Everything was well organized; staff was very friendly and helpful. They followed Covid safety protocols pretty well and had ample space on the boat. We saw a lot of dolphins, sea lions, pelicans, and a sunfish. We learned more about the dolphin species and animals that frequent California's coast. I would definitely recommend this tour! read more

Wow! We went out on a two hour whale-watching cruise & had such a great time we are going to try to come again tomorrow. The boat wasn't crowded, the ocean was like glass & we saw hundreds of dolphins. The captain and crew were excellent. Just awesome! read more

I went out twice in the same week-both times we saw sea lions on a buoy and large groups of common dolphins. I'm pretty sure the boat captains know these dolphins will appear and it was enjoyable watching them frolic. However, we do not go out far enough out to see whales. They'd need at least another hour out. I don't think they should advertise it as a whale watching experience read more

It was a slow marine mammal day, unfortunately, but the captain worked hard to find us *something* and finally spotted a small group of dolphins, clipping along at a good speed. He was surprised to see calves with the group as the pods with calves usually go at a slower speed. The dolphins came over to the bow of the boat and we got to see them up close and personal, including some of those adorable calves and their mommas. My adult daughter was seasick despite take medications and precautions and the crew was helpful to us while trying to get it under control. read more

What a great afternoon! We didn't see any whales today, but lots and lots of dolphins that put on a show for. Staff was extremely pleasant and helpful. The boat was nice with plenty of seating for everyone - not overcrowded which I appreciated! Enjoyed being able to have a beverage on board. Being a local, I have never went whale watching before. Will definitely do again when the whales are migrating. read more

This was out third trip this year on the Oceanside Adventures cruise. Yesterday we took our three grandchildren and their parents from Pennsylvania out to see ocean life. On our 2 hour trip, we saw over 800 dolphins jumping in the air, babies swimming along side the boat and some swimming beside our boat. We all had a wonderful time. The captain and staff are so nice and helpful. I heard everyone on board saying how much they loved their adevnture. We highly anyone, of any age to come to Oceanside Harbor and take the Oceanside Adventure boat cruise out. read more

My husband and I went out on one of the boat cruises for our anniversary. It was a beautiful boat and staff was so friendly and knowledgeable about the aquatic life. Additionally the captain went above and beyond and played us a song on his mandolin for our anniversary!! It was so special and really made our anniversary memorable! Thank you so much!! read more

We went on the 2:30 pm whale and dolphin trip yesterday and it was amazing. We got to see 2 whales, 1 rare spotted dolphin, about 50 or more other dolphins and sea lions. The crew were very friendly and knowledgeable. Perfect Day. We loved it and I will definitely do it again soon. read more

As a family of 13, we prepaid for everyone and were all excited about our upcoming whale watching excursion with Oceanside Adventures. Unfortunately we drove around searching for parking for over 30 minutes. We were never alerted that parking would be such a problem, as the only parking in the area is for registered boat owners. We had two wheelchair bound participants and also looked for handicapped parking, but there was only two handicapped spaces and they were also both filled. When we arrived to the booth 5 minutes late, the not so kind female attendant told us that they closed the gate so we couldn't get on the boat. We explained the situation but the woman said it was all our fault and no refund or credit for a future excursion would be allowed. We watched the boat sail off 5 minutes later. read more

What a great experience! The staff was amazing. The captain seemed to be really into his job and take joy in showing his passengers the ocean wildlife. It felt very safe during Covid. read more

Great trip seen dolphin but no whales overall was an amazing trip friendly staff super clean boat

It was fun, even though we didn't see a whale we were able to see a 100+ pod of common dolphins. Boat was well kept and the crew was nice. They gave us some discounts for another trip which was really nice. read more

We loved this whale watching adventure! We saw Blue Whales (rare to see) and a huge pod of Common Dolphins! I got some great video and pics but also some fantastic memories! read more

Oceanside Adventures - Blue Whale - Boat Charters Near Me - Oceanside, California

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Nice and clean boat! We saw lots of dolphins on our July cruise. Brought my whole extended family for my parents' anniversary. We liked the morning cruise bc it was less crowded and got us out before lunch. read more

It was a beautiful experience! There were so many sea lions and dolphins. It was really spectacular! The boat crew was super friendly and fun to be on board with. I would highly recommend it! If you are wanting to see whales, I heard whale season is November through March. So amazing to be out on the ocean! read more

Excellent cruise. We spotted he usual sea lions on the buoy, and lots of pods of feeding dolphins. The highlight of this trip was a very large school of Blue Fin Tuna feeding. They jumped and splashed just like the dolphins. Staff was very informative. Will go again when visiting Oceanside with out of town guests. read more

Very nice and relaxing atmosphere on the water. Nice staff. There was plenty of space and not crowded. Got a chance to see some dolphins. Wine and snacks were good. Overall great experience with my daughters and one of their friends. We loved it!! read more

