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Richmond, BC

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Vancouver Whale Watch

4.0 (49 reviews)
Closed • 7:30 am - 9:00 pm

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Our day
Liv M.

Wow! A check mark on our bucket list. Our family enjoyed the whale watching trip a few days ago during our Vancouver vacation. The check-in process was easy peasy. Our guide, Joan was informative and helpful. We were fortunate to see a pod of orcas in their natural habitat doing what they do. We even saw chainsaw, a 45 yr old orca. I appreciated that our boat stayed close enough to see, but far enough to be respectful of the whales' space. We spent around an hour following the orcas, saw them swimming and frolicking. The crew took our group to get up-close to sea lions and harbor seals nearby. What a lovely tour, worth every penny. Thank you for making a dream a reality.

Sara M.

I was very pleased with Vancouver Whale Watch and would take another whale watch tour with them. We went through the Southern Gulf Islands near Vancouver Island and oh my were they breath-taking!! In the beginning of the trip we weren't seeing any whales just seals, but our guide said they are in contact with other whale watching tours in the area so when one group sees them they contact the other companies and tours. This is so ideal because there is A LOT of area to cover!! When we finally got to seeing some whales there was about 4 different pods interacting with each other. So we got to see a lot of different behaviors such as breaching, pectoral slapping/waving and tail lobbing. We stayed with the whales for a little over an hour before heading back (which was really nice!) We rode on the Explorathor, which is their biggest boat. Thankfully they still had the top on so we could close the windows and stay relatively warm since it felt about 30 degrees Fahrenheit, that high speed wind hitting your face really freezes you up! But once you slowed down to see the whales or other marine life you could pull the Windows up and get a perfect view. The captain does respect the Whale Watch guidelines. He slowed down when he was about 400 yards away and would shut off the engine. So when the whales swam by the boat they were not breaking any laws. I recommend to bring warm clothes, some snacks and lunch. The boat does offer bottled water so no need to make your bag super heavy with bottles.

Christine H.

I am not joking when I say this: On my deathbed, I will think of the wonderful things I've done in my life. Pictures from my Vancouver Whale Watch trip will flash in front of my eyes. I will have a smile on my face. This was one of the coolest experiences of my life. I went the summer of 2008 with my 8 year old son- who had a great time too. We saw eagles, seals, otters, and of course, whales. Orcas- tons of them. It was magical. (see photos I posted). I think I paid around $200 for both me & my son. Totally worth it. The trip lasted for about 5-6 hours. They took us miles and miles south into US waters. The staff was professional & friendly. I felt safe & secure. You're probably reading this thinking how your whole life you wanted to go on a whale watching trip- but it seemed kinda expensive. Trust me- the money is worth it. I would have paid double for this trip. Can't wait to drive 3000 miles across the country again to visit Vancouver & go on another boat trip. When I was there, I got my son an official VWW jacket. After a few years, he grew into it and still proudly wears it today. I love that jacket because it reminds us of a dream come true! Thanks Vancouver Whale Watch! It's been almost 5 years and I still get excited just thinking about that trip.

This is the express boat we took on our second trip which is excellent and his best for windproof at the front of the boat
Jesse N.

We had an amazing trip with our family and went on two trips, of which the second trip which did not charge us because they guarantee whale sightings and will take you for as many times as it takes. We got to see probably over 50 killer whales within the Pacific Ocean near Richmond BC, 1 walrus on a bell, lots of bald eagles, Heron, and much more. At one time we were even 5 or 10 feet away from whales diving near us and some of them doing some dances and jumps out of the water. Absolutely amazing lifetime experience and recommended for anyone who likes animals, nature or the ocean. This place is really convenient and located near the ocean on 2nd Avenue in Steveston Richmond BC.

Lori P.

Amazing whale watching trip yesterday . The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and they were able to take us to see over 30 orcas, 2 humpbacks and many other wonderful creatures. I highly recommend this company!

Tiffany S.

Most incredible experience ever!!! Saw humpback whales and one of them jumped out of the water for us!!!!

Vancouver Whale Watch - October 11, 2014 - Spotted 15 Transient Orca Killer Whales
W F.

