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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 speedy and fun dolphin & whale watching zodiac-style boats. VERY low to the water & GoPro friendly. Our fastest vessels!
Booking a super-safe private boat charter gives you all the beauty Dana Point has to offer, and with exclusivity of a private event. All boat rentals come with Captain & crew. Explore suggested private charter…
Come aboard our upscale catamaran, Lily, for a special cruise to view the incredible Huntington Beach Pacific Airshow. En route to and from the Airshow, we’ll be looking for whales & dolphins! Private charter option…
Join us for holiday fun & festivities at Dana Point Harbor’s Boat Parade of Lights! Aboard our cruise you’ll be a part of the parade, while enjoying the decorated boats and harbor.
We’ll help you arrange the perfect charter to disperse ashes at sea off the beautiful coast of Orange County in peace and comfort, for a meaningful and dignified final farewell.
Have 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 Dana Point Whale Watching and Dolphin Tours! As one of the highest-rated whale watching companies in Southern California, we offer year-round boat tours and educational whale watching field trips for an ocean adventure you’ll never forget.
Every single person working on our boat was amazing and engaging with everyone. The COVID precautions that are taken are wonderful and still allow you to have a fantastic time. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.. and seeing 6 humpback whales was definitely the cherry on top of a perfect day cake.
– Knzknz0204 | TripadvisorIt was worth the time. The Captain and his crew are wonderful, knowledgeable and I felt safe(all around COVID-19 included) it was definitely a safari, I learned a lot about the different types of dolphin. We met up with several view of dolphins. But the adventure was in finding the Bryde's Whale and her calf. It was all so worth the speedy ride with few bumps and splash-
– sistasister_2000 | TripadvisorHad a great time and we saw bottlenose and common dolphins! Loved that the time was longer than other than other boat rides. Felt safe with the Covid precautions the company took. Great job Captain Steve and crew!
– Tiffany R. | TripadvisorReally 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 | TripadvisorCapt 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. | TripadvisorThe 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. | TripadvisorMy 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. | TripadvisorI 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. | TripadvisorMy 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. | TripadvisorOur 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 | TripadvisorConsistently awarded for Best Customer Service, our Dana Point whale watching and dolphin tours are the highest rated on TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google.
Experience an eye-to-eye underwater adventure with dolphins and whales in our exclusive underwater viewing pods. The perfect view for Dana Point whale watching!
As a dedicated eco-friendly tour group in Southern California, we are committed to providing only sustainable wildlife viewing during Dana Point’s whale watching season. We believe in being good stewards of the ocean. That means using the best sustainable technology available and not watching whales from a fishing boat.
There’s a reason whale watching in Dana Point is popular in Southern California! We have the largest concentration of blue whales in the world.
Dana Point whale watching also includes dolphins! The area has more dolphins per square mile than anywhere else!
Whale watching season at Dana Point offers 60+ species of whales, dolphins, sharks, sea lions, birds, and more seen year-round.
Our Dana Point whale watching tours feature customized catamarans that can carry up to 49 passengers and offer ample elbow room. Some of our vessels carry as few as six guests for a more intimate whale watching experience.
In addition to offering his popular Dana Point whale watching tours, Captain Dave and his team members have received worldwide recognition for their whale rescue and conservation efforts.
Touring Dana Point during whale watching season wouldn’t be complete without Mrs. Captain Dave’s famous Triple Fudge Brownies! These memorable treats are served complimentary on every whale watching trip.
The Dana Point whale watching season is a great time to join us for a Dolphin & Whale Watching Tour 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 Tours. Whether you’ll be joining us for a public tour or private boat 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 the special touches that make us one of the best whale watching tours in Southern California, and it’s what keeps our customers coming back again and again!
Whale watching season in Dana Point offers the highest number of dolphins per square mile than anywhere else in the world! This area is also home to a variety of large whales, including:
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 during our Dana Point whale watching tours. 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 onboard micro-museum! Kids of all ages 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” — All without getting wet!
Instill an even deeper love and appreciation for ocean creatures by joining us for the annual Dana Point Festival of Whales or discover our other Dana Point whale watching tours in Southern California like our wildlife-intensive Whale Geek Safari or luxury private yacht Orca charter tour! No matter which one you choose, we promise you’ll have a whale of a time!
Boasting the highest ratings on TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google, the Dana Point whale watching season in Southern California doesn’t get any better than Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours — the dolphin and Whale Watching Capital® of the world! Contact us or view our FAQs for more information and book your unforgettable adventure today!
