I've lived here my entire life and have never been whale watching but have always wanted to, however 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. read more

What a great day for whale watching! 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! read more

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Whale watching was excellent. I highly recommend this tour! The guides were friendly and knowledgeable. My only gripe is that the bar and snack stand were cash only. Although this was mentioned in the email (which I missed), it would be great if they accepted credit cards or mobile payments in the future. read more

Great experience, the combination of luck and an experienced captain today we saw Humpback and Minke whales and Dolphins. The captain got us great views while respecting the animals and giving them their space. read more

Although this was a sad occasion the crew of Oceanside Adventures made it lovely. First off the boat was really nice. It had covered seating as well as seating on the bow. The boat was clean and it also came with snacks for our 25 minute ride out to sea and back. Not sure if he was the first mate or the captain and I'm probably spelling his name wrong (Tolcan) was super attentive to our group. The ride was what could be expected on the ocean. A super plus was all the dolphins that we saw. This crew and the young lady at the sign in booth made this a very nice family event. If you are in the market to charter a boat, this is definitely a company I would look into. read more

Oceanside Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

This was our third whale watching excursion with Oceanside Adventures! We got to ride on the new catamaran and it was fantastic! Today we got to see a humpback whale, and it breeched three times! We also saw tons of dolphins and some yellow fin! The staff is kind and extremely knowledgeable. We'll definitely be back again next year! They give you a 24% off future excursions coupon when you disembark, or you can also save some money and purchase your tickets through Groupon! We used Groupon this year and it was quick and seamless! read more

Such a beautiful evening for a wine tasting cruise! This company partners with Beach House Winery to host such a cruise--check website for times/tix. I do get the comments about the crew mostly interacting with each other, and in this case, the winery folks and it was also someone's birthday (George!) within their inner circle. But I was able to mingle with a lot of people and someone had made birthday cupcakes (made with merlot!), and they were offered to everyone and it really all added to the experience. I generally do my whale watching in Santa Barbara, but I will try it with this group at my next opportunity! I also want to visit the winery. Thanks for a fun time! read more

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First time on the Nala, very spacious boat. The views of the ocean and sky are always amazing. After much anticipation there were views of whale fins and dolphins by the boat side. So thankful to see God's creation. Thank you Tcon and staff! read more

It was easy to book our whale watching and dolphin viewing adventure. The process was seamless in terms of location and directions to parking, etc. Chris was a fantastic captain. Given his heads up anytime we should be on the lookout for wildlife in the ocean highly recommend. read more

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We have used Oceanside Adventures yearly and have always had an amazing time. We have seen dolphin pods, whales, and just enjoyed our adventures. Great family fun! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

Went on a holiday boat ride with Santa and enjoyed every minute! Very nice boats with really friendly crew and staff.

Oceanside adventures is our go to for whale watching in San Diego for the last nine years. Incredible captain, crew, and boat! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

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I was invited by a friend on this adventure. Although we didn't see any whales on this ride we saw pods of Common Dolphins frolicking. What a sight to see these beautiful creatures play in the deep blue. This experience was a pleasant beginning with the check-in at the booth. Because we were part of a group we had to wait for everyone to be present so that we could all head out to the vessel after signing a waiver. Although we were part of a group there were still room for other's that had made a reservation. After boarding and sailing off, our captain introduce himself and the crew and gave the run down of the tour. The tour is about 2 hours. A single restroom is available on the boat. There are light snacks available for purchase. Outside liquor is prohibited but they do have some for purchase on board. The boat itself is spacious with front (uncovered) of the boat. The seating along the sides are covered above, so provided good shade. It did get a little chilly when the sun was on the other side of the boat. I saw sweaters being passed by family members. We sat towards the back. Dress accordingly at least a sweater to take the chill off. It was a smooth ride, no rough waves. The two young crew graciously answered my many question's. I would definitely suggest this business to friends and family. I will return in the future. read more