This was one of the most breathtaking experiences in Vancouver that I have endured. The visit with Vancouver Whale Watch was amazing, and we were extremely lucky that morning. The visit can take between three to five hours, but our visit encompassed a varied amount of sea-life and mammals. The visit starts out at 11am, with free parking around the Stevenston Fisherman's Wharf. We were also lucky with the weather, as it was raining in the morning but right after we reached outside the reef, the weather was extremely great. Shortly after heading out to sea (perhaps within 1 hour towards the inlet), we reached 15 transient orcas killer whales, and was able to follow the pod for several hours until returning back closer between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, to observe several Sea Lions beaching, one bald eagle perched onto an abandoned lifeguard stand, and a tonne of Seals just waiting to become whale biscuits. We also saw a great migration of a flock of rare white birds, that I did not catch the name of. Remember to check the Vancouver Whale Watch website, when we went, it was the Canadian thanksgiving weekend, and they were offering a 10% off coupon, therefore, it was worth the discount. We had a great time, and would gladly suggest this trip to anyone out there local or visiting. The following is a preview in video format for those who would like to watch the experience. Video of the experience: http://vimeo.com/108758464 Overall Experience: A++

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1 year ago

The captain and Kai worked hard to make sure we saw whales, seals, and sea lions. It was an amazing day!

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Vancouver Whale Watch Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Vancouver Whale Watch

“We saw eagles, seals, sea lions and had a magnificent time, about an hour and a half, with the Orcas.”

Mentioned in 13 reviews

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Steveston Seabreeze Adventures - California Sea lions sun bathing on the Fraser River

Steveston Seabreeze Adventures

3.9(22 reviews)
0.2 km•Steveston

We specifically picked Seabreeze Adventures for the zodiac style boat. We wanted to be more up…read moreclose and personal without 50 other people crowding the rails. So glad we did. We can't be happier with our choice. Our Orca pix will need to be downloaded. Ask for Jade and Elliot.

I wish I could say I enjoyed it. Starting off, we got there…read moreat 730am ready to board. We didn't board until after 8am because others were late. The captain was nice and a few others were helpful, but unfortunately the overall experience was not very pleasant. Almost everyone else on the boat seemed to know each other and 95% of the time spoke Mandarin to each other. I am not a Mandarin speaker so it really felt like we were being left out a lot. Only managed to get some sort of information or communication because my friend can vaguely translate what they say. As someone paying around $300/person, I expected to learn a lot and have more guidance. The moment we got on the boat one of the other guests lit up a cigarette. Let's just say throughout the entire day, someone was toting a lit cigarette. They probably smoked close to 3 packs while on board. No one from my group smokes, so we were pretty irradiated to say the least. We learned very little and had little guidance. They were helpful when we needed help, but for the most part it felt like they were having a blast and we were the party crashers. I do like that they followed the rules of fishing and what fish they have to release, what can be caught and what needed to be returned. However, they threw their cigarette butts into the ocean which I felt was unacceptable. Since I'm a beginner, I tried to copy what the others did on the boat in terms of releasing the line, but then told we shouldn't do that. I pretty much kept to myself and kept quiet because of the language barrier and honestly wasn't there to criticize people, I was there to learn and have fun . The 3 stars go to the captain and 1 or 2 of his friends. I really appreciate them giving us their catches and some crabs because I wasn't able to catch anything worth keeping and really they were kind and would answer questions if we had them, but I'm really shy, especially when it comes to new things. However, the last 30 mins would be the highlight, the other 8 hrs I felt like the kid that wasn't invited to the party but people were obligated to be nice to. I hope they learn from this review and are able to give other people a better experience than the one I got today.

Photos
Steveston Seabreeze Adventures - Female spyhop in the Georgia Strait

Female spyhop in the Georgia Strait

Steveston Seabreeze Adventures - T49A4 spyhopping

T49A4 spyhopping

Steveston Seabreeze Adventures - T63 "Chainsaw" breaching!

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T63 "Chainsaw" breaching!

Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures

Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures

4.6(61 reviews)
16.8 km•Granville Island/False Creek

I always thought I would do a Prince of Whales tour in Victoria because I was born there and it's…read moresuch a famous thing to do, but I ended up doing it from Granville Island instead and it was just as exciting as I imagined it would be. Killer whales are one of my favourite animals, so seeing them out in the wild was honestly surreal. There is something completely different about seeing these magnificent animals in their natural environment rather than in captivity. We were lucky enough to see a mama and baby, which made the experience even more special. Knowing that these whales are individually identified, numbered and researched by scientists makes seeing them even more fascinating. I could honestly spend all day out on the water watching them. The boat ride itself is also part of the fun. You're out in the middle of the Salish Sea and it is just so peaceful waiting to see what comes up. They take photos during the tour and send them afterward is a great bonus! The price could be a bit less but it's still an experience I'd recommend.

