Mattie and Isaiah made the trip! They were both energetic, knowledgeable and entertaining. We had a great time and saw many humpback whales. Highly recommended. read more

We had an amazing trip 3/28/26 We saw 400-500 pod of dolphins and 10 Humpback whales!!! Beautiful day , took a lot of pictures and videos !!! Would do it again in a minute!! read more

What an amazing experience! We got to see numerous humpback whales, including a momma and baby. We also saw tons of northern right whale dolphins (they have no dorsal fin), white sided dolphins, sea lions, otters and birds like pelicans, cormorants, and terns. We went with Discovery Whale Watching and they were fantastic! Our marine biologist/guide, Maddy, was amazing! She was very knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic. Highly recommend them! read more

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Came here with my 3 month old baby and we had a blast! Be aware they don't allow strollers or wheelchairs. The naturalists were adept and were very informative about the lovely creatures in Monterey bay. The amount of action you see on the 3 hours tour was mind blowing. From pods of dolphins to whales with their calves, what a spectacular experience. Be prepared with taking motion sickness pills because an abundance of people were throwing up overboard. Really wanted to see the Orcas which were spotted at the 8 AM tour same day, but unfortunately we weren't as lucky. I will definitely be coming back again for their extended tour next April! read more

We booked this trip to see the whales and I feel like we left with so much more. The knowledge that our captain and crew, particularly Sophie, had about the many inhabitants of the ocean was so awesome! We seen Orcas, Humpbacks, Dolphins, and of course sea lions. We look forward to doing it again! read more

The staff was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The 9am departure did not disappoint. Once spouts were spotted the Captain took us as close as safe to see the Humpback Whales, which was plenty close. I wish I had a better camera with me to do it justice. We also saw sea otters, common murres, cormorants and an incredible pod of Risso dolphins. Totally worth the money and time. read more

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We were running a little late and they called to check in loved that . Having a naturalist on board is always great . We did the extended tour and they do an amazing job at making the 6+ hrs fly by , my 3rd time riding with them and always a great experience. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Humpback whale - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

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What an adventure!!!! When they say layer clothing they mean it. We did and we had the best trip! The entire staff and crew were very friendly, educated, and informed. There was a professional photographer onboard and take advantage of that! They show you all the amazing sites you can only see form sea..lol while on you journey out. The crew know what they are doing and you will see some amazing things! read more

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My good friend was visiting from the UK and, as a first-time visitor to America, he was keen on doing a whale watching cruise. Based on Yelp! reviews, I booked our trip with Discovery Whale Watch and I'm glad we did! Great communication, very personable, highly knowledgeable and absolutely professional. Naturalist Isaiah was brilliant. It was the highlight of my friend's visit. We did the 9 AM cruise and saw several humpbacks, plus a blue whale. Highly recommend! read more

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Amazing trip. Took my son on his first whale trip. Maddy and Isaiah was amazing. They were so patient and very informative. The day was perfect we did not see many whales but that happens. The three that was did see was perfect. I will never use a different whale watching company again. Also, I love how they keep the ocean clean. They picked up two different balloons that were floated in the ocean. I wish I knew how many balloons they pulled out of the ocean weekly or montly. read more

First time ever going whale watching -- and I absolutely loved the experience! We only spotted one humpback whale, which was a bit disappointing since I was hoping to see more whales and maybe some dolphins too, but of course, that's out of anyone's control. My husband and I, along with a few others, got seasick from the strong waves. I've never experienced seasickness before, so we didn't take any meds in advance -- big mistake! Definitely recommend grabbing the motion sickness pills from the crew (only $1), they're totally worth it. Huge shoutout to the amazing staff -- Maddie, JJ, and Ryan -- for being so kind and helpful! read more

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Went for an anniversary trip and had the best time. Everyone was so nice and friendly and we had a great adventure that will for sure be talked about for years to come. We saw dolphins, otters and a whale. It was a one in a lifetime experience. read more

From the time we walked in, it was such a great experience.The staff was very knowledgeable and super friendly!!! They sell seasickness remidies, and suggested we took the meds before we got on the boat.I have to say it worked very well because I did not feel any kind of nauseate neither did my husband or kids. When we got on the boat, the staff continue to be very knowledgeable and very friendly and made it so fun!! We got to see killer whales and humpback whales along with seals , jellyfish and other wonderful sea life as we headed out to the open sea.. Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the whales in marine life she was such a sweet funny lady!! I totally forgot her name sorry but she has sunglasses and hair in ponytail with hat ! (Your amazing thank you for the awsome tour ) We had such a kool unique experience!!! I totally recommend this wonderful company read more

Despite 2 of the 4 of us getting sea sick, this is was a great experience. The tour guide was awesome and made every effort to see Orca whales. Thankfully, we DID see Orcas which was the highlight of my trip. I was absolutely enthralled to see them (4 in the pod). Even though I got seasick, I still had the time of my life seeing these beauties in the wild. Even if we didn't see whales, the staff was great and I appreciated them very much. I'd absolutely recommend my friends to this company. read more

