I've lived here my entire life and have never been whale watching but have always wanted to,…read morehowever it's just not an experience I'd typically consider splashing out on for myself (**spoiler alert - my visit was less than two weeks ago and immediately after disembarking I told my husband I wanted to get on another tour stat!) For Christmas, my husband's aunt gifted tickets to our entire extended family to enjoy a whale watching tour together so we finally landed on a date and it was an awesome experience from start to finish. We arrived about 15 minutes early for our 9:30am boarding time, checked in at the kiosk and were given paper tickets to be handed over to the crew as we came aboard. Once onboard, we were introduced over the speaker to the captain and crew and given a quick rundown of the itinerary and safety procedures. We navigated through the harbor where we spotted our local sea lion neighbors basking in the sun which especially delighted the kids and the out-of-town/state passengers, sailed out of the harbor and into the open sea. It was a pleasantly calm morning with hardly any wind and very smooth sailing. The only slight downside was that it was a particularly gray morning, so there was little distinction between the color of the ocean versus the sky but it was very clear and we could see for a long distance. We got probably close to halfway through our two-hour tour without any sightings but once we were about 5 miles off the coast, we started hearing transmissions between the crew over their walkies so we knew to start keeping our eyes peeled. The next half hour or so was spent watching three beautiful fin whales take turns coming up for air, swimming under the boat, rolling playfully and showing their light-colored bellies. It was so fun to be able to move about the boat freely to try to get the best view, some photos and videos, while being filled in by the crew on interesting marine facts. Finally the whales took their deep dives, at which point we were informed they wouldn't be coming back up for air for a while and it was about time to head back. The cruise back was equally smooth as the adventure out, and we got in right on time and prepared to disembark but not before getting coupons for a future expedition and adorable fin whale stickers to commemorate our tour. I can't WAIT to go on another whale watching tour with Oceanside Adventures - it was the best time!! I would 100000% recommend.

What a great day for whale watching!…read more The crew is amazing! Ivy, Tekon, Saxon, Chris. Hope I got all the spelling right! I've been on this boat and it's not always a guarantee as nature is nature but today was perfect. Calm seas, thousands...yes thousands of dolphin and a dozen whales. Mostly humpback but we saw two finback as well. So rad. Can't wait until next time!

Captain Bill was fantastic. From his first response online I knew me and my soon to be fiancé were…read morein good hands. His boat was clean and well kept. He's very personable and was a great steward to the waters he sails. He took photos for us while we were on our sunset sail. Which was perfect for my surprise proposal at sea! We now have memories and photos that will be with us for a lifetime. Thank you Captain Bill. We look forward to sailing with you again the next time we find ourselves in the area.

Captain Bill is absolutely amazing! He shared in our ceremony by ringing an antique bell eight…read moretimes with a poem by John F Kennedy. He volunteers for fish and wildlife and works with his family for the preservation of the ocean. He helped us to celebrate the life of Dan Feltham's 90 years, as a sailor, world traveler, author, musician, photographer, father of son Kerry and so much more! It was a beautiful morning with flowers, passages and poetry read, bubbles and a sun fish, brown pelicans, commorants, crested terns, California gulls, long nose common dolphins, sea lions, schools of fish, and so much more! It was truly a spectacular experience and beautiful ceremony.

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.

BUYER BEWARE: This excursion looks appealing because it promises a small group and a fun, fast boat…read moreexperience. However, booking with this company comes with a real risk: if the boat isn't completely full (6 people), they may cancel your trip. We planned a special outing around this excursion for our wedding anniversary, only to have it canceled with less than 8 hours' notice. Ironically, their own policy requires customers to give at least 24 hours' notice to cancel. If you don't want your plans disrupted at the last minute, I strongly recommend booking with a more reliable company.

What a fantastic experience! My sister and I took my 80 year old father on the up close dolphin and…read morewhale trip and it was the best one I have done - by far! Being in the smaller boat allowed us to really get close to the animals and the day was gorgeous! Nate was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend this experience!

Went whale watching last Friday and while I was not really excited to go it was a great time…read more We saw a fin whale and a humpback whale and hundreds of dolphins. The three hours went fast and the bigger boat did not make me seasick

We had the most incredible private 6-person sunset whale watching tour with Captain Caitlyn! From…read morestart to finish, she was knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely passionate about marine life. You could tell she truly loves what she does, and it made the entire experience even more special. Our group got to see gray whales (including a mom and calf!) and playful dolphins, and Captain Caitlyn shared so much interesting information along the way. She struck the perfect balance between education and letting us soak in the magic of the moment. What meant the most to me personally was how comfortable she made everyone feel. My mom is usually very nervous on boats, but Captain Caitlyn's calm, confident presence completely put her at ease -- and she ended up loving the trip! It was also so empowering and fun to be on a power boat run by an all-women crew. The whole experience felt safe, exciting, and unforgettable. I would absolutely book with Captain Caitlyn again and recommend this tour to anyone looking for an amazing, up-close ocean adventure.