Incredible experience with fantastic guides. We went north and saw some of the most beautiful…read moreviews I've ever experienced. We were able to see Orcas, Jellyfish, Seals and Many Humpbacks (one even breached in front of us). The guides knew where to go and answered a ton of questions for everyone on board. They had hot chocolate on board (free), bathrooms and enclosed area of it got a little cold. Special Callout to Thomas (one of the guides) - really appreciate all you did to make the experience memorable for me and my wife. Thanks for an incredible experience and lifetime memories!

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Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures
Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures - Sea lions

Sea lions

Prince of Whales Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures

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Steveston

Steveston

4.8(8 reviews)
5.9 km

Once Upon a Time, my wife and I visited this storyb(r)ook fairy-tale fishing village situated at…read morethe mouth of the Fraser River, a few miles south of Vancouver, BC, to celebrate our third anniversary. We visited several places she had seen in one of her favorite television mini-series, including Granny's Diner (Cannery Cafe), Mr. Gold's Pawnshop (Mr. Gold's Gelato), the ruined clock tower (a similarly run-down antique mall), and several other filming locations around the area. We went souvenir shopping at the wharf, where locals purchased fresh seafood (particularly spot prawns) right off the boat, stopped for drinks at a riverside cafe (Blue Canoe), and stayed three nights at the Steveston Cafe & Hotel, located just a block away from all the action, among many other things. Our adventure seemed limitless, for there seemed to be something new to discover around every corner, whether it be a shop, a restaurant, or a landmark of historical interest. We loved every minute of it. When our time came to return home to "the real world", we left feeling a bit listless and melancholy, after having had such a wonderful time. Fortunately, we took home with us an innumerable number of photos, a few souvenirs, and a priceless collection of memories of our time spent together in this quaint, curious and magical place. And we lived happily ever after!

It was incredible!! Fast and friendly! The perfect portion not to long that leaves you hungry but…read morenot to much your being bags of leftover home.. the price is very reasonable!! The environment is cozy !! I got the framers breakfast ! The eggs were delicious the bacon perfect and potatoes to die for soooo soo tasty.. definitely in town stop here

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Steveston
Steveston
Steveston

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Sea Vancouver

Sea Vancouver

4.5(10 reviews)
16.7 km•Granville Island/False Creek

Very bad business practice…read more We booked a 3pm tour. It was the last day that we are in Vancouver, we would be flying home that night. At 1:45pm, after we have planned our whole day around the excursion and checked out of the hotel in preparation of this tour, Sea Vancouver office called and said they are cancelling my tour because they "need a minimum of 4 people and only 3 people booked". I explained that we are leaving the city that day, and we planned our whole day around this, and if there is anything they can do. It is unreasonable to only notify me 75 minutes prior to departure time - we were already on the way to the departure point! The only thing they said was that they will refund me in full (I'd better hope so since you cancelled it with incredibly short notice!) I understand that it may not be economical to operate a tour based on fixed cost, but this was NOT written anywhere when I booked it on the official website, but they were happy to take my money when I booked. The confirmation email stated "We reserve the right to delay or cancel a departure for events beyond our control (e.g. adverse weather conditions, technical or mechanical issues, etc.)" -- well, operating a boat when there are "only" 3 paying customers is definitely in their control, they just choose to screw over their customers. This has put a really sour taste on my trip to Vancouver. I would encourage everybody to stay away.

First of all, I would highly, HIGHLY recommend this for all! Specially if its your first time in…read moreVancouver or have not been around the harbor! This was our first time in Vancouver, and whats not a better way to experience it than by taking a boat tour! We honestly planned this boat tour super last minute, so we called a few places, but they were all closed. Fortunately, Sea Vancouver still had tours going out until 7pm which was the last one! The lobby is located in the Westin hotel and the ride is 90 minutes long, which takes you all around the harbor of Vancouver to the English Bay! There was so much to see at the waterfront and we even saw a few dolphins along the ride! We were hoping for orcas too but maybe next time haha. Overall the boat tour was absolutely amazing! Terry our captain, made the experience super educational a fun! Love that guy! Thanks Cap! And thank you Sea Vancouver!

