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.

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!

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.

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.

We chartered the Electra and spread my mother's ashes. It…read morewas the most beautiful sunset and everything was perfect!! The best evening and she would have loved it.

Helgrens is the only people I have fished with since 1990. Last year (2025) a trip was cancelled…read moredue to a coast guard inspection. Not a problem. Things happen. Our money was refunded and we were told we can rebook a trip, at no expense to us, within a year. Very cool. They didn't have to do that. The problem is that no one picks up the phone so I cannot book. We had to go with another charter for my father's birthday trip.

Wow! What a beautiful sailing afternoon with Captain John and his wife Carol on their beautiful 42'…read moresailboat named Sea Star. We had sunshine and the perfect amount of wind. Everything was so easy from communicating with Captain John to arrange our outing to the actual outing. There was never an awkward moment. It was like sailing with longtime friends. You can bring your own drinks and snacks and they have the rest to make the afternoon so enjoyable. We are from Kansas City and we would go again when in the area. If you have a choice book with Sunset Coast Sailing. You cannot go wrong with them.

In the San Diego area to celebrate our parents' 50th wedding anniversary, we found John and Carol…read more(and the Sea Star) during a web search. Replies to set up out time together were prompt and clear, and Carol and John's warm hospitality during our sunset sail created a unique memory for a special occasion. Highly recommend!

Captain Bob is the reason I started writing reviews. From a psychology lecture, I learned that…read morepeople usually write reviews only for extremes: extremely bad or extremely awesome. Because of my trip with Captain Bob, I just had to write a review, letting people know not to miss out if you are in the Oceanside area. My experience started over the phone with the Captain. I was told that the trip only accommodates six passengers. This was a concern because I was was traveling with a party of eight. I called the captain and my concern was promptly alleviated. Captain Bob was very chill with the circumstances and didn't even charge us extra. We arrived at the harbor around noon. Captain Bob met us at the parking lot and greeted all of us. Already we were all impressed. We headed out with The Captain narrating what we were looking for in order to locate dolphins. He was very knowledgeable about the ocean and taught us quite a few things about boating and sea life. He also had very interesting tales to tell. I was torn between listening to stories or focusing on novelty of being out at sea. The Captain even let one of our number steer the boat for awhile. Later he served all the 21+ beers. At one point we also pulled random balloons that we saw out of the water. This was us being environmentally friendly. It seems that the Captain was really chill with us doing whatever out at see as long as it was legal, safe, and most importantly, we enjoyed ourselves. The boat was quite roomy and fit all of us comfortably. All of my party were very impressed with the Captain and the trip. I highly recommend Captain Bob for your trip, whether your with your friends or on a date. Don't miss out!

No doubt about it. Captain Bob is a kind and accommodating host. He loves what he does and his…read moreenthusiasm is contagious. However, there was one problem that made me feel uncomfortable: the boat only has a two foot rubber railing!! Thus, it just seems to me that it would be super easy to go overboard. Honestly, even though sitting up front was somewhat uncomfortable, i didn't want to move for fear of being tossed in! Finally, if you do go, i recommend going for only one and a half hours. We were out for two hours and it was just too long.

Highly recommend Captain Joe and his crew. We had a great time on the water, learning and fishing…read morewith the Sea Star Crew. Bobby and Amber were very helpful and we all had a great time. Waters were a little cold but we can't control the weather!

OUTSTANDING!!!! Not…read moremy first time going on a charter out of Sea Star Charters, but it was my first time on this boat. It was recently re-furnished I think because my other trips have been on the Chubasco. We did a private charter here for a friend's bachelor party yesterday and Captain Joe and James made it a perfect trip! We paid and chartered for 12, but had some guys back out. Fortunately we had already paid for the charter. We caught something around 50 or 60 fish thanks to Captain Joe knowing all the good spots. Both Captain Joe and James were attentive on the deck and were both proactively helping us land fish on the deck. James got all our catch cleaned, filleted and bagged and it made for a great dinner last night! Seriously haven't had that many fish tacos ever in my life. Looking forward to going on a yellowtail charter with Sea Star. Thanks Captain Joe and James!

We had a very enjoyable time on Ahoy Mateys Sailing Charter sailboat ... There were four of us out…read moreon a perfect sunny Labor Day weekend for a three hour cruise. Captain Bobby is very experienced and has a great dry sense of humor. Crew member Roger knows his way around sails and knots and was also a really fun guy. We highly recommend Ahoy Mateys and are glad we chose to sail with him, ... and would do it again!

My husband and I went on a sailing adventure with Captain Bobby out of Oceanside. It was the…read moreperfect outing. We even got to sit behind the wheel and play "captain". The Marina in Oceanside is beautiful and has several options for restaurants. I highly recommend this Charter, it's the real thing!

We booked Hot Tub Cruisin as a Bachelorette activity this past weekend and had a great time! There…read morewere 12 of us on the boat, and it didn't feel overcrowded--everyone had a spot to relax and enjoy. When we first arrived, most of us needed to use the restroom (since there isn't one on the boat), and the girl working at check-in seemed a bit annoyed by that. However, once we got on the boat, she was totally fine and helpful. A few things to note: someone in your group does have to drive the boat, so plan ahead for that. You can bring your own 21+ drinks as long as they're not in glass containers, and you'll need to bring your own ice. Once you're out on the water, it's pretty lively with lots of other boats and people. We played our own music and just hung out--it was a really fun, chill experience. The two hours definitely go by fast, so keep an eye on the time. They're strict about going over, even by a minute, so we set a timer and started heading back 30 minutes before our end time. Overall, a fun and unique experience we'd recommend!

If you're even thinking about booking a hot tub boat, stop thinking and just DO IT--especially with…read morethis company! From start to finish, the experience was nothing short of incredible. The boat was clean, comfortable, and perfectly warm even with the breeze on the water. It's not every day you get to combine luxury, adventure, and pure relaxation all in one, but, what truly made the day unforgettable was the amazing service. Huge shout-out to Kyle - he was fantastic! Super friendly, incredibly knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make sure we were having a memorable experience for my friends bachelorette party. Do not be discouraged by the other ratings on this site, I highly, highly recommend and think this is the perfect addition to any plan in San Diego. It will create a lifetime memory. Plus you get to see Sea Lions on your way out!