I can't say enough positive things about our experience with Avila Beach Whale Watching. The…read morebooking process was a breeze and directions to the boat super clear. The boat was extremely comfortable and super easy to get on and off. Only 6 people so everyone is able to see the show. Captain Mark is personable, experienced and safety conscious. While you can never be guaranteed as to what you will see, the experience we had totally exceeded our expectations - lots of whales breaching and showing off their flukes and dolphins accompanied us for a while playing alongside the boat. This was my first trip with this company, but it won't be my last!

Truly an amazing experience! We saw countless whales, and at times it felt like there were whales…read moreeverywhere you looked. We saw multiple groups of whales lunge feeding, with whales, sea lions, and tons of birds all feeding together. We also saw lots of dolphins and had a chance to cruise alongside them for a while. Our guide, Mark, was fantastic. He clearly knew the whales and their behavior, always kept us informed about what was happening and where to look, and was happy to answer all of our questions. The highlight came when Mark spotted a whale away from where we were watching and decided to head over to check it out--even though we were already seeing some incredible activity. We're so glad he did. Shortly after we got there, the whale breached right in front of our boat! An unforgettable moment that we never would have experienced without Mark's knowledge and instincts. Our original trip had actually been canceled the day before because of bad weather. While that was obviously disappointing, it was completely outside their control, and we really appreciated how they handled it. They added an extra third trip the following day so they could accommodate us. We also brought our three-and-a-half-year-old along, and he had a great time. He was comfortable throughout the trip and really enjoyed the experience. It may not be for every three-and-a-half-year-old, but it definitely worked great for ours! It was the best whale-watching experience our family could have asked for. It truly couldn't have been any better!

Had a great tour. We booked the tour and were expecting to have others on the boat. Due to a…read morecancellation, it was just my wife and I. We saw lots of wildlife (seals, pelicans, and lots of sea otters) It was a beautiful day and a experience we will remember

I honestly have taken Whale Watching tours all over the globe to always be disappointed over the…read moremoney spent to see a whale and if one surfaced it seemed like a mile away. This experience with Captain Michael Brink was off the charts. This man totally enhances the experience. The vibe is, "this never gets old" and he loves his job and does his best to give you the best experience. Not only did we experience several whales, there were several groups of playful dolphins. When bringing friends back to the central coast, we will likely entertain another Whale Watching tour with Captain Mike.

Wow. It was awesome trip The whales and dolphins were so…read morebeautiful.. the crew was wonderful. we are going back again soon.

These are good people they always share lots of knowledge with you and do a great job of finding…read morewhales for you to see. This trip we even saw a pod of dolphins who played around the boat putting on a little show! I've been on multiple whale watching tours and have never had a bad one! If you've never been then what are you waiting on book a whale watching adventure today!

What a fun day! Ricky and Gunner gave us a wonderful adventure. It wasn't long, but it was fun…read more Both fellows had a perfect delivery. It was easy, relaxing and a beautiful day. I would not recommend the double cheeky Mai Tai, as it was way too sweet. Other than that, it was fabulous.

Despite experiencing some discomfort, my recent whale watching excursion was thoroughly enjoyable…read more The staff demonstrated exceptional professionalism and dedication, and I believe their contributions warrant recognition. I intend to participate in this activity again in the future. The opportunity to observe dolphins in their natural habitat was particularly captivating.

The sailing experience was amazing! Terry was a great captain. He really put us at ease on the open…read moreseas and was very accommodating to our circumstances of our children getting seasick. He was able to make the trip fun despite having to change plans. This is a great social distancing activity because he has his section of the boat and the guests have the rest. We will definitely be sailing with him again!

Our small little excursion with Captain Terry was incredible and so much more fun than I had ever…read moreimagined! The short story: you absolutely will not regret going on a trip with Maya Sailing Adventures! It's personal, private, beautiful, fun, easy, and so relaxing. The long story: my sister in law's wedding was postponed due to COVID-19. So the day of her wedding we planned a surprise sailing excursion with Captain Terry. My first impression was that he was incredibly easy to plan with. Everything was up to me. I could bring anything I wanted to make it a special night. It was so easy to plan and get all set up! So we set up a 4 hour sail around the bay for 4 people. After 2 hours he would drop my husband and I off and let my sister in law and her fiancé sail together for the last 2 hours. My biggest concern was that it wouldn't feel private enough for such a special occasion. No reason to worry at all, actually it was incredibly intimate and romantic and very private. If you'd like to chat with Captain, you can, but otherwise he is manning the boat and you are on our own in the front of the boat. It was so private and felt like we were on the boat by ourselves. I set up a charcuterie board and wine tasting with 5 different types of wines. Then we ordered a steak dinner from Windows on the Water and served it to them before they set sail on their own. That's the awesome thing about Maya - it's completely customizable for YOU. We sailed around the bay and relaxed and saw so many otters - mommas and babies! And even a baby seagull! Seeing the animals was so fun. My sister in law and fiancé then went out of the bay and sailed a little bit and saw A WHALE! I was so jealous. But seriously- how amazing? I CANT WAIT to do another trip with Captain Terry. One day, I would like to do the same thing but with only my husband and I... But my sister in law and her fiancé had a wonderful time and so did we. It was one of the best date nights of my life and I can't wait to do it again! You won't regret a sail with Captain Terry and Maya Sailing Adventure!