Had a wonderful experience with Discovery Whale Watch! We brought our 80+ year old parents with mobility issues. The Captain, crew and office staff were extremely accommodating and helpful getting them on and off the boat and situated. Extremely grateful for their caring so my parents could enjoy a once in a lifetime experience. We saw a group of Grey Whales and group of Humpbacks playing (tail flings, breach, flipper flaps and fluke slaps!) I highly recommend Discovery Whale Watch! read more

Amazing experience. We got to see a huuuuuge group of dolphins. So beautiful. We hit our 3 hour time and hadn't seen any whales but just as we were heading in, we were able to see a few nearby and the team let us hang for a while over our time to enjoy them for a bit. Overall a great experience. Can't wait to go back. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - A beautiful day - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

Very professional and helpful. Especially helpful to my 90 year old dad! We'll be coming back. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - A calf humpback breached at least 12 times! - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

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Great experience with Discovery. Isaiah the guide was very personable and kept the group informed and in the know of any whales while we were out. I did the 3 hour trip and it was definitely enough time. read more

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We loved our excursion with Discovery Whale Watch! While they fully explained that there was a chance we wouldn't see anything, our trip was extremely lucky. 6 Humpbacks, 20 Grey Whales, 150-200 Dolphins, 2 Jelly Fish, Sea Lions, and birds galore! First, we had a little safety instruction meeting that was both informative and fun. Then, we loaded onto the boat and were helpfully reminded boat etiquette. Traveling out of the harbor to get to the whale crossing was more interesting than we anticipated. The crew talked to everyone and answered any and all of our questions and helped create a great atmosphere. Once, we got to the crossing or channel the crew worked as a team to help locate the whales. They were calm and that energy passed onto the rest of the passengers. I liked how our group was small, no more than 35 people and one dog which was kinda funny. We respectfully kept a distance from the whales and let another boat know our location so they could join us. As we left to see more pods all of the sudden we were surrounded! It was amazing how quiet all of us became when around these giant creatures. Did you know whales can get a cold? If you smell something kinda icky it's not the bathroom vent. Just a whale with a respiratory infection. Who knew! Honestly, we had a once in a lifetime experience and would recommend this team to everyone. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Whale Tail - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

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Amazing trip! Our naturalist Maddie was very knowledgeable and the entire crew was friendly and welcoming! We were lucky enough to see an orca pod, several humpback whales and more sea lions than we could count. Would definitely recommend! read more

Excellent staff. Safe and fun tour. Maddie was the naturalist, very knowledgeable and passionate about marine science. We really enjoyed ourselves, watching a feeding event with multiple whales and also saw three sleeping. Would definitely recommend and repeat. read more

I can't imagine a better whale watching experience. Every time we've gone it's been that way; and having a naturalist guide makes it a fascinating time. In this case, we had the excellent Isiah, who graduated from cal state Monterey and is clearly an expert on the marine life and biology. He was charismatic and a great explainer for both adults (from all countries) and for children. He was enthusiastic for the entire trip. read more

We had an amazing time with Discovery Whale Watch! The captain and crew were highly knowledgeable and we saw a truly amazing array of marine life from humpbacks to dolphins to grey whales to orcas. This is a can't miss part of any trip to the Monterey area. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

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We saw plenty of whales. The naturalist/guide was super knowledgeable, with a high stoke level.

My 2nd tour on Captain Danny's boat with Isaiah did not disappoint, and expectations were high after the 1st. These guys bring great energy and clearly love what they do. I didn't expect to learn as much I did (new info on each trip!) but it certainly increased my appreciation for these beautiful mammals. Isaiah entertains with his delivery of fascinating facts and is just as much a part of the experience as the whales. read more

Discovery Whale Watch is great! Ryan was our naturalist on the boat and he did an amazing job informing guests and keeping us on our toes for whales! Great experience 10/10 Don't forget your Dramamine! read more

These guys were fantastic. Just a great bunch of people who were there to make sure everyone had a wonderful experience. One guy was also singing sea shanties, which was very cool. read more

It was a full boat. The deckhands were very attentive. I especially appreciated the help getting me, my fish, and fishing tackle off the boat. Even the captain found my gear without having to go back onto the boat. The lingcod fishing was spectacular. Going to Pt Sur is always an excellent trip. Thoroughly enjoyed it. read more

What an amazing trip! Gorgeous day, expert, captain and crew, and five humpback whales, feeding like crazy! Not to mention the dozens of sea lions, and hundreds of sea birds. Would've gone again the next day if we hadn't had to leave town. read more

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What an incredible tour! We saw killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, humpback whales and all the birds. The killer whales and their babies played and breached for quite some time. I was awe struck and was almost too enthralled to film anything. The crew was knowledgeable, funny and welcoming. It added so much to the experience. I have wanted to whale watch for decades and today's experience was more than I could have ever asked for. read more