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We didn't get to see any whales but we saw HUNDREDS of dolphins and had a nice time cruising on the ocean. The crew was super friendly and even had a few marine life toys on board that my 2 yr old played with on the journey. The boat is very safe and secure and I wasn't worried at all about our daughter's safety. There is a huge inside seating area we stayed in during the ride and we still had an amazing view. We popped up into the front outside area when the dolphins were around and again had a great view. I definitely recommend Oceanside adventures if you want to take a trip out on the sea to find some friends. read more

A lovely voyage, not too many folks, sea lions barked as we headed out. We soon spotted a lone Humpback and escorted it to a small kelp island, where it stirred up the avian occupants and flipped its tail several times. AND, to the Captain's credit, we chased down and relieved the ocean of a despicable mylar balloon! A lovely way to spend an afternoon! Thanks again! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Humpback Tailflip - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

Great experience. Great crew. Super fun. Would go again. Ocean gets windy, so if you get cold easily, bring appropriate clothes. read more

Sailed on the 2-hour whale watching trip on the NALA. Perfect weather and near mid-whale migration season. The crew did a good job on the safety instructions and goals for the trip. We were fortunate to find a massive pod of common dolphins during the first hour and later the captain was able to locate 3 gray whales several miles offshore directly west of Oceanside. Several crew members were on the lookout and reporting to the captain which I'm guessing improved ours odds of finding whales--it worked and we had a very nice time. They even sent out a drone to view the whales from a safe distance and the crew member walked around and showed all of the customers the drone video. Additionally, the captain took the time to retrieve a Mylar balloon from the water and explained the danger those balloons pose to certain wildlife in the ocean. read more

Incredible afternoon. With the Oceanside Adv crew! They were polite, friendly and knowledgeable! The boat was clean and we felt safe. We were so lucky to see four fin whales (second largest whales in the world) and two types of dolphins! One of the whales Swam under our boat. It was so neat! Fantastic fun with our family! read more

Oceanside Adventures - One of the fin whales - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

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What a great day for whale watching. We saw lots of dolphins and a blue whale. The crew was awesome. read more

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Went out yesterday. Friendly crew. The Nala is solid, clean, and provides a smooth ride. Great views. We did not see whales as we are kind of at end of one season and before the next. Not unexpected. However, our common dolphin encounter and just being out on the water was a great time. We will come back in November to January for sure!! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Nala - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

The boat is nice and well kept, but the tour is a crap shoot. You may or .at not see any Wales or dolphins, and for this reason there should be amenities, like music and food. The food is only grab bag size store bought snacks, that we had to buy. We rode 2hrs on the boat with only the sound of the engine running loudly. Once was enough for me, no referral. read more

Staff was very nice and friendly. For the first 1 and half hour, no whales or dolphins were seen, that is nature and can be expected. What looked like a bust, the captain finally found a mother and her baby humpback whale! He shut the engine off, and the whale was at our side of the boat. We were able to take great photos and video of the whales. Because it took so long to find whales, and there was not an afternoon cruise planned for the company, Captain extended our tour beyond the 2hr limit. Highly recommended Oceanside Adventures. read more

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Love these guys! Definitely worth it and its absolutely beautiful out there! There was literally, HUNDREDS of dolphins and they hung out with us for most of the 2 hour trip. This was my second time using them and will definitely be coming back the next time I'm in Cali. read more

Oceanside Adventures rocks! This was our second time out with them. Staff is super friendly and courteous. Excellent bar drinks. They really go out of their way to give you a great time! read more

Take a fun adventure on the beautiful Oceanside coast. As a Carlsbad resident I was looking for the perfect way to spend the morning of my wife's birthday and Oceanside Adventure did not disappoint. Beautiful views, tons of dolphins and a great crew made for a wonderful experience. Highly recommended for locals and tourists alike. read more

