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Gone Whale Watching

4.8 (220 reviews)
Closed 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Fluke of a Gray Whale. These whales chose to come closer to us, the engine was in neutral
Ashley R.

Gone Whale Watching is ALWAYS my first choice when going out in San Diego! The boat rides smooth, the team is friendly, and they do a great job finding wildlife, but also prioritize and respect the well-being of the animals. On yesterday's trip with Captain Caitlyn, we saw 9 Gray Whales and a pod of Pacific White Sided dolphins. Caitlyn is so knowledgeable and willing to share great info about the wildlife you're seeing. I've gone out with this company for years and every trip has been a five star experience.

EPIC MORNING! Go work Gone Whale Watching for a chill day!!!!
Kristy W.

Well.... my bestie and I came down for a girls only trip. This has been the highlight of the week! We booked the 6 person only trip as we wanted a more intimate trip for my friends 1st time whale watching... and it was just that!!!! So chill, so fun, SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL OF A MORNING! We were fortunate enough to see 3 Humpbacks and I'll say hundreds of common long beaked dolphins!!!! They swam alongside of us, played, sprayed us and entertained us! As an activist for the Ocean(CPWF) and all that resides within I'd HIGHLY recommend going out this way... with a company that truly cares about the animals. DO NOT GO TO SEA WORLD! See them where they swim wild and are FREE! We will DEFINITELY be back to see you again Dominic and Erica!!! Thanks for a chill ass morning! Mother was definitely with us!!!!

Humpback whales!
Michelle C.

We went in early November which is humpback whale season and were lucky enough to see 9 whales, 7 of them traveling together! In two instances they got too close to the boat on accident (they try to stay a good distance away to not disturb them but doesn't stop the whales from swimming right next to the boat!) but it was amazing to see. There were also literally THOUSANDS of dolphins we got to see swimming all around the boat. The driver and guide were knowledgeable and helpful (Tai and Jess). They recommended coming back in June/July for blue whale season! Overall well worth the $!

Very fun! Our tour team were very knowledgeable;) We saw three whales! Lots of dolphins too!

A long overdue review for Gone Whale Watching! I have been on a number of trips with Captain Dom and the rest of his crew over the past 4 years or so and they are definitely my favorite whale watching trips. I have been out with several of their boats with varying captains and crew members, but always had a great time and enjoyed their knowledge and passion for these gentle giants. As a photographer, I really appreciate the smaller boats that really get you in the right spot for the optimal experience and the crew is always trying to ensure that everyone on board gets everything they can out of each trip. You never know what you will see of course, but I've had amazing experiences seeing blue whales, fin whales, breaching humpbacks, orcas, and much more. If you have any interest in whales, I highly recommend Gone Whale Watching for an amazing experience here in San Diego!

Waiting for the boat
Sreyoshi B.

How does one rate an experience that is out of this world? Please give this a try! We had an incredible time celebrating my dads birthday out in the water - spotting 8 grey whales, 2 humpbacks, and a gazillion million dolphins. Pro tip- riding the boat up front may seem like riding a horse, especially on a rough day with choppy waves. Anti-motion sickness medication helps!!

Savannah S.

Jess and Michael were awesome! They really went the extra mile to make sure we had a great time. They knew a lot about the animals we saw and got us right in with the dolphins!

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Such a great day on the water with Tom and Jess! We saw so many blue whales, fin whales and a minke!! We can't wait to come out again!

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1 year ago

Amazing we were able to see a juvenile humpback just out of season and even saw it breach! The boat was great!

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Ask the Community - Gone Whale Watching

Can my 2 almost 3 year old take this tour?

It's not for toddlers. They should go on the bigger boats.

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Review Highlights - Gone Whale Watching

Captain Dom and Allison were amazing, pointing out everything they saw and showing us how to get the best views.

Mentioned in 36 reviews

Read more highlights

San Diego Whale Watch - The Privateer

San Diego Whale Watch

4.7(1.1k reviews)
0.0 mi
15 years in business
Free parking

Fantastic whale watching experience in San Diego! The weather was perfect, which made the trip even…read morebetter. We were lucky enough to see a whale that truly put on an amazing show--such a memorable moment. The crew was efficient, friendly, and very informative throughout the entire trip, which made us feel comfortable and engaged. Everything was also very budget-friendly, which made it an even greater value. Overall, a great experience and absolutely worth both the time and the money. Highly recommend!

Heard it was migration season so decided to book a 9am tour on a Friday…read more The tour was two and a half hours long and we saw so many dolphins it was bananas! We also saw a baby grey baleen whale which was such a treat. But even sightings aside it was a lovely way to be out on the water. The crew to our boat were great. Knowledgeable and ensured everyone was having a good time. They recommend you get there 45 minutes early and definitely do so! You sign in and then line up. A lot of people can be fit on their boat (if you get the group one) and the line can get pretty large and it's first come first sit. For 10 bucks a pop you can go on early. For 200 dollars you get the exclusive front top deck. I recommend sitting at the top. Please note that means sometimes no shade so bring a hat. You can sit on the first level or inside in the shade. The boat has a bathroom and after 3 miles you can get drinks! If you park in the lot attached to their location it's 10 dollars. Or you can street park on Quivera road which I recommend as it was super easy and not a walk at all. Would highly recommend regardless of if you see any whales just for the joy of being out on the water.