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MLK Day 2026. The day started off slow. We found a single humpback whale and followed him for a little while. It was looking pretty dead, but then the crew found a whole group of humpback whales and we stayed with them for quite a while. There were so many it was difficult to tell exactly how many. That would've made the trip worthwhile right there. But then the crew spotted something else and took off to find acres of frenetic ocean activity. There were sea birds and thousands of dolphins, Pacific white sided dolphins and northern right whale dolphins. They were everywhere, even swimming alongside the boat, and one leapt completely out of the water several times. That was incredible and we stayed there for quite a while and by this time we were quite far out and it was getting late, but the crew stayed on that incredible spot because it was such a rare find. Finally, we had to head for home but on the way they spotted something else and made another stop. They found a pod of Rizzo's dolphins and we watched that for a little while before returning to the dock a little late, but very happy. This was our best ever whale watching excursion. read more

Great whale watching day. 4 hours, calm seas, and we saw Orcas! Awsome naturalist (Isaiah) and captain (Andrew)! Isaiah shared is photos after the trip, which were really good! read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

This was my daughter and I's first time whale watching and it was definitely one for the books. The staff are kind, funny and very knowledgeable. I loved all the facts they shared during the ride, it was fun and we learned a lot! We were able to see humpacks, fin whales, and blue whales!!! Along with 3 types of dolphins! Thank you to the crew and captain Dany for the amazing experience! read more

Such a fun experience! It seemed the crew was very invested & wanted us to see whales which we appreciated. They were so educational, friendly and conversational. read more

First time with my family to whale watch...and the day - March 21, 2025 - was the perfect day to do so... The crew of the the boat Pacifica - Capt Dan, naturalist Ms. Sophie and deckhand Matt- did an awesome job of showing us the beautiful sea creatures of Monterey Bay!!! The boat size accommodated the right number of people! I super enjoyed the narrative of Sophie - giving all of us fun facts about these magnificent creatures! "Go to the left/right side of the boat, 3 o'clock"- i love it!!! And above all - safety was their priority!!! The crew engaged with all of us- answering questions, offering ginger chews, reminding us not to fall off the boat And yes- they knew where to take us- our trip was very memorable! First off- about 40 minutes after we set sail, we saw 2 humpback whales, then 2 grey whales - trying to have sex in the middle of the ocean ! Then we saw gazillion dolphins and to top it off- a pod of ORCAs ... ALL in a 4 hr boat ride... it was an epic day. Thank you Discovery Whale Watch for a day we will never forget! Book a tour with them read more

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There's a reason these guys have 5 FULL stars: they're simply the best. The tour east to book, fast to check in, punctual, thorough in safety procedures, super informative from a marine biology standpoint, respectful of the wildlife and helpful to other companies as well. A special praise and thank you goes to ISAIAH, the marine biologist on board, who couldn't have been more knowledgeable and personable. If you happen to have him on your tour, just relax, trust his expertise and experience, benefit from his positive attitude, sing along his beautiful sailors songs and enjoy the ride. He is truly magnificent. You will never regret booking with this company. True, we saw 8 humpback whales, included a cub. But this has nothing to do with the way these guys operate, which is flawless. One word of advice: DO take the motion sickness meds they sell. The best $1 you'll spend on your life! read more

We spent 4 hours on the 9am whale watch this past Monday. The experience was wonderful. It's a smaller boat, comfortable and less crowded than the larger boats. The crew were excellent! Maddy, Matt and captain JJ were all very professional and attentive. Maddy knows so much about all the sea creatures, birds and especially the Orcas! She has such positive energy! We saw an amazing number of whales feeding, breaching and even caught a Blue whale fluke! Can't wait to go back next year! read more

Went out on the chubasco had the best time and the crew were awesome! Saw several whales. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

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Took a risk taking two 7-year olds, but they had a blast. We saw a bunch of Humpback Whales, dolphins, an elephant seal, too many sea lions to count, and a pair of otters at the end. I'm not rating the experience based on what we saw, but instead on the quality of the staff. Everyone was knowledgeable and friendly. We would go again. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

We had a blast! Trust them when they say to bring warm layers--it gets cold out on the water. We went in mid-June, and while it was sunny and warm on land, it was foggy and cold out at sea, I'd guess it was in the 50s F. We caught sightings of lazy sea lions hanging out very close to shore, A few pods of Risso's dolphins, and humpback whales. We got lucky and ran into a humpback whale that was breaching for at least half an hour, "scratching an itch possibly," Isaiah explained. Everyone got tons of pics and photos on him/her!! Though Isaiah said we were lucky because on a typical trip you'd be lucky to see a whale breach once. On the ride back to shore, we caught sight of a mother otter and her pup being cute near the docks. Our naturalist guide Isaiah has a background in marine science and he's super enthusiastic about nature and appreciating it respectfully. He loves educating "adventurer explorers" as he called us. He's a wealth of information if you have any questions! For me, it was a life-changing experience to get to experience being so near these magnificent creatures. I felt privileged to be near them, it's truly magical. And these whales and other marine animals' territories and food sources are all shrinking because of human activities. I don't think this would be a good experience for children under 10. Also want to add that I took Dramamine when I woke up and a second dose about an hour before the tour was set to start at 1:30pm. I normally get super seasick on water vessels, but I was 100% fine on this vessel. I was able to run around the boat, from port to starboard, back and forth, with no nausea whatsoever. I also recommend having a second set of clothes in the car in case you get splashed when the ride gets bumpy! read more

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