Great experience. Friendly captain and crew. Lots of water and wildlife. (Experienced 2023). I remember getting on the boat and not knowing what to do. I quickly started feeling more comfortable after we started the journey. I enjoyed the pace of the boat and the ride. We also got lots of pictures from a professional videographer which helped add to my spout and fin videos. We did see whales! read more

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Really cool unique excursion in Santa Barbara! You're on a small boat so you get really close to the wildlife. When I went, there were quite literally hundreds of dolphins and probably about a dozen humpback whales, as well as a few seabirds I had never encountered (I'm a birder so that was exciting to me). Also plenty of seals and sea lions! As a local it was a fun way to remind myself of the epic natural habitat we have right in our backyard. Highly recommend, it was such a fun experience. read more

Had a great time with Captain Devin and Santa Barbara Whale Watch. He is knowledgeable and prioritizes respect of the animals. The boat rides very comfortably and the smaller group size adds SO much to the experience on the water! We had a great time with two different groups of socializing humpback whales. read more

Santa Barbara Whale Watch - Humpback fluke - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Captain Adam was great! He is very conscientious and considerate- of those of us in the boat AND of the animals in the water. He took us into the Painted Cave on Santa Cruz, and the seas were calm enough that we were able to take the boat into the water between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa- that's where we saw grey whales. We also saw a humpback, bottlenose dolphins, and Dall's dolphins. Beautiful day, beautiful trip. I love how intimate it is on this small vessel. read more

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Zipping around the channel in this smaller up close and personal modern water craft with knowledgeable captain who seems to have quite a knack for finding whales and wildlife was quite an experience! It was a surprisingly smooth and balanced ride, going so quickly over what was a rather swelly day. After close up visits with some humpback and minke whales, my favorite part was when we paused amidst a group of dolphins, sea lions and diving birds, idled the engine in total silence except for the sounds of nature. We took our time for a while, totally relaxed, before we zipped on back to harbor. I'll be back. Very fun! read more

This is a great choice for whale watching in Santa Barbara. The small boat size makes every seat a good one. Captan Devin and Dana are knowledgeable and personable. Most importantly they are responsible to the wildlife and the environment. I've been out with SBwhalewatch 2X, always a great experience, can't wait for my next trip! read more

We had a memorable time on our trip on Monday. Our captain was very helpful, professional, and informative, and the boat was very clean and comfortable. It was wonderful to go on a whale tour with just a few others on board; our previous whale watching experiences have been with bigger excursions. This felt more personal and relaxing. And of course...the whales!!! Our captain took us around to watch a number of humpbacks in various places. We probably saw a dozen over the course of the day. Breaching, pec fin slapping, feeding. We saw multiple large pods of dolphins, too--many of which swam alongside us, riding our wake. We saw sea lions, shearwaters, cormorants, etc., too! So much great wildlife all over. A perfect day on the water. read more

Best way to whale Santa Barbara. I have whaled Hawaii, Alaska and Monterey but this is the best boat I have been on for great views all around, all the time. read more

Santa Barbara Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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By far best whale watching company in Santa Barbara, Intimate, comfortable, knowledgeable and nothing shy of amazing. read more

Truly an unforgettable experience! From the moment we stepped onto the boat, everything felt easy, relaxed, and fun. There were just five of us onboard, which made the outing feel super personal and special. We saw dolphins cruising right alongside us, and the highlight of the day... a whale breaching! Shout out to Devin! He was incredible. He's not only super knowledgeable about the marine life but also made the whole experience feel like we were just out enjoying the ocean with a group of friends. This is the must-do experience in Santa Barbara, I cannot wait to go again! read more

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Captain Devin and Adam were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about Santa Barbara whales and marine life. For my birthday, we went on a four hour trip and saw about 20 humpback whales, approximately 5000 dolphins, and too many sea lions to count. The experience was safe, educational, and very pleasant. This was the best birthday I've had in years thanks to Devin and Adam. They've been blessed with whale whispering capabilities. It's a must do and see experience! read more

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My boyfriend and I had a wonderful experience yesterday . The captain was very informative and it was just so surreal to see such magnificent creatures so close read more

