My husband and I had an incredible first whale watching experience with Wild Pacific Whale Watch!…read moreWe chose to go for our anniversary, and we are SO glad we did. We got to see humpback whales, sea lions, and so many common dolphins. The crew was all so welcoming, friendly, and happy to answer any questions you have. It was a smooth riding experience and plenty of seating. It wasn't very crowded on the boat and was very spacious. They even have a whale watching guarantee on their website that says if you don't see a whale then the next trip is free which is really neat. This is a small and locally owned business whose crew is very respectful of the wildlife. They ensure to keep a distance to keep the wildlife safe. They do offer drinks and snacks for purchase or you are free to bring your own! It lasted 3 and a half hours. It was an unbelievable experience and I highly recommend Wild Pacific Whale Watch! Pro-tip I found a great deal on Groupon for it to be more affordable for my husband and I to go. Also, they had a promo code going that Capital One shopping found for me. :)

The crew were awesome, helpful and knowledgeable. The boat was clean, comfortable and steady even…read moremiles offshore. We saw sea lions, several pods of dolphins and two Humpback whales. Capt. Quinn traveled miles further than other boats because he got word of whales in the area. Minutes after finding them - one of the whales performed a complete breach - putting on a show I will remember forever. This trip was worth every penny. They treat you like family - not customers. Thanks for the experience of a lifetime.

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.

Wonderful morning on the water. Staff was communicative and helpful in moving us to another time…read morewhen the weather forecast looked bad for our scheduled day. Great information during the cruise. Would have been fabulous even if we hadn't seen whales, which we did. Would definitely do it again next time we are in San Diego.

The main reason we booked this particular trip was because we wanted to bring our dogs along. Our 2…read moredogs were welcomed (at no extra cost). One of the deck hands immediately brought over a bottle of water for our dogs (we brought our own collapsible bowl). The ship and the tour were outstanding! I have been on several whale watching tours and never really saw whales nor was I expecting to see any on this trip. However, we did see a couple whales and pods of dolphins. Not only was our trip personally narrated by the young lady (sorry I did not get her name) giving a bit of a history, lesson, pointing out landmarks, and pointing out that we can see Mexico. She also took videos of the whales and the dolphins as she knew where and what to look for. She also had better access to parts of the ship that we did not. At the end of the tour, she airdropped them to our phones (for free) what a great service! Although chips and snacks were passed out during the trip, several people brought their own lunches. The ship itself was gorgeous, clean and very roomy. It never felt crowded.

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.

RTW is the perfect boat charter in San Diego for a large group! I just celebrated my birthday with…read morearound 20 friends and we chose RTW since they had a boat large enough to accommodate everyone. The experience was amazing! Super fun and friendly crew and cute vessel. More than enough space for everyone to walk around and take in the beautiful views of the bay. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking to charter a sailboat in SD!

A PERFECT BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!…read more Romancing the Wind was everything I hoped for and more for my birthday celebration! Captain Jim and the first mate were simply amazing--so accommodating, knowledgeable, and fun! They made sure the day was tailored to my needs and even let me steer the boat for a bit (such a cool experience!). The highlight for me was sailing along the beautiful San Diego coastline with my personal playlist blasting through the speakers--it was such a vibe! Booking was seamless thanks to Bernice (aka "BB"), who patiently answered all my questions and made the process stress-free. You could tell she genuinely cared about creating the best experience for us. If you're looking for a unique and fun adventure on the water, I highly recommend Romancing the Wind. Book directly through their website--you won't regret it!

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!!

We booked with Captain Russell for my daughter's 15th birthday party on Mission Bay, and he was…read morefantastic! He was extremely organized, had life jackets ready for everyone, and even brought two different tubing floats so the girls could pick their favorite. He tirelessly took groups out, adjusting the speed and pulling off "slingshot" requests with endless patience. From the most timid riders to the daredevils, everyone had a blast. The whole experience was safe, fun, and unforgettable--highly recommend!

One of the most fun days we've had in San Diego…read more We had perfect weather, smooth water and tons of sea life. We must have seen at least 8 whales, tons of dolphin, sea lions and so much more. Russell was the best captain, tons of fun, great guy. We'll be going back out many more times in the near future! Thank you

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 went this past Father's Day with my dad. The staff were wonderful-- however, this tour is NOT ADA…read morefriendly. That's understandable for older ships, however, when we called the people at the front desk said that it was ADA friendly when it wasn't. Additionally, it's hard for those that are disabled to see all of the sightings due to crowds forming/not enough viewpoints besides the back of the boat. When a whale is spotted, naturally, the captain drives towards the direction of the sighting. However, the people in back then can't see it :/ For relevance, my father is in a wheelchair. I'm only providing this review for those interested and to whom this information is applicable. This isn't meant to serve as a takedown of the entire business. And, those manning the ship did do their best to try and accommodate us, which was appreciated.