We did the 1.30pm tour today and it went for 3 hours. At 1 hour in we reached an area just past the drop off where Isaiah mentioned whales tend to hang out, and what to look for. My daughters (age 9&7) were thrilled to see splashes ahead and looked hard to find a whale and very excited to see a mom and calf humpback whale right after that. We also got lucky and saw a blue whale. Isaiah gave some info about blue whales and they took it all in. I was a bit worried about how it would go as my oldest daughter has autism but she felt comfortable enough to take herself off to a quieter space (indoors) when needed. It was also a small enough group that it didn't feel overwhelming for her. Overall we had a great time! read more

Great experience, we really enjoyed the naturalist on board answering all our questions and pointing things out. They do a really good job of getting everyone on the "right" side to see whales. We saw several humpbacks breaching, and a ton of bird and dolphin activity. Really was a step beyond other whale watching trips to be able to see so many whales slowly feeding, you could even hear them breathing! Going back for a 2nd trip later this week to do it all again! read more

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Here is the updated review with the bird sighting seamlessly woven into the wildlife section: Great experience with Discovery! We went out on the morning of July 5th. It was a bit overcast, but the seas were relatively calm. Because there were quite a few guests that morning, they split us into two boats. This worked out perfectly--the boats were small enough that they didn't feel overcrowded, yet large enough that everyone had plenty of space by the railings for a good view. Even with the calm conditions, a few passengers still got a bit seasick (it is the open ocean, after all!), but the boat handled the water really well. While the overcast skies were a bit of a bummer for photo lighting, you can't control the weather--and I'd much rather have a foggy, calm day than a clear day with choppy seas! The wildlife absolutely made the trip. We had a fantastic time and saw a lot of humpback whales, including mothers with their calves. They put on quite a show for us--lunge feeding, tail slapping, diving, and at one point, even swimming right under our boat! As an incredible bonus, we encountered a massive pod of over 1,000 dolphins swimming, leaping out of the water, and racing alongside the boat. It was truly a sight to behold. To top it all off, we came across a raft of sea lions playing in the water, as well as a whole bunch of different birds--including one species that migrates all the way from New Zealand! Discovery runs a great operation. The captain clearly knew exactly where to look, taking us to two different prime locations to watch the whales. Our naturalist, Isaiah, was also fantastic--he was incredibly knowledgeable and kept the energy levels high throughout the trip. Overall, a great cruise and highly recommended! read more

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The whole team was amazing,friendly and full of information. We saw whales, sea lions, a mega pod of dolphins and even orcas. A fun experience with my family! read more

We saw hundreds of common dolphins, orcas, and lots of Humpback whales. The naturalist was very informative about everything! This was our fourth or fifth time going out with this company. We highly recommend it. read more

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We had a wonderful time watching the whales and other animals on our trip with Discovery Whale Watch. The employees were wonderful right down to the check people. Would go every time we could get to Monterey. Loved it!!!!! read more

Discovery Whale Watch - one of the tales hump back whale. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

Amazing stuff! Isaiah and Captain Jerry they're all wonderful and very knowledgeable. Wonderful crew ship was clean. Saw a lot of whale dolphins everything. read more

We met 9 orcas for that day! Amazing experience. The instructors on the boat were friendly and comfortable to talk if you have any issue on the boat. Most importantly, they have a lot of knowledges to explain about the orcas. First time to meet orcas for me. fantastic whale watching experience. read more

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

Crew was very friendly. Boat was clean and trip was well worth the price. We saw a ton of whales and a good time was had by all.

Very disappointing experience. I booked a 5 PM whale-watching tour days in advance for my daughter's 5th birthday--the one thing she really wanted to do. We drove from LA to Monterey, and halfway through our 6-hour drive, we were notified that the tour was canceled due to water conditions. I completely understand safety cancellations, but the rude and condescending customer service afterward was unacceptable. No apology, no alternative options, and no empathy for the situation. Very unprofessional and disappointing, especially for a child's birthday. Maybe your staff can learn about wait lists, future availability's and apologies?! 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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Finally get to check seeing a whale breach off of my bucket list ! The crew was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They tell everyone which side of the boat they'll face the whales on and ensure everyone gets a spot to see. They don't overcrowd, so everyone gets to be against the railing on the viewing side. It's truly magical being surrounded by so much life. We saw 1500+ dolphins, multiple humpback mothers and calves, an escort, and a 34+ year old male breaching all in the span of an hour. They also provide the photos they get on Google Drive, so you can focus on taking everything in with your own eyes if you'd like. I loved knowing the identities of the whales we saw as well. Even if nature had decided to show us nothing, I'd still very much appreciate their service. Couldn't recommend enough ! I'll come back some day in hopes of seeing a blue whale ! read more

