Quick Details
The Dana Point Festival of Whales takes place annually in March. In 2024, the 53rd annual Dana Point Festival of Whales will be held March 1 through 3.
Dolphin & Whale Watching During the Dana Point Festival of Whales
Experience up-close wild dolphins, migrating gray whales, playful humpback whales, huge fin whales, silly sea lions, and so much more! Mere minutes from the harbor, the waters off Dana Point are teeming with all kinds of marine wildlife for you to enjoy.
Bring the kids, family, and friends for a chance to connect with dolphins and whales underwater in our exclusive Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pods on our catamaran sailboat Manute’a. Or, get within arm’s reach of the animals on our fast and adventurous zodiac whale watching safari.
Featured Dana Point Festival of Whales Event
Other Popular Festival of Whales Cruises
We have several Dana Point Festival of Whales cruise options. Whether you prefer to spend the whale festival on a group tour with other like-minded ‘dolphriends’ or on a private charter that’s customized to your preferences. You’ll have a ‘whaley’ amazing experience!
About the Dana Point Festival of Whales
The Dana Point Festival of Whales began over 50 years ago as an annual community event in the coastal town of Dana Point, located in picturesque Orange County, California. During the two-weekend whale watching festival held each March, residents and visitors celebrate migrating gray whales and other marine wildlife with ocean-themed activities and presentations emphasizing education and environmental responsibility.
A wide variety of family-friendly activities will take place and the premier event is, of course, whale watching! With an abundance of year-round whales, dolphins, and other sea life, Dana Point is the Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World®.
Dana Point, California, is also an official Whale Heritage Site. A Whale Heritage Site is an outstanding location where cetaceans (whales, dolphins, or porpoises) are embraced through the cultural, economic, social, and political lives of associated communities, and where people and cetaceans coexist in an authentic and respectful way.