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You’ve never experienced anything like this. Our exclusive underwater glass viewing pods put you face to face with some of the largest creatures on earth! Book your seat today!
Get within arm’s reach of wildlife on our fast and fun dolphin & whale watching zodiac, FAST CAT. Intimate trips with up to 12 passengers. VERY low to the water & GoPro friendly
An exclusive and intimate cruise for up to 6 guests that focuses entirely on showing you the magnificent year-round whales off Dana Point, the World’s Whale Capital®
Captain & Crew Provided
Book online our catamaran sailboat, DolphinSafari, for intimate special occasions and up-close dolphin & whale watching. Eye-spy tram nets put wildlife at your fingertips. Limited time special rates! Up to 22 guests.
Reserve online your luxury boating experience by booking ORCA for your private yacht charter. Affordable rate! Gorgeous, comfortable, and the ideal way to spend time with friends, family, or colleagues. Up to 6 guests.
Book online a private charter for up to 12 guests on Dana Point’s only adventurous zodiac, Fast Cat, the best way to get up-close to breathtaking sea life! A very fast and fun exclusive whale watching experience.
"Really fun, would highly recommend, even if traveling with teenagers. Underwater viewing-pod was awesome, where dolphins were very interactive. Boat was very comfortable and never felt sea-sick. Crew was excellent, they are very knowledgeable, and answered all questions."
– Joerod01, TripAdvisor"Capt Dave delivered. We spent about an hour and a half with two Blue Whales. I have travelled the world looking for these rare creatures and they were a 15 minute boat ride off the Californian Coast. Capt was very knowledgeable and gave us good viewing without interfering with the whales. Absolutely amazing tour. Oh, there were dolphins as well."
– NeilK_13, TripAdvisorI have recommend this trip to all my friends coming to Southern California from the U.K. and EU. It’s just awesome...we had hundreds of dolphins which was incredible. The boat is great and you can move around so easily and get great views of the wildlife especially in the underwater pods. I will be back for another trip I am sure in the future. Well done guys you never disappoint!"
– Mark C., TripAdvisor"The tour said that we would see dolphins and we saw plenty! Our trip was on one of the catamarans with the viewing windows which allow underwater viewings. Amazing close-up views of schools of these beautiful animals. Crew was friendly and helpful. Wear sunscreen!"
– Jeff M., TripAdvisor"My family and I were touring California on a road trip. We wanted to book a boat trip at some point in our holiday and read about Captain Dave's tours and were impressed by the reviews. I'm so glad we did this tour as it was one of the best experiences we have ever had."
– Neil P., TripAdvisor"I was so pleased by the whole experience. It was great!!! Not only did we see whales, but we saw a dolphin baby pod of some 400 dolphin...The under water viewing was so cool!!! Our trip lasted longer than advertised after group permission was granted (just in case someone needed to get back on time but no one did!)."
– Ben C., TripAdvisor"My husband and I went on the 2.5 whale watching trip, and it was absolutely amazing! We saw 3 blue whales, sea lions, dolphins. It’s an experience we will never forget, and we will return and bring our children too. I highly recommend. Staff was amazing."
– Amy O., TripAdvisor"Our first trip with Captain Dave's was fantastic. The captain and crew were informative and welcoming. We felt safe and comfortable and, most importantly, saw hundreds of dolphins and a few sea lions. Luckily we went on a day when the boat was only about half-full but I think it would have been enjoyable even on a full boat. We look forward to going back in the future."
– ncinaz, TripAdvisorHave you ever dreamed of getting up close and personal with a blue whale or being eye to eye with a dolphin? Now you can make your dreams a reality with Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point! One of the highest-rated whale watching companies in California, we offer year-round boat tours and educational experiences for an ocean adventure you’ll never forget.
Join us for an exciting Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari aboard Manute’a, our high-speed catamaran sailboat, or get your adrenaline pumping with a cruise in the Fast Cat on our Zodiac Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari. Whether you’ll be joining us for a public tour or private charter, you can always expect exceptional, personalized service. You’ll even be treated to one of Mrs. Captain Dave’s famous brownies as our way of saying thanks. It’s no wonder our customers come back again and again!
Not only does Dana Point have the highest number of dolphins per square mile than anywhere else in the world, but it is also the home of a variety of large whales, including:
On your Dana Point whale watching tour, you’ll want to keep your eyes open and your camera ready because we regularly see a wide range of other marine animals too. This includes seals, sea lions, sharks, sea turtles, local marine birds, jellyfish, and much, much more!
While we do see dolphins and whales on more than 95% of our tours, our large marine friends occasionally decide to take the day off. Don’t worry if this happens! We will provide you with another tour within the year—totally free of charge!
If you’ve got kids, teens, or even babies, you can go ahead and bring them on board with you for your whale watching tour in Dana Point. Most of our large catamarans are suitable for children of all ages and offer an experience that your little ones are unlikely to forget.
Complement their wildlife experience with a visit to our on-board micro-museum! They will have the chance to see dolphin and whale artifacts and you can accompany them to our exclusive underwater viewing pods where they can “swim with the dolphins”, without getting wet!
Instill an even deeper love and appreciation for ocean creatures by joining us for the annual Festival of Whales or suggest a Dana Point whale watching Field Trip for students at your kids’ school. With hands-on learning and a supporting 5-day curriculum, the children will be taught important topics like biology and conservation while having a whale of a time!
Boasting the highest ratings on TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google, whale watching in California doesn’t get any better than Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari at Dana Point—the dolphin and whale watching capital® of the world. Contact us for more information and book your adventure today to go whale watching in Dana Point!
