the end made the whole trip worthwhile. read more

Worth the visit. We seen blue whale , dolphins so cool and fun. In the end of the tour they offer you a free brownie that was yumm. Thank you for the wonderful experience read more

This is by far the best dolphin and whale watching cruise I've ever been on. My family and I have been over ten times and will continue to come back read more

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We had an excellent zodiac trip to see whales and dolphins. We saw 3 fin whales and hundreds of dolphins. It was the highlight of our trip to Laguna! Highly recommend the trip and especially our wonderful Capt Marie! read more

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The boat was clean. The guides were super nice but it was a 2 1/2 hour excursion and you didn't even have a simple bottle of water for anybody so basically we got to see a bunch of dolphins and no wells and I get that you don't control the animal life, but come on a water bottle. I would highly recommend looking, maybe for an excursion that at least had water. read more

These guys are awesome, you can tell they really enjoy what they do and they want the customer to have the best experience possible. Dana point is beautiful, the views are great while leaving and coming back to the Barbour. We found a very large group of dolphins that my kids loved. They were very playful with the boat, easy to snap good video. The boat had glass pods that made it possible to get an under water view of the dolphins as they swim along with the boat. We located one pigmy whale towards the end of the tour. It was awesome. My kids took a nap and missed it, but we needed a little break so it worked out. The crew went above and beyond to try and find a whale. I would defiantly recommend these guys. From the reception to the crew on board and a sweet treat at the end, these guys are grade A all the way. Tip: arrive early and drive up to Dana point to walk the short but beautiful nature trails before the tour. read more

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All the workers there are so kind! I booked directly on their site and happy to see that it was a discounted price - $67 per person for the Zodiac boat. We selected the 11am ride, arrived around 10:15am, and parked right away but I think any later, you'll have difficulties finding nearby parking but then again, this was on a Saturday of the Memorial weekend. Taylor was kind to call and ask if I had any questions after making the payment online. Captain Gary and first mate Matt were so friendly during our ride. It's obvious they love their job and made our experience enjoyable. We saw a stampede of dolphins but unfortunately no whales. Good news is there's a discount for repeat customers so there's always opportunities to spot whales. Oh did I mention you leave with Captain Dave's wife's brownie?? read more

The crew was amazing! Our naturalist Hannah's excitement rubbed off on everyone! Both Hannah and Captain Chuck were so knowledgeable of the animals and area. I had an amazing time on AllSwell and will definitely be going again. read more

Capt Dave's - Humpback whale - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Did this for Mother's day with family. The first time we went out the water was choppy and we didn't see much other than some sea lions. Our trip was cut short because conditions were not ideal. So the captain told us we could come again another time on them. So that's what we did, I think it was a month or two later. This time we were in a bigger boat with a couple other families. We sat in the front, saw a couple of whales and even a pod of dolphins. It was a great day and a fun adventure. read more

I have been on several tours with Capt Dave's. This one was special - lots of dolphins at the beginning of the trip, then we voted to go out and look for whales. Lots of nothing until another tour found 3 fin whales. Captain Chuck, Caitlyn and Matt took extra time to go to the site, where 3 fin whales were diving. They waited for them to come back up, and it was right next to our boat. Very exciting!!! The whales cruised with us for about 5 minutes - what a thrill!! Beautiful calm day and hosts going the extra mile made it worthwhile. read more

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Thank you very much to Captain Chuck and the team for this experience on 6th Feb. The team were really informative, obviously passionate and enjoy their jobs and stayed late in order to try and catch a glimpse of a couple of grey whales. We didn't get to see them breaching but I did learn a lot about "footprints" and their migration habits. We did however get to see and spend a lot of time with a whole pod of dolphins, the pictures from the videos I'm sharing on here don't do this justice but this experience and getting to see the famous "Patches" the dolphin was very cool. Definitely recommend this trip as not only were the staff lovely and very passionate about what they do, but the underwater pods were an added bonus and getting a later trip so you get to enjoy sunset too was really lovely as well. Definitely want to come back and keeping my fingers crossed next time I get to see a whale breaching! P.S. The gift of a brownie when you get off the boat was really good too! read more

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I've done a couple whale watching cruises with Capt Dave's and it's always an exciting adventure! On my most recent trip one member of our group was sick for most of the cruise and the crew was so sweet, moving her to the best location on the boat and giving her ginger candy for her stomach. We all still had a wonderful time & saw loads of bottle nose dolphins, common dolphins & a minke whale! Big shout outs to Hannah, Lauren & Alex for an awesome afternoon! read more