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My family and I did the Christmas Harbor Lights ride and it was beautiful seeing all the boats lit up for Christmas. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed the Christmas music on the boat. I definitely recommend this for a memorable way to enjoy the holidays. read more

Went for a whale watching trip today spur of the moment. Had a fabulous day. Went on The Nala, which is a new vessel. Great layout and plenty of room for everyone to have a great view. Plenty of shade or sun available. The crew was very laid back and great to be around. They made sure you had everything you wanted and was able to answer every question people had. This is not a trip with someone narrating the whole time. It was a wonder day on the water. We did not see a whale, but we saw A LOT of dolphins and a sunfish. It's a great way to spend a couple of hours l read more

Oceanside Adventures - Dolphins racing our boat. - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

We did a 9:30am cruise on June 23rd. Not even a half hour out of the harbor we saw 2 blue whales. Got to see them do 4 deep dives which was awesome. One of them was huge. We also saw a sunfish and crazy enough we even saw a shark jump out of the water. The only thing we didn't see were dolphins but we've seen those on every other boat trip so that wasn't really sad. Chris was our captain and even he seemed surprised that we had such great luck on our tour. We had a great time and would highly recommend. read more

Oceanside Adventures has truly changed my life. Being on the ocean and experiencing the marine wildlife has helped me heal trauma as well as grief and loss. The crew and Captains are all professional, extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. I recommend the Oceanside Adventures for everyone. They are an incredible organization that respects the ocean and marine life, as well as safety. Experiencing the dolphins and whales has been a religious experience for me. Every time I go on the boat it feels like my nervous system is repaired as well as I feel connected to something greater than myself. Also, the NALA is very clean and comfortable and offers excellent viewing of the marine life. read more

I've been coming twice a year for years on the same free pass (if they think you don't see enough, you get to come back), but today I'm happy to report, I lost that perk (though I will get 25% off my next trip!). Everyone's mileage will vary on these tours, but me personally, even if I don't see anything, I'm just happy to be out. I learned today that dolphins don't have a set mating season, and will mate just for fun. Hence the babies swimming about all year long. I saw three species of dolphin this trip! And you can see the differences in the way they look, in my photos (which is why I posted so many instead of my usual collages). Pro tip: bring cash to tip! These guys are knowledgeable and passionate about what they do, and work so hard for us. I'm mostly including this tidbit so I remember to do so myself. PS- check the videos on here for a swordfish I saw one trip! Super cool. read more

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Best boat trip ever!!! Went out on a whale watching tour with Oceanside Adventure luxury cruises and saw the most amazing pod of hundreds of dolphins all around us. It was incredible and a memory I will never forget read more

We took a dolphin and whale watching tour this Sunday during our anniversary trip to Oceanside. We got discounted tickets at the Visitor Center and the ladies over there booked it for us and gave me a cool tote (you can get one w. Yelp check in). I got a confirmation email from Oceanside Adventures right away. I also called their office and they were very nice and together and went over a few things. They have 2 tours daily at Noon and another one at 2 pm. We took the Noon one, you have to check in at the Harbor 30 min - 45 min. ahead at their cute kiosk. Nice, easy process. We had a decent number of people on board (about 20), but not crowded. The boat is not big, clean with many seating options based on what you prefer, what sat under the canopy to avoid the sun. They sell snack and drinks on board. We got to see dolphins in the Harbor before leaving on our adventure. We saw lots of birds, pelicans and a super pod of dolphins, hundreds of them, coming close to the boat. It was a great feeling to see so many cute dolphins around! Amazing, it was worth taking the cruise just for that! Captain Chris was nice, knowledgeable, he knows where to take you, stops the boat to enjoy the wild life and take photos. He explains everything to you without talking the whole time, which I prefer. The crew is nice and energetic, Aubrey was cool as well. We were excited to see a minky whale (didn't take photos since it was going under the water and coming our in other areas). Captain Chris managed to spot it and even spend more time in the area for us to enjoy it. I wasn't sure we'd see a whale, it's not a guarantee, I was hoping since it's the migration season. So we were thrilled to have that experience! Nice, smooth ride, beautiful views of the harbor, the Pacific and of the coastline! Wear sunscreen and a few layers, it gets cold out in the water! We got coupons for a next trip at the end and we hope to do it again! Smooth sail! read more

