Monterey & Carmel
Top activities in Monterey & Carmel

Half-Day Whale Watching Tour From Monterey

Badge of ExcellenceMonterey, United States

From $80.00

Select Date and Travelers

Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Monterey & Carmel Tours
All Monterey & Carmel Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Fun & Games
Unique Experiences
  • 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Look for whales as they migrate through the waters of the Pacific Ocean off of California on this half-day whale-watching cruise from Monterey. Your naturalist guide shares commentary about the whales and their habitat as you search for gray whales (most common), humpback and blue whales, and other marine life such as dolphins and sea lions during your cruise. Get tips for great photo ops and learn all about the mighty creatures at one of California's most famous whale-watching destinations.
  • Half-day whale watching tour, from Monterey
  • Keep an eye out for whales, dolphins, sea lions, and birds during this cruise on the Pacific Ocean
  • Learn about the whales and California's marine life from the guide
  • Set out from Monterey Bay, a premiere whale watching destination

What's Included

  • Live commentary on board
  • Professional guide
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Food and drinks
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • 66 Fishermans Wharf
    66 Fishermans Wharf, Monterey, CA 93940, USA

    Parking Address: 250 Figueroa Street Monterey CA 93940 Once parked, please walk down the tourist pier to our office.

Start time

09:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum drinking age is 21 years
  • Warm layers are recommended
  • Sun protection, camera, binoculars, water, and snacks are recommended
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • If prone to motionsickness, please take precautionary measures and we also sell motion sickness remedies in the shop
  • DUE TO THE COVID19 SITUATION-All guests and crew are required to wear PPE/Masks in order to board the trip and throughout the entirety of the tour
  • We have limited capacity on our tours to ensure guests can maintain at least a 6 foot distance at all times
  • Increased cleaning/sanitiation procedures have been implemented in order to ensure the safety of all guests on board
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