When on 5-27-23 cruise with the Surf's Up band which had Father ,Son and grandsons playing in the band!!! They played Beach Boys songs that sent me back to my teen hood!!!We had a fun time!!! We had cheese burgers that had all the trimmings to make it taste very good! read more

We went out on a Captain Dave's Whale Watching tour this past Saturday in February of 2021, and everything was nice, spaced out and clean on our boat. Our captain was "Captain Chuck," and we also had a couple knowledgeable gals onboard who were giving us details on the different birds and animals we were seeing as we sailed along the coastline... Unfortunately our tour was a "no show" because the seas were so incredibly rough. It was probably some of the roughest seas I've ever been on myself, that close to the shore and came on relatively quickly while we were out of the harbor. Nevertheless, Captain Chuck kept us safe, and the Dave's crew gave us a free voucher to return and try again to at least see some playful dolphins on our next try. :) The crew and captain were fantastic, even though we didn't see any animals we look forward to returning! read more

Capt Dave's - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

We paid for a private tour and saw zero whales. The captain did not even bother trying to go out to find the whales.

It's been a few years since I have reviewed! Had the opportunity to be a passenger on their latest & greatest vessel the hoku na'ia-- it's so big it has a complete bar and dance floor! Very roomy yet very cozy. The ride was so smooth, the view epic... but what stood outfrom among the rest, is their stellar crew who sincerely works so hard to make sure everybody is comfortable and enjoying themselves. I have never seen such a genuine, truly committed crew. Their local knowledge and expertise is to be commended. Everything you want to know about dolphins and whales... Well, you are in the right place! And... from the moment you check in, to the moment you step on board to the time you leave... It is truly a first class, luxury experience - without the luxury price tag. Whenever I have guests, this is the place to bring them. Highly recommend. You will not be disappointed.l!! read more

Capt Dave's - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Our family chartered Capt Dave's for my brother's burial at sea. While we had perfect weather and nice calm ocean, the crew were the best. It could not have been any better. Not sure what was better, the dolphin or the brownies. Thank you all so much. read more

We had an awesome time! Our 3 year old wore a life jacket and had lots of kind people around to help him inspect the whale bones on the ship as well as lots of fun seeing the dolphins. He cried because he said he missed the dolphins and whales. My friend graduated summa cum laude from her college so we did this as a treat which was the first time we've ever done something like this (she's from IL), but we are local to Irvine and after this experience, we'll likely be back more!! Big thanks to Caitlin (spelling?), Christian (spelling?), and Mike (spelling?) for such a wonderful time. Fox is grateful and so are we!! read more

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The best experience ever! Kaitlyn our Captain was simply amazing. Thank you, Kaitlyn for the memorable experience. We will be back for a different excursion. read more

We had the best afternoon with Captain Jim and First Mate Joshua immersed in three different dolphin pods. All 500+ strong. It was a surprise trip for my daughter's 8th birthday and it was magical for her. An intimate and laid back experience. Jim and Joshua were so friendly and chilled. A great commentary on the wildlife and they made us feel safe as well as being clear on what to expect. So much better for people to experience these incredible animals like this in the wild. 5 stars. read more

Capt Dave's - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

Sailing was smooth, staff was engaging,very accommodating and always concerned about our safety and that we were enjoying the journey. read more

Capt Dave's - Many, many dolphins - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

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I've never been whale watching and since my youngest was turning 3 and LOVES all marine wildlife, I thought what better way to celebrate his birthday?! All I can say is I am soooooo impressed with Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale watching safari!!! Everything was so smooth! I had a couple questions, and if you call them, they either answer right away or get back to you promptly! When we arrived, they had made an adorable little birthday sign for my son that I got to take home. Our captain, Captain Chuck was AWESOME!! The whole crew were WONDERFUL!! They definitely made our first whale/Dolphin watching experience something we will never forget!!! read more

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Incredible experience! We saw a whale and nearly one thousand dolphins on this two and a half hour adventure. We were a bit hesitant to venture outside of our quarantine bubble, but found that it was very easy to stay socially distanced on the boat and the crew provided sanitizer and wore masks the entire time. Passengers who removed masks were also easy to avoid as there was plenty of room available and the boat itself is set up in such a way that it was possible to see all the action from any angle. The captain and crew were extremely thoughtful -- stopping twice to pick up balloons that had made their way into the ocean. They also spent a great deal of time educating us on whale watching etiquette, while watching smaller boats gets dangerously close to the whale we saw. You can tell they really care about the animals, the environment, and the work they do. Overall would give it a 10/10 and will be back! read more

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BUYER BEWARE There was a scheduling mishap when booking with their system, it gave me a reservation for the wrong time, I called to sort out but available didn't work out. I was told I would get a refund, but they only PARTIALLY REFUNDED ME. Also lied and said I didn't call until after the reservation which is just not true. read more

