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California Whale Watching Season:
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See and learn about whales on a 3.5-hour adventure cruise, in partnership with San Diego Natural History Museum. On board, discover the museum-curated whale exhibit and fossils. Tours depart twice daily and cost from $32 per adult and $16 per child. Hornblower Cruises & Events. [Read our own account of a Hornblower whale watching cruise.]
For a really close-up experience hop aboard the America, a historic replica of the world’s first America’s Cup winner. The long sailing yacht is ideally suited to whale watching as it soundlessly approaches the whales. The 4-hour tour departs twice daily and costs from $65 per adult and $34 per child. Dennis Conner’s America’s Cup Experience
Jump into an authentic Navy SEAL RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) for a fast-moving, thrilling whale watching excursion. At the helm is a US Coast Guard licensed captain and doubling as the on-board naturalist, he’ll explain the migration habits. Daily public tours from 9am-12pm; cost $85 per adult and $70 per child. Groups of up to six passengers can charter the boat for $175 per hour plus tax. Adventure RIB Rides
Step into a kayak on the shores of La Jolla for a 2.5-hour, one-mile whale watching tour. Costs include kayak, guide, and equipment – $60 for a single kayak and $110 for a double kayak. OEX Dive & Kayak Centers
CENTRAL COAST
Speed over to the Channel Islands – prime whale-watching ground just off the coast of Santa Barbara, on a high-speed catamaran. The Condor Express offers 1/2-day whale watching excursions from $94 per adult and $50 per child during winter. Also, depending on the time of year, clients can see humpback and minke whales, orcas (killer whales), and five types of dolphins, and in summer 50-ton blue whales have been spotted. The company also takes big wave surfers to tow-in spots in the middle of the sea, one of only a few vessels set up to handle the conditions. Condor Cruises
Whale watching packages at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Hotel & Resort in Oxnard. Starting from $224 for one night and $398 for two nights, the package includes accommodation, two tickets for half-day whale watching cruise, breakfast and refreshments on arrival. Embassy Suites Mandalay Hotel
MENDICONO, NORTH COAST
Captain Tim offers whale watching and sport fishing for crabs and salmon – and he’s been doing it for over 29 years. www.allaboardadventures.com
For Mendocino Village’s annual whale festival in early March the local wineries prepare tastings, chefs cook up their traditional seafood chowders and there are whale watching walks and an art fair. Mendocino Whale Festival
At Fort Bragg’s annual whale festival later in March there are regional microbrewery tastings, chowder tasting, and of course plenty of whale watching. Fort Bragg Whale Festival
Whale Watching Season at Mendocino, California
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