We had an awesome time! Although the day was cloudy and cold, the trip was well worthy. First of all, the boat was clean and very comfortable. We sat down at the front, the best spot of all!!. We saw sea lions and tons and tons of dolphins. More than 300. The dolphins like to swim just in front of the boat, and it is amazing to see how they play and communicate. It was AWESOME. My teenage kids were very happy and they considered this trip to be worth repeating every time we go to Oceanside. Just do it! You won't regret it. read more

What a wonderful trip. The Harbor seals were awesome. Loved how they educated us on the seals and dolphins. Pods of dolphins were everywhere! Loved it! read more

My husband and I have been to a few whale watching tours and this is the only one where we could actually see beautiful whales... we got back a little late as our "guide" was making sure we got the full experience, we saw 8 different whales.... boat was nice and clean, well worth the trip! read more

I've taken about a dozen whale watching boat tours the past 3 years, multiple times at each of the following places: moss landing, dana point, san diego, newport beach, and more recently, @ Oceanside. Dana point was my fave until now. But will come back to Oceanside during whale peak season & when weather is sunny with blue skies and sunshine. Saw no whales but enjoyed watching the dolphins for 20-30m while they gave us a fun experience. While SD welcomed us with chill, clouds and some fog, (there's no real good day to go during our week here, plus i already pre booked a week in advance before weather update and couldn't chg ride without losing the money) I must say this is the best boat ride and best value i've experienced thus far. Had the weather been warm, clear, and sunny, it'd be perfect! PROS LOCATION-very low maintenance in Oceanside. I got here way too early (3 hours in advance for my 12 o'clock) not sure what the parking situation was, but it was dead!!! Ample area to park since the boat from previous trip doesn't get back til 12 o'clock (actuallythey were late) i'd say just show up 15 m to departure to check in would be fine unless it's "high season" which it isn't now. Unfortunately only a handful of restaurants which were pretty dead and a few shops were open. It was eerily quiet, but by the time my boat ride was over at 2pm, things picked up and by 3pm the sun finally came out. San Diego port, however, was a different story. When we went 1-2 years ago, we almost missed our ride, even though i had what i though ample cushion time (the traffic and the parking situation was horrific). There was a line for check-in and finding the correct check- in place was chaotic since there were so many diff companies. The line in SD was about 50+ when we went and water was super choppy so most of its passengers were puking. lol BOAT Oceanside Adventures has one boat only and it's a catamaran, which is a great value for its price (i bought a discounted tix so super value). FIrst time on a catamaran. All the other trips i took were bigger boats which sometimes make viewing harder. Catamaran was very clean and very new. Alcohol, soda, and chip/candy sold on boat. They run 3 rides daily and a Friday sunset one, which i would take if it were clear and sunny. Next time for sure. STAFF Staff were 2 very friendly young men. The 10 o'clock had about 25-30 people. Our boat had a little less than that, but that just makes the experience better (more viewing more, less cramped). So, based on the excellent price, being on a beautiful very new catamaran with friendly staff, the ease of getting there and virtually no lines and hassles, what are you waiting for?? Spend a beautiful day out in the water. read more

We have cruised twice with Oceanside Adventures. July 4th fireworks trip and again Memorial day weekend. Both trips were fun and well run. Will definitely go with them again. read more

We had a wonderful cruise yesterday with O-side Adventures. Nice easy ride out of the harbor. 5 miles out we found a pod of common dolphins. Not so ordinary pod. This pod was estimated at 5 to 6 Hunded yes I sad HUNDRED. everywhere you looked for the next 40 min was dolphins playing in the wake of the boat and leaping out of the water. This was kind of a test cruise for us as we are taking my mother out on the 26th of this month. Hopefully we will more of the same and even a whale or 2. read more

Went out on Sunday, 12/11 noon cruise. Great first impression. Boat very clean. We were lucky to spot a grey whale. Followed it for about 30 minutes. Also saw a couple pods of dolphins and spent another 20-30 minutes watching them. Great day, great cruise. read more

We took our entire family on the 2 hour whale watching excursion. It was so much fun. We saw hundreds of dolphins but unfortunately no whales but we all (except for one who didn't feel good due to sea-sickness) had a wonderful time. The guide was great. They had seen 2 whales just the day before so we were hopeful but at least we ran into 2 schools of dolphins. We also saw the sea lions which the kids really loved too. We will go again next time we are in town! read more

This was a great trip! Even tho I got sea sick lol.the young lady that was working the boat was so so nice and helped me when I got sick. She gave me ginger pills and water and I felt much better. I would absolutely recommend booking a boat with this company! read more

My first Whale watching adventure was a success. We were fortunate enough to see a female grey whale with her calf! The Captains on our boat were quick to spot them and we were able to follow them for a short time. Our Captains were very knowledgeable. After leaving the whales, we came upon a very large pod of dolphins. They were very playful and responded to us! If you look at the facebook page, the whales posted on 04-24-18 are the ones we saw on our trip. I highly recommend Oceanside Adventures. I would recommend an early time, since there are not as many personal boats out to follow and sometimes interfere with the watching. read more