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This was a great whale watching cruise and I honestly can't wait to do it again. The staff was super knowledgeable & friendly. Bring cash to tip or have a little drink. read more

Oceanside Adventures - Here's a crew member taking amazing pictures - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Unfortunately we didn't see any whales, but we did get to see a huge pod of dolphins all around the boat. Only saw something like that on TV. The boat was very clean. I would definitely go again. read more

I've gone whale watching with Oceanside Adventures more than a handful of times and every single time has been fantastic. We've seen countless dolphins, whales & sunfish. The crew has always been super sweet and knowledgeable. Only once did we go on a tour without seeing any dolphins/whales and we were able to come back another for free as a result. read more

I've been living in Oceanside for over 5 years now and I've enjoyed my experiences while whale-watching with Oceanside Adventures. I've been out on the ocean on 3 separate trips and each one was a pleasure. On my very first trip, I was fortunate enough to see dolphins, seals and some whales. This was such an awesome adventure being able to witness such massively majestic creatures breach in their own habitat. The crew know their craft and have good experience with sea creatures and I like all the fun facts and knowledge gained on these trips. The boat ride alone is peaceful and it is calming just being in the open water being able to look back on Oceanside. If soloing, it makes for great self-reflection time and reconnecting with your thoughts. Kids will love it just because SEA ANIMALS!! Definitely a fantastic family outing! Pros: The vessel is spacious and safe. The crew is friendly and knowledgeable. The prices are affordable and if you check Groupon, you'll probably find a discount. There's beverages & snacks for sale. Cons: Not guaranteed to see whales on every trip. Although you will most likely see dolphins and if you're lucky see a playful pod! One thing that would be cool is if passengers were incentivize to take return trips if they didn't see any whales on their voyage and could have an automatic 10% on their next booking. Overall, I recommend taking a ride out with Oceanside Adventures and enjoying the sea and don't forget to keep your camera battery charged full read more

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I have been going whale watching with Oceanside adventures multiple times a year since they opened. The staff is so great! The last few times going I have had Captain Chris and Saxon, both of which are amazing and always provide a great time! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

Absolutely best experience we could have imagined. This is only the 3rd yelp review I have ever given over 15 plus years but it was that amazing of an experience. We got to see a momma dolphin help her baby take its first breathes, tons of large fish, and more then one school of dolphins, the last group had upwards of 500 dolphins. I not only have sent their info to everyone I know but will most certainly take the tour again next time I am visiting the area and can't wait. Fantastic experience! read more

Oceanside Adventures - A baby dolphin getting its first breathes with help from its mom and my family who got to experience it. - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

Best whale watching tour I've ever been on! We saw multiple blue whales and had a great view from all sides of the boat. Shannon was very helpful checking us in and Saxon was very knowledgeable of the ocean and whales. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating. Clean, new catamaran boat was large and comfortable so no one experienced seasickness. We'll definitely be back! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

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OMG I'd give these guys 10 stars if I could! Chris and Cindy took us out Wednesday to follow (at a respectful distance) a pod of FIVE grey whales! It was a glorious day we will never forget. It was our 2nd time with Oceanside Adventures; this time we brought my sister-in-law and niece. They adored it! We loved being close enough to HEAR these magnificent creatures as they were breathing (in set rhythms), fluking, diving, repeating. Chris explained it as we went. Cindy fished two metallic balloons out of the water to prevent whale injury/death...she said that was 5 total balloons for the day. It was nice they do this good deed for these spectacular creatures. Thanks for the absolutely unforgettable day!!! read more

Oceanside Adventures - The end of a fluke! - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

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