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Sea Vancouver
Sea Vancouver
Sea Vancouver

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Ocean Ecoventures Whale Watching - Male Orca

Ocean Ecoventures Whale Watching

4.6(12 reviews)
53.2 km

We took the tour yesterday, with Simon as our skipper/guide. Although this tour cost about twice as…read moremuch as the "cattle boat" tours in some other places, it is 10 times the experience! My mind is still reeling from all that we saw. We followed a gathering of 19 orcas for more than an hour. Exceeded every bucket list dream I ever had, for seeing these animals! Simon is very, very knowledgeable; he also collects data for Canada Fisheries, so he knew the pods and individuals we were watching. And that wasn't all. We were guided to view a Humpback whale, 2 kinds of sea lion, seals, bald eagles, and even an island which had been stocked as an exotic game preserve, and still has wild animals from other parts of the world roaming around it. There were only 9 people, plus the skipper, so everybody had a great view of everything. And the boats are really fast, so they can go quite a distance in the search for those ever-moving orcas. An experience of a lifetime...even if (like me) you've taken many other whale-watching excursions.

Such a fun way to learn about the Orcas and to see them hunting and feeding from your small group…read moreof 10 on a Zodiac. Don't hesitate, just do it. You will not regret this amazing experience. Great for kids too. These boats are fast, you will see so much and cover incredible distances. Don't worry there is a WC on board for emergencies! Sign your paperwork, get your sunscreen on, and suit up in your warm floatation suit/life vest. Keep your phone handy as you will see all sorts of wildlife along the way, seals, eagles, eagle nests, then the killer whales. It's amazing how you can check the binder and identify each pod by name with their offspring. On our way back as we returned to dock we even had a bonus viewing of some whales right in Cowichan bay.

Photos
Ocean Ecoventures Whale Watching - 2 Orcas, one mature one nicknamed "Chainsaw", and a younger male.

2 Orcas, one mature one nicknamed "Chainsaw", and a younger male.

Ocean Ecoventures Whale Watching - One of our vessels, Skana, with captain Gary and Tasli

One of our vessels, Skana, with captain Gary and Tasli

Ocean Ecoventures Whale Watching - Sea lion throw!

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Sea lion throw!

Tour Guys Vancouver - FREE tours of Vancouver

Tour Guys Vancouver

4.7(79 reviews)
18.3 km•Downtown

Not only can you not lose because this is a FREE tour...but you will gain so much interesting info!…read more I'm sure hopping on and off a bus would be just fine, but for us, with just one short day in this vast city, we were looking for a quick connection, and that's exactly what we got on this recent Sunday. We met our tour guide, Ali at the designated time (11am) at the designated place, and 20 or so of us enjoyed an incredibly interesting walking tour of Chinatown. There is no way we would have gotten the feel for this city had we not taken this tour. Several folks were repeat tour guy visitors, so they must have enjoyed those as well. Our group had folks from several countries. It is a relaxed tour at a pace that is just right...not too fast and not too slow. Seriously, just right! And absolutely everyone in our group was happy to hand over generous thank you tips. Well-deserved. Ali was kind enough at the end of the tour to guide anyone who wanted dining suggestions or directions. For us, he was even kind enough to let us walk along with him since we were heading in the same direction. As a result, we were fortunate enough to get an extended tour, as he remained a wealth of Vancouver info as we went along. Highly recommend!

I love FREE, Culture, history, and having a tour that rolls all 3 together…read more We took the Free Downtown & Chinatown Tour with Alex. She pointed out some places of interest, told us the history of Chinatown, took us to a herbal store, and ended the tour at the Chinese Gardens. The tour was over 2 hours, and she gave suggestions for lunch. I love these type of tours because they are given by people who have lived there for a good amount of time, and who are passionate about what they are presenting. She was no exception.

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Tour Guys Vancouver - Emma was awesome!

Emma was awesome!

Tour Guys Vancouver
Tour Guys Vancouver

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Vancouver Whale Watch - whalewatchingtours - Updated October 2026

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