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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Great company. awesome captain and hard working deckhand. Sign up and go get you some. read more

Discovery Whale Watch - Had an awesome time fishing with J&M. The captain put us on fish all day. - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Monterey, California

We had the best whale watching Ng experience with Isaiah and his crew. We saw over 20 humpback whales in two separate groups as well as 4 killer whales. It was a magical trip! read more

We went mid/late June and saw a plethora of blue whales, fin whales, dolphins, birds, a few young sea lions, and a couple of humpbacks. The tail waves from the blue whales were the boat favorites, but all the dolphins doing their runs by the boat were a close 2nd. The crew was great and the tour guide would go around and answer any questions you might have between sightings. Tips: don't forget your sunscreen, wear a hat, as well as a waterproof jacket, pants, and shoes, especially if you stand in the front. 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

Discovery Whale Watching was great. The check-in process was easy and departure was on time. Ryan, the deckhand and guide did a great job and thanks to captain Ron we saw humpbacks whales and a great blue whale. Highly recommend this tour. read more

We had the most amazing trip! Sophie was our awesome marine biologist, her enthusiasm only added to our trip. We saw 7 humpbacks. Our first humpback of the trip breached twice!! We saw Dali dolphins, common dolphins and a huge sunfish. The highlight of the trip was a pod of 6 orcas. The captain spotted them as we were headed back to shore. Imagine looking towards the horizon watching the orca pod chasing dolphins with a humpback breaching multiple times in the background warning others of the orca. This trip was priceless!!!!! I would recommend Discovery Whale Watching 1000%!!! They were absolutely the best AND they truly cared about their passengers, especially those who were queasy. Sophie the Marine Biology was so informative and open to questions. I wish I remembered the Captain's name because he made sure we saw the orca and did not rush us back in as we were nearing the end of the trip. We had plenty of time with the orca. They insure that every passenger has a perfect front row view of the whales. I cannot recommend this company enough. I honestly do not have a negative thing to say! read more

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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One of the most amazing experiences of my life ! Naturalist was knowledgeable and all crew were friendly. Boat and group size was small enough to feel like you could get a good view of all animals. I would book a tour with them again! 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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Guide spent 95% of the trip flirting with some girl. We basically paid for a whale-watching tour just to third-wheel their date. Saw more chemistry between them than we did whales. read more

Fantastic cruise highly recommended! From the friendly, competent office staff to the excellent boat captain to the great naturalist on board, trip couldn't have been better. We were very fortunate to see almost 1000 - - yes, that's 1000 - - dolphins and also several humpbacks, and although you can't count on that type of siting with certainty, this is well worth the effort. read more

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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Very informed and knowledgable crew. Very attentive, helpful and responsive to passenger needs and questions. Would happily do this trip again and again. read more

We went on a tour on July 22, 2026 at 9:00am. It was the best experience of our life! We didn't only see Humpback Whales and dolphins, but we saw Orcas (Killer Whales!) It was AMAZING! I really enjoyed our Naturalist, Sophie's commentary and "bird nerd" information as well! We saw lots of Black Footed Albatross and a very rare Booby!! I couldn't have asked for a better experience and highly recommend them for your next Whale Watching Adventure! 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

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

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

June 26th, 2026 we were 4 people. All 4 vomitting, so many people voimittng nauseatic @from the get go".. From the time ride atarted it was so turbulent water.. MOST IMPORTANT point = Discovery Whale SHOULD have Cancelled the tripz Instead they ignored the weathee conditions and continued and out us through the AGONY. read more

Amazing experience with Discovery Whale Watch yesterday. He saw multiple whales and a massive pods of dolphins. Two Humpback whales breached within 75 or so yards of our boat. The crew was amazing. They were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. read more

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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We had a wonderful excursion. Dolphins, 2 varieties, jellyfish, and 5 humpback whales. We same a mom and calf breach the water. Great time. read more

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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i went on 2 whale watching trips with this company this week, absolutely amazing!! The staff was wonderful, i went with Isaiah and Kenny & Corey and Sophie, everyone was very hands on and explained everything that was happening the whole way!! combined we saw 8+ humpbacks, 1000+ common dolphins, 1 blue whale, & tons and tons of otters & sea lions!! HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this company!!! read more