We saw an amazing pod of 300 dolphins. They were jumping everywhere. Didn't see any whales, but the dolphins did not disappoint‼ Captain Chris was very knowledgeable about sea life and even spotted a seal thermo cycling and a large sunfish. Well worth the trip. The experience was so amazing read more

Best boat ride ever, their employees are very knowledgeable on all of the aquatic animals and surrounding area. This trip is definitely worth your money because they keep you out until you see something whether it's a dolphin and wales or one or the other. They do sell snacks and drinks from a little bar in the center of the boat .keep in mind there is only one person working the bar, one person Educating the passengers and one person driving the boat. Depending on the size of your party you can be sitting with just a few people or a full boat. seating is around the boat on the sides and you're covered partially, with some windows left open. During spring break they do offer one more boat ride towards the end of the day at 6:30 and that's because of extra sunlight major bonus of the last ride of the day it's also discounted it to only $29. You must check in to get your tickets and you will check in at the Orange shack left to the entrance to the entrance read more

Have been on many whale watching excursions off the CA coast, Mexico, and Hawaii. Never have seen so many breaching whales ( 5-7 straight up in the air) it was a very extraordinary experience. Like a moment from the insurance commercial. No one could even pull their cameras out , because we were too busy experiencing it . A true "present moment" Crew was awesome, and very attentive as well as knowledgeable about all the sea life. Highly recommended. read more

This was such a wonderful adventure for my family. The boat was clean and the crew was very nice. I went out not really expecting to see any sea life besides sea lions, but we saw a huge pod of dolphins. It was amazing to see. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fun 2 hour adventure. read more

Wow! We did a 2-hour Mother's Day Cruise and it was truly Amazing. Firstmate Joey was a fountain a sea knowledge, I was mildly blown away. I was asking him super simple questions about sea life, etc. and his answers were downright scientific. This guy knows his stuff! And the captain put us smack on top of huge pods of dolphins; 100's of them! Adults and children alike were completely flipped out (pardon the pun). The dolphins were practically jumping in the boat. Seriously, they were Everywhere. So awesome! Thanks Again to the whole crew at Oceanside Adventures! with one final shout-OUT to Jessica in the booth, she is so nice! Thanks again to everyone at O.A. ! read more

A very nice time. Was cloudy and cold for July, but overall nice. This is my 4th time taking a "Whale watching tour" - I think all of these tours regardless of where they are located should be call "Dolphin watching". Of the 4 tours I have taken I have only seen whales once, all other times it's just dolphins. Dolphins are cool but after you see the 600 in a pod it gets tiring and boring for the kids (my autistic brother kept asking when do we go back). The boat with this tour was very nice. The staff was all very nice and accommodating. It is a enjoyable get-away. read more

This was absolutely delightful! One of the best things we did on our trip to Oceanside! The boat was clean, and they only allowed just the right amount of people on it. It was informative and fun. They had beverages and snacks on the boat and even a bathroom. We didn't see any whales on the trip we took, but the number of dolphins certainly made up for the lack of whales. Dolphins raced after the boat and jumped in the air like synchronized swimmers. It was absolutely amazing! Friendly people and just a fun, fun afternoon. We would do this again on our next trip! We recommend to couples or families. This is a "must do" trip when visiting Oceanside on vacation. read more

Definitely recommend. Staff was very kind, & we felt comfortable with covid precautions as staff reminded people to wear their mask properly. Staff also showed interest in the wildlife. Absolutely beautiful site. I had a wonderful experience for my first time whale watching. We will definitely return. :-) read more

This was a great boat tour, saw a great diversity of sea life. An awesome tour guide had lots of info and very polite. Can't wait to go again next year! read more

Oceanside Adventures should always be your go-to for whale and dolphin watching. The crew is kind, professional, and well informed on the various wild life you encounter. This is a tour you'll want to go on again and again because each time is unique. read more

Had a great time on our trip, didn't get to see any whales but saw lots of seals and porpoises, boat was very stable and the staff very knowledgeable, would not hesitate to go out with them again read more

I got two tickets for the luxury whale and dolphin watching cruise for my boyfriend and I to surprise him for his birthday. We were VERY pleasantly surprised at how much fun we had and how knowledgeable our guides were on the 2-hour journey. It was so enjoyable and so relaxing. We both agreed this will be a yearly event for us! read more

Our original whale watching cruise was cancelled due to windy conditions. I received an email notice a couple of hours before our departure time, with an explanation & a contact number. I was able to call & easily reschedule for the next day. We had beautiful weather the next day & enjoyed a couple of hours on the water, but alas, saw only a couple of sea lions. The boat is new & very clean. The staff was very friendly & knowledgeable. There are snacks & drinks or cocktails to purchase on board, if you like. On return back to the harbor we received tickets, that don't expire, to return another day & try again. read more