Having experienced several whale watching tours over the course of our travels, we were excited to join Captain Devin on a small boat tour. We had been concerned about the foggy weather forecast, and wanted to re-book on another date, but Devin assured us the predicted weather wouldn't be a problem. WRONG! We had a very cold journey, and all of the passengers and captain Devin couldn't wait to get off that boat. No whales, foggy, and freezing cold. We live in Northern Michigan, and are very used to sub-zero temperatures. Brought hats and layers of clothing, but not enough to ward off the fog and cold temperatures. We would recommend this tour ONLY if the forecast is for calm seas and warm temps - there is no escape from the elements on this small boat! read more

Wow! This this was an amazing experience. We saw 3 humpbacks whales and THOUSANDS of dolphins. Book this trip. It is an intimate experience on a boat and that only holds 6 passengers but large enough to feel safe while venturing out to the Channel Islands. It is worth every penny. Book it! read more

Had a fantastic day with Captain Devin last week. A super fast trip across the channel, close to Santa Cruz Island. Devin spotted the rare Dall's porpoise and then spent the afternoon with a family of Orcas. He did not harass the wildlife but we had some intimate encounters with these impressive animals. I will never forget this amazing experience. It was also a great way to entertain a 20 year old and 80 year old. The seats were super comfortable, boat was in pristine condition, (and yes there is a clean head). Devin was a great host and let us have the run of the boat, as well as going above and beyond so that we could really savor these incredible moments. Highly recommend this VIP experience! read more

Santa Barbara Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We had such an amazing excursion. We were very fortunate to be joined by professional wildlife photographers Adam Ernster and Ralph Clevenger. Between skipper Devon and those 2 we learned more than we ever thought about Channel Island wildlife and geography of the Channel Islands. Devon took us out to Santa Cruz Island in his rocket ship boat. With only 6 on board and the boats small size you are truly right there with the whales, dolphins and porpoises. These guys can actually smell where the whales have surfaced. Rotten broccoli! This was our second trip and we will definitely be back. Thank you Devon. read more

We had a great experience! We've gone whale watching at least a half dozen times, usually out of Santa Barbara, Long Beach or Newport Beach, but this was our first time with Santa Barbara Whale Watch. We loved the small boat and being so low in the water/closer to the wildlife, and our captain, Adam, was super cool. We had an ASTONISHING sighting of two humpbacks who repeated swam under our boat and breached nearby, and lots of dolphins and birds. A great experience, and we'll definitely sail with them again during blue whale season! read more

With over 10 years in the whale tour industry, Captain Devin and his crew provide a truly unique experience here in the Santa Barbara channel. Their attention to detail and professionalism is matched only in magnitude by the raw beauty of planet earths most magnificent creatures out in the wild doing what they do best: kicking ass. Superior cost value and unforgettable memories; I simply can't recommend them more. read more

Devon was a great captain and guide! He knew about whales and we were lucky enough to see some humpback whales! It was a cold boat ride so dress warm! read more

My wife and I had an unbelievable experience with Devon. Devon was knowledgeable of the marine life and whales. He understood how to navigate the areas where the whales were located. We will do another trip with Devon in the near future. read more

The tour was very exciting and close to the action. You're close to the whales and close to the water. The boat is on the smaller side, so the ride can be very bumpy. Consider this if you have a bad back or neck. I thought it was jumping up and down as we sped through the water. The captain and guide were both extremely attentive to the passengers. They made great efforts to locate and follow the whales, providing the best view without disturbing them. The captain is very skilled and knowledgeable about the ocean and the boat so we felt we were in good hands. The guide was very knowledgeable about marine life and provided much information on everything we saw. I can't think of anything that would have made this trip better. read more

I had the most incredible time with SB Whale watch! My whole family booked a trip to celebrate my mom's birthday this past week, and everyone had a great time. We saw thousands of dolphins, multiple whales, and my personal favorite- a Mola Mola! Captain Devin is incredibly knowledgeable, and the boat was very comfortable. They even came prepared with super warm and wind proof blankets- which everyone appreciated. If you want a highly personalized marine wildlife excursion, this is the trip for you. read more