See more

Traveler Tips

Please bring warm clothing, woolly hats and gloves - just in case you need them, as I was frozen to my bones by the time we got off.
Reviews
5.0
627 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 627 reviews
What to Expect
Zachary_S, Feb 2023
The boat is not a large vessel. It can comfortable fit 20ish people. Seating is limited, and not all seats are equal. Sit outside for the best views, but you are subject to wind/rain/cold. Sit next to the interior cabin for better protection from the wind/cold/rain, but your views are not as good. The interior cabin is small with a few booths to sit at. There are concessions onboard, but they are VERY minimal. There is plenty of standing room, but prepare your sea legs if you are not accustomed to smaller vessels. The boat will rock on the waves, but the amount of motion varying strongly by the day. The crew is informative and polite, but don't expect a lot of commentary as your cruise. We saw a lot of whales that day-the closest being maybe 200 yards away. The pier where you dock has plenty of stairs when you board and unboard. The pier is quite touristy, and there are plenty of spots to dine and shop after your trip. Parking is extra, but it wasn't too expensive. Don't forget to tip your crew.
The best
Margarette_B, Dec 2022
I enjoyed myself on this Discovery whale watching tour. The captain and guide were kind, patient, and informative. We saw wild dolphins, humpback whales, and finally the infamous orca. They took their time and gave us ample time to see them. It was an overall great experience. I recommend it👌🏾
Amazing trip
Xiaoxi_W, Nov 2022
Whale watching is always the most relaxing activities in the world! As soon as you are patience enough to spot on the first whale, there will be several of them around you.
Really great experience. Thank you
Samantha_M, Nov 2022
This was on my husbands bucket list since he was a kid. All three people working the boat were awesome and super friendly. Thank you (:
This is a must do
Gareth_J, Oct 2022
One of the best things I have ever done, absolutely loved it. I suppose the trip depends on if you get to see whales which we did in abundance. We were lucky enough to have 3 stay with the boat for about 10 minutes which was amazing.. The guys running the tour were really friendly and would 100% recommend
So many whales
Ronak_S, Oct 2022
It was great day out. Although the weather was foggy and misty we got to see lots of whales. About 20 humpbacks and 5 orcas.
Best Day Ever!
Kim_L, Oct 2022
Going whale watching has been on my bucket list for many years. This truly was an incredible expereince. Our crew was great, and this was one of the best days ever!
amazing trip for whale...
Guy_M, Oct 2022
amazing trip for whale watching. saw few very near our boat . Unexpected and surprising highly recommended if you are in the area
Seals, seagulls and whales partying
Alex_M, Oct 2022
We saw sea lions, birds, and 10-12 humpback whales hunting together in a large feeding frenzy on the Discovery Whale watch from Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey CA. Later we saw 3more humpbacks checking out our boat/ship. They got really close, thrilling. We could smell their breath and saw the knobs on their snouts. Very cool.
Totally great experience!
Juliet_b, Sep 2022
There were so many different companies to choose from but I went we these because of the reviews . And they were right ! The staff on the boat were warm , friendly , knowledgable ! We saw loads of whales - it was so exciting! And we learnt a great deal about the world in the sea !Definitely worth booking this company !
Great day for whale watching!
Adrianne_W, Sep 2022
Awesome day- saw at least 12 whales, a pod of orca’s. Seals galore! Crew was attentive and informative
AMAZING!!!
Mrs_S, Sep 2022
We did this on the last day of our holiday. It was unbelievable, we saw about 15 hump backed whales, risso's dolphins, pelicans, sea otters, sea lions and more!! You can not visit here without doing this trip. Highlight of our 3 week holiday AMAZING!!!
Incredible experience…a must go!
Rachael_K, Sep 2022
Amazing trip out of Monterey and lucky enough to see lots of wildlife including killer whales, hump back whales, sea otters and two kinds of dolphin including the world famous Casper the albino dolphin! Huge thanks to the crew specially Isaiah and Andrew who sang us a fab sea shanty and provided lots of knowledge!
An Amazing Experience!!
Martin_J, Aug 2022
We booked a whale watching tour with this company from Monterrey Bay on the 3rd August 2022 (through Viator) and we were so impressed by the whole experience! The staff on the boat (Kevin and Alfredo) were so friendly and knowledgeable and they gave a very interesting and educational commentary throughout the trip and were so happy and eager to talk with us and the other guests and answer any questions we had, passing on their extensive knowledge about the whales and the local marine biology. The captain, JJ, also knew the area very well and ensured we explored the area fully, looking for the whales. What struck us also about this company was their passion to respect the whales and other sea life in their natural habitat, ensuring we didn’t disturb their natural environment. We saw humpback whales on a few occasions during the three hour trip and it was truly magical and the great memory of the trip will stay with us! We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this company for your whale watching trip – it was an amazing experience! Karen & Martin James, United Kingdom
Spectacular.
Lisha_S, Aug 2022
I could not have chosen a better way to spend my birthday morning! Never know what we will find exploring but finding lunge feeding humpback whales is always a dream come true. The added bonus of a whale coming up right in front of me next to the boat - showing off his baleen smile - was thrilling. Thank-you
Friendly, knowledgable...
Neil_P, Aug 2022
Friendly, knowledgable staff. Fantastic to see whales (and other wildlife) in their natural habitat.
Lovely way to see the Sea-life so close to Monterey
Martyn_H, Aug 2022
Great tour, well looked after and crew are so helpful and knowledgable - big thanks to Alfredo! We were lucky enough to see Hump-backs, Sea Otters, Dolphins and Seals!
Zay and entire crew did a...
Mike_L, Aug 2022
Zay and entire crew did a great job of mixing info and adventure. Blue whale siting a huge plus plus sea otter and pup.
We saw a whale completely...
Sarah_S, Aug 2022
We saw a whale completely jump out of the water!! And also a huge group of Dolphins! Completely exceeded our expectations! And the crew was so friendly and insightful. Would 100% recommend them.
The Ocean is Alive!!
DianaC_W, Aug 2022
Seeing the humpback whales heading right toward the boat and swimming under the boat. Loved seeing the large group of sea lions, including their youngsters going out fishing together. Seeing the 2 blue whales in the distance...& their out breath...even from a distance you could tell how large they are.
...

Explore Similar Things to Do

Attractions in Monterey, United States

Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
© 1997-2023 Viator, Inc.
Terms & Conditions