Definitely wasn't sure how a 4.5 hr excursion would be but overall I'm so glad we went. 2 hours in…read morewe followed 3 humpbacks around. There was a minke whale, so so many dolphins and sea lions all going to town on all the grub in the water. Learned facts from the crew about tectonic plates, whale calf's growing up to 100lbs a day and all the oil that leaks from the ocean floor. Even if you do not see something it's a great ride!

In spite of not seeing any whales, I still had an unforgettable experience. There were hundreds of…read moredifferent dolphin pods swimming alongside the boat. It was a magical experience. I hope to see you whales next time I go. The water was a little choppy so you might want to preload your trip with some nondrowsy pills if you get seasick. It's also just beautiful to be out on the water looking at the channel islands. Highly recommend the service.

Absolutely wonderful experience, safe, informative, wonderful staff, punctual, clean and…read morebreathtaking views! A must see/do!!!

Had the pleasure of being a plus one to my partner's work event here at Celebration Cruises SB!…read more It was so so much fun. Everyone had a drink ticket as well as sandwiches and cookies courtesy of my partner's work. It was pretty overcast the day we were out on the ocean but honestly, it still was very pretty. We got to see seals so that was something!

Great day on the water. Booked a 3/4 day trip and a a blast. Sergio worked hard to get us on some…read moregood sized fish. All 4 of us limited out. Sergio and Melissa are fun and easy to work with, thank you both very much.

We had a great time fishing with Sergio today. We pursued Halibut and Salmon up and down the coast…read morefrom Morro Bay to Cambria. Sergio was very knowledgeable and had a good idea where we could find the fish we were after. Would highly recommend Sergio!

Where do I begin? This is one of the most important moments in my life - proposing to my future…read morewife. Choosing Spencer/Sunswept Sailing for this moment was perfect. He called me the day before and first asked if we expected to get married (a fair question considering a surprise out at sea might be dangerous, lol). He asked if there was any music to put on for our ride - classic rock was a great choice. We arranged to meet at 6 PM and play off the sunset cruise as a birthday surprise as opposed to a proposal - she bought it completely. We got lucky and were able to see a mother whale and calf traveling north for the first 30 minutes of the trip. It was fun hearing Spencer communicate with the other vessels on the radio to let them know there was a whale nearby. Spencer coordinated to where about 45 minutes in as we headed back south to the harbor (and away from other boats) to go up to the front of the boat for the big moment. He used his own phone to take photos and video of the moment I proposed (afterwards airdropping them to my phone which was very considerate). The timing was great, but even afterwards Spencer was hanging off the sail and getting the wildest angles of us as a newly engaged couple - a true testament of how considerate and beyond words he was to make this moment special. He kindly opened champagne and poured us a couple glasses to celebrate as we nestled in near the harbor and enjoyed the moment - accompanied by dolphins and a beautiful sunset. I am without words for how perfect this day was. Spencer was the best captain and truly a gem of a human for making this proposal special. He truly made everything work perfectly. I guarantee we will be back for another boat ride with him. Thanks a million, Spencer!

We booked a private sunset sail with SunSwept Sailing while visiting Santa Barbara, and it ended up…read morebeing one of the highlights of our trip. Captain Spencer was friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly thoughtful. He arranged a delicious local charcuterie board for us, had warm blankets ready as the evening cooled off, and even captured the most amazing photos of us so we could simply enjoy the experience. We sailed aboard Kelpie, spotted sea lions, and watched a breathtaking sunset over the Santa Barbara Harbor. If you're looking for a romantic date, celebrating a special occasion, or just want one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara, I can't recommend SunSwept Sailing enough. We'll definitely book another charter the next time we're in town!