The ABSOLUTE BEST! We have been on just about every whale watching boat in Southern California and this is by far the best! Beautiful boat ... maximum 6 passengers and great photo ops! Captain Devin was such a pleasure... so knowledgeable and SO MUCH FUN! Thank you for an amazing day on the water! We'll be back very soon! read more

Fantastic time out on the Santa Barbara Channel with Captain Devin and his friend Adam (who shot spectacular photos on this trip). It was a beautiful calm day and we were hoping to see some whales. What we hadn't expected was the exhilaration of being in amongst hundreds of playful dolphins who clearly liked the boat as much as we did! We were able to watch them close up as they swam alongside and in front of the boat, giving us plenty of photo and video opportunities. Next up, some feeding humpback whales which were only too happy to show off their massive flukes as they breached and dived. We wrapped our trip with a look inside the painted cave on Santa Cruz which was spectacular. What a way to spend a few hours! Great people, great wildlife, a new luxurious boat and close up sightings of beautiful marine life. They posted a blog about the trip on their site with some of Adam's photos - https://www.whalewatchsantabarbara.com/post/whales-dolphins-and-a-trip-to-painted-cave-2-humpbacks-3-000-dolphins . read more

Santa Barbara Whale Watch - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This would have been a good trip by any standards. The crew was attentive and enthusiastic and seemed really excited about getting us out to see whales. What made me wish that I could give more than five stars was their willingness to go the extra mile (or, in this case, more than 20 miles), and extend the trip so that we could observe a visiting family of orcas, including a newborn calf. Trips like this are always contingent on conditions; there's no guarantee of what you'll see, but it was great that they really wanted to make this happen. read more

What an incredible experience. It kicks off with an awesome captain, Devin, and photographer, Adam, setting friendly vibes. And then the boat is a sweet ride with six comfortable cushioned seats that are clean and nice. Just the boat ride headed toward the channel islands was so beautiful and nice. Seals and sea lions, of course, are seen as you head out of the harbor. But then WHAT!! We were so fortunate to see tons of whales. Mostly blue whales, but also a fin whale and some humpbacks. We ended up surrounded by them. There were nonstop multiple spouts 360 degrees in all directions and it was hard to keep track of how many we saw. There was a baby Blue calf with its mom. And a pack of 3 humpbacks including a baby. As Devin was boating over toward the whale feeding frenzy, a blue whale suddenly breached like 20 feet in front of the boat so we immediately slowed down. So epic. Devin navigates his boat masterfully and gets it in very close proximity to the whales while maintaining a respectful distance. And you're down right by the water because of the small intimate size of his boat. Devin and Adam were a wealth of knowledge about whales. Adam was whale chasing with his drone and will share the footage with us. On the way back, we ended up surrounded by a pod of 100s and 100s of doIphins. It was a magical day. I highly HIGHLY recommend going out with Devin and his crew! read more

Best whale watching experience in this area! The small boat brought the experience so much closer! The boat was very comfortable. Devin is a great captain, friendly, intuitive, makes you feel at home and is attentive to your needs. He provided blankets for guests as needed, frequently checked in with us and made sure we all had a wonderful trip. We take all of our visitors on a whale watching experience when they come to town and had down this was the best! He even stopped to pluck a Mylar balloon out of the ocean. We will continue to book with Devin when guests come to visit. I highly recommend this experience!! read more

We had a great trip whale watching with this company. We saw 1 whale who came very close to the boat and some sea lions & harbour seals but although other whales were about, we didn't see them. Nice boat and great crew. It would have been nice to learn a bit more about whales and their lives, habits etc, but it was a fun trip read more

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Unbelievable experience ! We saw sea lions, dolphins, humpback whales and more! We were surrounded by breaching humpback whales... it was the coolest experience I've had in Santa Barbara yet! The captain and guide were 10/10 read more

Excellent trip. He was able to locate a pod of 5 gray whales and a large number of dolphins. Very successful, very professional excursion.

What an incredible day we had! Dolphins, whales, AND great company. I've been whale watching many times on the Condor Express whale watching trips and while they are good - SB whale watch was FANTASTIC. Such a luxury and personalized experience. The boat is gorgeous and the crew is thoughtful and fun. Classy classy classy. My family and I can't wait to book our next outing. Thank you @sbwhalewatch for an amazing day. read more