My family booked a dolphin and whale watching tour and it couldn't have been more perfect. Nate,…read morethe captain and guide, was friendly and funny making the whole trip a more relaxing experience. He was very knowledgeable about the dolphins and the whale we saw and took the time to make sure everyone on the boat was able to see everything. We would absolutely book another tour the next time we visit Oceanside.

This charter was spectacular. We have been celebrating our late dad's birthday for the past 20…read moreyears with fishing charters in San Diego, and this one was by far the best. The crew was incredibly attentive. I never had to ask for assistance because someone was always there before I even had the chance. It was unexpected and very much appreciated. The woman serving food and beverages also made a point to check in throughout the trip, which really stood out. We caught a lot of fish, and the experience was seamless from start to finish. The briefing at the beginning was quick, clear, and efficient, so we had our poles in the water right away. Highly recommend this charter and crew. An unforgettable experience.

Absolutely amazing and deeply fulfilling time on the water on 4/15/26 with Captain Kyle. He was the…read moremost delightful and educational captain, tour guide, environmentalist and fun person you could hope for. We saw an uncountable number of 4 different kinds of dolphins, a fin whale and many California sea lions. The small boat was very safe, amazingly nimble, fast and would never want to experience anything on a boat any bigger. I am prone to seasickness but was never even a remote issue. Thank you for an amazing time!!!!!

We went February 15, so during fray whale migration. Saw a pod of five whales, lots of dolphins,…read moreand sea lions. Our tour guide Rick was great, clearly loves the wildlife which is what we want . I would bring a blanket for your legs during the winter and bring hats/hoodies. The ride can be chilly, they do tell you to wear layers and we were glad we did even with 60 degree day.

We were able to see dolphins, sea lions, and whales on our whale watching trip!!! Captain Jeff was…read morevery knowledgable about the sea life and area. Because of the small boat, he was able to move quickly to get to two different pods of dolphins and two whales!

Incredible Morning Dolphin Tour with Captain Ray!…read more I booked the morning small group tour with my sister, and it turned out to be just the two of us and our captain, Ray such a special and intimate experience! Ray was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable. We really appreciated the way he shared facts and explained everything in such an engaging way. While we didn't get to see a whale, we were lucky enough to encounter a massive pod of dolphins -- probably 30 to 50 of them -- swimming so close to our boat! The moment of scanning the open sea and suddenly finding such a large group of dolphins in their natural habitat was absolutely magical. The whole experience went beyond our expectations. Thank you, Captain Ray, for such a memorable morning!

If you want the best whale and dolphin experience...call Captain Rich...you will not be…read moredisappointed! We had five people and had the best experience. We saw a couple young fin whales and a mega pod of dolphins up close! It was amazing! This is the way to whale and dolphin watch!

Our daughter had arranged a sunset cruise for our wedding anniversary with Tailwalker. This was the…read morebest anniversary experience we had on this cruise! Rick was an amazing captain and took care of every detail to make our trip memorable. He even got us beautiful Roses along with wine and cheese ! Thanks to Rick for all his efforts to make our trip the best!!

My wife and I recently decided a great way to spend a holiday Saturday with our son, his wife, and…read moretheir daughter, would be to spend some time on Lake San Marcos - and what better way to do that then a gondola? After some quick research on Yelp, we made our reservations (VERY easy to do) and met everyone on said Saturday at the Black Swan dock. (side note - they want you there 20 minutes early...this does NOT mean you can check in 20 minutes early...chances are very high that the person checking you in is your gondolier, and he/she will be on the water at that moment). We had Conner (VERY traditional Italian name....cough) - and he was awesome. He shared some great details as we made our way along the shoreline, including some of the local nicknames for the houses on the water. He was VERY knowledgeable about when the lake was created, the various depths, and gave us tips on when to avoid being on the water (July 4th was high on that). We brought along our own drinks and snacks, and thoroughly enjoyed our ride. Highly recommended!

What a great experience. Drew was very good. I highly recommend this service. We did the sunset…read morecruise, and was fun for everyone. Thanks again Drew!