I went on a 2.5 whale watching excursion this week and it was amazing! Shout to the crew on board -- captain Marie, 1st mate daelyn & photographer Hannah were such a wonderful group of ladies. They were so helpful & kind. I've never gone whale watching with a pod before and daelyn was so helpful to make sure I got the best view. It was such a cool experience and I can't wait to go back again with my friends! read more

It's always a gamble as to what you will or will not see when you go on a trip like this so the focal point of this review is to highlight the superb staff that runs Capt Dave's. Captain Marie, Kaitlyn and Matt - hands down a fantastic crew! Also worthy of praise are the phone and check in crew. The day I booked online (a Sunday), I received a call reviewing my booking. The day before our trip, I got a call suggesting that we move our booking to a later time of day due to inclement weather. (SO GLAD WE DID) We arrived and were happily greeted with a sweet birthday sign for my husband. Restrooms are closer to the dock but plenty of time if you arrive when they tell you to. Captain Marie took us over to the dock and we boarded the catamaran. Pro tip: if you plan to stand at the front of the cat, you will get wet. Wear shoes for that and know that your clothes will be wet. We stood on the hatch and only got a few big splashes. We were given a safety briefing and got underway at the appointed time. Captain Marie, Kaitlyn and Matt are all very knowledgeable about the wildlife that live off our shores. This is a well run, friendly and efficiently run business. What a treat we had when Matt spotted a spout from an orca off in the distance! Captain Marie hustled us over there and we were witness to a rare sighting of a pod of young orcas. The excitement of the deck crew was palpable and made the experience even more memorable. The orcas came right up to the boat, flipping and spraying. I came in to sit for a moment and out the open window swam an orca. I was in the spray zone! They played around the boat and were training a baby orca so we got to see a lot of them. They kept us out on the water a bit longer than scheduled, which was really kind. The cat has underwater viewing pods - be warned - you do need to get on your knees to do it. And if you are claustrophobic, pass. It was super cool and definitely selfie worthy. As we returned to the dock, Kaitlyn uploaded her photographs of each party and presented them to us for purchase. They are $15 and worth the price because she took lovely family photos and combined them with photos of the orcas. The orcas experience was amazing and magical but really, we just got lucky. I am most impressed with the actual business side of the operation because it made the trip so smooth. Well done Captain Dave's!! read more

I knew we were in good hands with Captain Marie. I went on the weekend on the Zodiac and there were maybe 5 other people. She made sure we saw a pod of dolphins and eventually we saw a grey whale. The free parking, easy access to bathrooms and the friendliness of the staff have me thinking of when my next trup will be. Highly recommend. read more

We saw about 300 dolphins today! Love the trip, great weather , awesome sunny day with cool breeze, friendly staffs, and smooth peaceful ride ! (Recommend to take motion sickness medicine for those who are sensitive to the sea wave motions. I thought I am quite good with the sea motions without taking any medicine. However , I was viewing down my iPhone a lot to share the dolphins photos with friends, and that was when I started feeling sea motion sickness. And trust me, you really don't want those feelings.) read more

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Captain Chuck and Hannah were absolutely amazing. This was my very first whale watching tour. I had a great conversation with Captain Chuck. Hannah spent time talking to my grandkids from Texas (8 and 10) which was truly a personal touch. At the end of the tour, Hannah handed out these wonderful brownies. My experience was fantastic. THANK YOU for making my tour memorable! read more

Capt Dave's - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

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Above and beyond amazing trip today!!! Captain Neal, Stacie, and Hanna were such an incredible crew!!! We have never seen so many dolphins before and the pictures turned o Thank You for making our trip so special. read more

Capt Dave's - Thank You Captain Neal - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

After reading the other reviews, we decided to book our family whale watching with Captain Dave's. The crew was amazing, the 2 mate was informative & very kind. The photographer got an amazing picture of all 7 of us (including children!!!) They went out of their way to travel up the coast because there was a humpback sighting, this made our trip longer but they went literally the extra mile to ensure we had a fantastic time! Bravo to them and we will certainly be repeat visitors!! read more

Capt Dave's - Watching the dolphins - Boat Charters Near Me - Dana Point, California

Capt Dave's always does a great job. Friendly, knowledgeable crew and the boat Manutea is very comfortable. The brownies are amazing!

It was a great tour and we had a blast. We did the afternoon trip at 1p 2/24, during our trip we saw a ton of dolphins, spotted a whale and ended the cruise with a few seals hanging out on a buoy. It was very cool experience for all andwould definitely recommend. read more