Ready for Dana Point’s best whale watching excursion? Captain Dave’s Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari is proud to offer a variety of boat options so you can choose your preferred luxury whale watching experience. No matter which of our whale watching boat tours you choose, you can look forward to breathtaking whale tours that are fun and educational for curious adventurers of all ages.
Lily Is Our Largest Catamaran
Lily joined Capt. Dave’s fleet of unique whale watching boats as our third and largest catamaran whale watching boat. She is 62 feet long, and Captain Dave named her “Lily” in honor of a famous entangled gray whale that stranded herself in Dana Point Harbor in 2010.
Prepare yourself for the world’s best whale watching! You’ll enjoy a comfortable ocean voyage in a beautifully appointed cabin, climate-controlled pilothouse, shaded upper sundeck, and spacious bow — all with cushioned seating! The sundeck and bow both feature rails enclosed with Lexan® glass for wind protection, and a fully equipped galley is available for the serving of refreshments.
See Dolphins Up-Close in Their Natural Habitat
Lily features an underwater bow camera to see dolphins swimming underwater next to the boat. A life-size common dolphin, micro-museum of whale and dolphin artifacts, and stunning photographic art throughout the boat immerse you in the world of dolphins and whales — and Mrs. Capt. Dave’s famous triple fudge brownies are served as a special treat!
Book Parties and Events
Although providing the best whale watching is her specialty, Lily is also a great vessel for special occasions, corporate functions, Catalina Island cruises, employee rewards, holiday parties, and more. We can also accommodate burials at sea (ash scatterings).
Please note: The Lily is not equipped with Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pods. That feature is only available on whale tours on our Manute’a.
Luxury Accommodations
Enjoy luxury whale watching in a world-class vessel! Lily’s fully equipped stainless steel galley is perfect for hosting any special event, with features that include an ice maker, trash compactor, dumbwaiter, 4-burner stove, dual refrigerator, huge freezer compartment, dishwasher, garbage disposal, butcher block cutting station, and more.
We go above-and-beyond to provide the best whale watching amenities available in Southern California. The beautifully appointed heated and air-conditioned salon (interior), with seating for up to 15, is richly decorated in warm golden and brown hues to make guests feel right at home. Panoramic windows ensure terrific viewing of the dolphins, whales, and scenic coastline.
The spacious upper sundeck is perfect for entertaining and whale watching with cushioned seating for 18 to 20, cocktail tables, cup holders, and more. Lexan® glass for wind protection and an adjustable awning offer climate control, sun, or shade as needed. In the heated and air-conditioned pilothouse with table seating for six, guests are welcome to visit with the Captain and learn more about our whale tours and the incredible wildlife we see on a daily basis!
When we say we offer the best whale watching, we’re not messing around! The foredeck (bow) is ideal for up-close encounters with dolphins and whales. Wrap-around cushioned seating, cushioned backrests, cup holders, and rails enclosed with Lexan® glass for wind protection offer supreme comfort and convenience while whale watching. Our micro-museum with whale and dolphin artifacts, a realistic, life-size, common dolphin and stunning photographic art throughout the boat immerse you in the world of dolphins and whales.
Join Us for an Extraordinary Jaunt Through Dana Point
As the premier whale watching company in the Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World®, you can count on us to go above and beyond to deliver the best whale watching experience imaginable. We see wildlife on 95% of our trips, but on the rare occasion we don’t see anything, we’ll happily invite you back for a free tour within one year.
For those with a need for speed, we encourage you to join us on our upscale Zodiac whale watching boat, Fast Cat. Ready to book a luxury whale watching adventure on Lily or any of our other stunning vessels? We can’t wait to welcome you aboard our private boat charter tours — contact us now to reserve your spot and make memories with our whale tours and Dana Point’s best whale watching company — Captain Dave’s Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari!
Lily Reviews
First class experience from start to finish! Everyone from the time we booked our trip to the friendly and knowledgeable crew of “the Lily” it was such a wonderful experience. Saw some blue whales, common dolphins and at the very end a family of bottle-nosed dolphins! I and my wife had a great time and plan to do this again with family and friends! Every dollar spent was worth it!
– JC, Yelp
After an amazing afternoon aboard the Lily, my family and I shared our photographs and commented on how wonderful our time was on Captain Dave's upscale, quality, whale watching experience!
– Cristabella C., Yelp
This was an amazing day on the water and Capt. Dave and his crew do it so well. The Lily was a beautiful and comfortable boat and we had a WARM day on the water in January. Got to see whales and loved how peaceful and calm the whole day was. So worth waiting for and we will be back! And you get great brownies when you dock!
– MW, TripAdvisor
We went on "Lily" their largest boat - a catamaran. It was smooth and we had no trouble seeing, even though the boat was pretty full! The staff were helpful and polite - from the confirmation call the nite before until we said goodbye! We saw at least 7 gray whales including a cow calf pair, a sun fish, hundreds of dolphin, a couple of sea lions and lots of birds. The website said about 2 hours - we did not pull back in until 3.75 hours later as everyone was fascinated by the huge pod of dolphin at the end of the trip! Thank you!!!!
– Anne32825, TripAdvisor
The boat Lily is a large boat with plexiglass around the railings (which serves as a windbreaker as well as a safety for little children), has cushioned seating and cushioned backrests for customers, a bathroom, and a snack bar. You will want to bring a jacket for the ocean breeze and sunscreen (also money for the snack bar). There is enough room on the boat so you did not feel like you were crammed in. The captain found lots of dolphins and a whale for us to see. He was friendly and entertaining. Everyone was also given one of Mrs. Dave's yummy brownies as they left the ship. It was great way to take the family whale watching!
– familycircus2017, TripAdvisor
We joined Captain Dave and his crew for a glorious morning of whale watching, dolphin viewing, and all around sea life enjoyment. They were knowledgeable, professional, thoughtful and made the morning a complete delight. We were fortunate enough to see countless dolphins that swam in, around, and under the Lily. We happened along on and found a 75 foot fin whale that we were able to observe for quite a while. It was magical.
– Lisa B., TripAdvisor