Whale Watching in San Diego

The waters off San Diego are home to a diverse amount of marine wildlife. There are several whale watching companies that provide year-round trips because there is always a possibility of seeing cetaceans any day of the year! Some species are more predictable than others and tend to follow a seasonal pattern, but it can vary year-to-year! The following chart outlines what we generally see in our area and when.

Spring
  • Gray whales (northbound migration)
  • Pacific white-sided dolphins
Summer
  • Blue whales
Fall
  • Blue Whales
  • Humpback whales
Winter
  • Gray whales (northbound and southbound migration)
  • Pacific white-sided dolphins
Year-Round Cetaceans
  • Humpback whales
  • Minke whales
  • Fin whales
  • Bryde's whale
  • Common dolphins
  • Bottlenose dolphins
  • Risso's dolphins
Less-Common  Cetaceans/
Tropical Cetaceans
  • Killer whales
  • False-Killer whales
  • Short-Finned Pilot whales

For more information on any of these species, there are Fact Sheets available on ACS National Chapter's website. Find them here!

NOAA Whale Guide.pdf NOAA Whale Guide.pdf
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There are no upcoming ACS whale watching trips scheduled at this time.
If you'd like to plan your own whale watching trip, below are some local companies in the greater San Diego area. Click on their logo to view their company website for more information. When booking, ask if they offer discounts to ACS members!

 

Adventure Rib Rides

1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

619-808-2822

 
 


Gone Whale Watching

1617 Quivira Road, San Diego, CA 92109

858-500-2568

 
 



Hornblower

970 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101

619-686-8715


Legacy Whale Watch

1717 Quivira Road, San Diego, CA 92109

619-309-1680



Next Level Sailing

2050 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106

800-644-3454

 

Oceanside Adventures

256 Harbor Drive, Oceanside, CA 92054

888-507-1130

Offshore Blue Adventures

1500 Quivira Way #2, San Diego, CA 92109

310-974-2176



San Diego Whale Watch

1617 Quivira Road, San Diego, CA 92109

619-542-9931



Xplore Offshore

La Jolla, CA

858-361-9494