Photos
San Diego Whale Watch - Privateer and Whale

Privateer and Whale

San Diego Whale Watch
San Diego Whale Watch - Blue Whales off the coast of San Diego. Sept 2, 2011

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Blue Whales off the coast of San Diego. Sept 2, 2011

Legacy Whale Watch - Beautiful views

Legacy Whale Watch

4.8(133 reviews)
0.2 mi

My family LOVED the sunset tour that left at 5 pm! The online tix purchase was easy and parking was…read morefree, if you follow their specific directions to their lot. Check-in was quick too. The weather was perfect and the crew was friendly and knowledgeable. I'd recommend wearing layered clothes and a jacket because it does get windy in the open sea. We saw plenty of birds, sea lions, and pods of dolphins swimming and diving close to the boat. It was thrilling! Right before we had to turn back, we actually saw a Finn Whale spouting and breaching. So cool! The guide pointed out how rare that sighting was since Finn Whales are endangered. It made the tour so worthwhile. Not to mention the beautiful sunset we witnessed. Overall, I'd recommend Legacy to my family and friends.

I had a wonderful time whale watching today during the 10am charter…read more The boat is clean and spacious. The staff & volunteers were fantastic. Today's weather was absolutely perfect & the water was calm & smooth. We saw tons of dolphins, sea lions, lots of birds and the highlight was a juvenile gray whale. We saw him surface a few times and he brought all of us joy Whale watching is the sort of activity where you could see tons of whales or nothing, and I certainly felt lucky to see the young male on his journey north. There are bathrooms & a snack bar on the boat and plenty of places to sit both inside and outside. I highly recommend this experience for anyone who enjoys learning about San Diego's many sea creatures and being on the water. Mahalo!

Photos
Legacy Whale Watch - Awesome view

Awesome view

Legacy Whale Watch - Dolphins in the Pacific Ocean

Dolphins in the Pacific Ocean

Legacy Whale Watch - Big pod of common dolphins

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Big pod of common dolphins

Big Blue Photo Boat - Humpback Breach

Big Blue Photo Boat

5.0(5 reviews)
0.1 mi

My family and I had a very enjoyable time on a lovely day at the end of February in the beautiful…read morewaters off the San Diego coast with the crew of the Big Blue Scout boat. Susan and Matthias were friendly and knowledgeable hosts, which made the time with them a pleasure. The boat was comfortable and we cruised along at a leisurely pace on smooth water and did not feel hurried nor bored--it was fun and really worth-while. Being on a small boat made the experience even better. Matthias launched a drone at one point and we were able to follow a grey whale and see it surface several times, plus he let us look at the display and see it lingering there in the water nearby. In addition to the many, many dolphins and the grey whale, we also saw a Fin Whale--the second largest whale and supposedly not-often seen there at that time, and also an unusual bird (a type of Booby) that the boat crew was surprised and happy about, plus two sea lions put on a display called "thermoregulation" where they lay there on their back with their fins in the air--it was neat! Overall I highly recommend the Big Blue Photo Boat for a memorable experience in San Diego! Thank you Susan and Matthias!

My kids and I went out on their boat in July and we had such a great time! Whale watching in a…read moresmall group in smaller quick boats allows them to cover more water, provides a more intimate experience. Captain Susan was super thoughtful with my kids and snacks, and having a naturalist like Matthias who could answer all of my kids questions was amazing. It was a great experience we will repeat.

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Big Blue Photo Boat - Heron!

Heron!

Big Blue Photo Boat
Big Blue Photo Boat - Drone he used to find the whales

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Drone he used to find the whales

Pacific Bounty Sportfishing - 12 Hour Offshore Trip Yellowfin Tuna

Pacific Bounty Sportfishing

5.0(4 reviews)
0.0 mi

Me and my buddy wanted to try out a charter trip since this COVID thing started and we haven't had…read morea chance to go fishing this year. Get just us and have fun. So on Father's Day I got my dad(who loves fishing) to make this an event. As we got there, we parked in the restaurant parking(free) and waited till the captain showed up. He seemed to have slept in a bit late that day and we got late start but he promised us a great day of fishing and soon enough we found one of the biggest kelp patties you could imagine. Soon as threw our bait in "FishOn!!" 4 of us getting bit and breaking, changed from 25 to 50lbs test so we don't lose them to the kelp. The Yellows didn't mind the 50lbs test line, they keep biting! The irons were getting bit too on the surface with mint color. After the trip I got so tired I forgot my GoPro in the boat. But they were very nice and had it shipped back to my address after we talked on Instagram. Would definitely recommend if you are looking for a character boat!

Jeff is an incredible offshore fisherman. Wow! We had an incredible day yesterday for Bluefin…read moreand Yellowtail. Jeff put us on a great patty to start the day and all caught a bunch of beautiful grade yellowtail 15plus pounders. We then went down further south and caught a beautiful 90 pound bluefin and then another 170 pounder to end the day. Great day of fishing. Well Done Jeff. you put us on the fish all day. Enjoy the Pacific Bounty and you will not be disappointed.

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Pacific Bounty Sportfishing - Yellowtail Fishing at Coronado Islands

Yellowtail Fishing at Coronado Islands

Pacific Bounty Sportfishing - Yellowtail Fishing Coronado Islands

Yellowtail Fishing Coronado Islands

Pacific Bounty Sportfishing

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Gone Whale Watching - whalewatchingtours - Updated May 2026

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