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EYE-TO-EYE, EXPERIENCE THE CONNECTION WITH A DANA POINT WHALE WATCHING ADVENTURE!
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“…THE BEST WHALE WATCHING IN THE WORLD!”
– CBS Los Angeles
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“…THE BEST WHALE WATCHING IN THE WORLD!”
– CBS Los Angeles
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. Join our email family for exclusive offers, the latest Dana Point whale watching videos, news, and more!
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DANA POINT IS THE DOLPHIN & WHALE WATCHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!®
See What Sets Us Apart By Booking Your High Seas Adventure Today!
If you’ve got kids, teens, or even babies…
You can go ahead and bring them on board with you for your Dana Point whale watching tour. All of our large catamarans are suitable for children of all ages and offer a whale watching tour that your little ones are unlikely to forget. They’ll have a “better than Disneyland” experience and disembark the boat with a newfound respect for marine life and the oceans.
Our adventurous Zodiac-style safaris are recommended for ages six and older on public excursions.
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” — all without getting wet on our Dana Point whale watching cruises!
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 whale watching tours in Southern California like our wildlife-intensive Whale Geek Safari or private yacht Orca charter! No matter which one you choose, we promise you’ll have a whale of a time!
Highest-Rated Whale Watch
Consistently awarded for Best Customer Service, our dolphin and whale watching Dana Point tours are among the highest rated on TripAdvisor, Yelp, Facebook, and Google.
We are a recipient of Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice award since its inception in 2010 (prior to 2020, the award was known as the Certificate of Excellence).
Truly Eco-Friendly
As a dedicated eco-friendly Dana Point whale watching tour group in Southern California, we are dedicated to providing only sustainable wildlife viewing. 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.
Blue Whales
How large is a blue whale? Blue whales are the largest known animal on earth. These gentle giants can typically be seen during your Dana Point whale watching cruise between the months of May and October. One rare occasions blue whales will be seen as early in the year as February and as late as November.
More Dolphins
Dana Point features more than just whale watching — we have more dolphins per square mile than anywhere else! Imagine dolphins surrounding you in every direction as far as the eye can see. Thousands of wild dolphins swimming, jumping, and playing.
Numerous species of dolphins are seen throughout the year, including five kinds that are encountered on a regular basis. And Dana Point made famous the dolphin stampede!
Never Crowded
Our customized catamarans carry up to 49 passengers and offer ample elbow room. Some of our vessels carry as few as six guests for a more intimate Dana Point whale watching experience.
For those seeking an intimate cruise, we offer private boat rentals with Captains aboard all six of our vessels.
Whale Rescue
We don’t just watch whales… we rescue them too! Captain Dave founded and organized Orange County’s first whale rescue group. He and other trained rescue team members have been recognized worldwide for their whale rescue and conservation efforts.
Every day over 1,000 dolphins and whales around the world die from fishing gear entanglement.
Dana Point: Dolphin & Whale Capital of the World®
Dana Point whale watching tours introduce you to a variety of year-round whales, more dolphins per square mile than anywhere else in the world, pristine coastline, calm seas, the first and longest-running annual Festival of Whales, and a captivating harbor minutes from the open ocean.
It’s no wonder that Dana Point, California, is the official Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World®!
THE LARGEST VARIETY OF MARINE MAMMALS
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:
THE LARGEST VARIETY OF MARINE MAMMALS
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:
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Blue Whales
The blue whale is the largest animal on earth weighing more than 400,000 pounds! Whale watching Dana Point visitors will have the opportunity to see these magnificent blue whales from May through October. In the summer months, there are more blue whales in Dana Point than anywhere else in the world! Whale watching Dana Point visitors love hearing interesting blue whale facts while we’re on the water. Blue whales can hold more than 1,000 tons of food and water, hear other whales up to 1,000 miles away underwater, and shoot their breath at 200 miles per hour.
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Gray Whales
Whale watching Dana Point visitors will have the chance to see gray whales from November through May. These gentle, slow-moving animals weigh approximately 90,000 pounds! Gray whales feed on small crustaceans called amphipods found in the bottom sediment of cold waters near Alaska. Many gray whales go months without feeding during their migration. Whale watching Dana Point visitors may be able to witness barnacles and lice hugging the 40-50 foot body.
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Humpback Whales
Humpback whales are known for being energetic and creating soothing underwater melodies. Whale watching Dana Point visitors can see these 60-foot creatures putting on magnificent shows, breaching, fluking, and lobtailing. Humpback whales can eat up to 3,000 pounds per day, the equivalent of eating 12,000 tacos with extra toppings!
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Fin Whales
Whale watching Dana Point visitors may encounter the long, sleek fin whales during one of our dolphin and whale watching safaris. Fin whales have a unique V-shaped head and two v-shaped chevrons behind their blowhole. Whale watching Dana Point visitors sometimes spot these sleek giants cruising at accelerated speeds.
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Minke Whales
Minke whales are the smallest member of the great whales, reaching lengths of up to 35 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds. Whale watching Dana Point visitors have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the common minke whale as they are a year-round visitor in the Dana Point, California area.
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Killer Whales
Killer whales have a set of 50 razor-sharp teeth and can accelerate up to 30 miles per hour to take down their prey. These intelligent creatures use underwater sound, unique to their pod, to communicate, navigate, and feed. Whale watching Dana Point visitors may see killer whales year-round, especially in the winter months.
Common Dolphin
A typical pod consists of about 200 dolphins, but the largest pod in the Dana Point area is no less than 10,000 dolphins! Common dolphins eat anchovies, squid, mackerel, and sardines
Bottlenose Dolphin
These beauties are often seen bow-riding in front of massive blue whales. Adult bottlenose dolphins can weigh up to 1,400 pounds.
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin
Whale watching Dana Point visitors might catch these dolphins bow-riding or playing with gray whales.
Risso’s Dolphin
These are some of the larger dolphins encountered on our whale watching safaris, weighing up to 1,100 pounds and ranging up to 10 feet long. Whale watching Dana Point visitors may not see these dolphins as they are rather shy around boats.
WHAT TO BRING WHALE WATCHING
- Camera/Drone – Capt. Dave’s safaris are great for whale watching Dana Point visitors interested in wildlife photography.
- Jacket – Whale watching safaris can be a bit chilly, so an extra layer is highly recommended.
- Sunscreen – Guests can bring sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses for protection at sea.
- Binoculars – Whale watching Dana Point visitors can bring binoculars to enhance the overall experience–like spotting lice and barnacles hugging a gray whale.
- Water & snacks – Guests are encouraged to bring small snacks and water, and keep track of any wrappers, etc.
On your whale watching Dana Point 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!
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
If you’ve got kids, teens, or even babies, you can go ahead and bring them on board with you during our whale watching Dana Point 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! Whale watching Dana Point visitors 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 whale watching Dana Point 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!
JOIN US FOR THE HIGHEST-RATED DANA POINT WHALE WATCHING ADVENTURE TODAY!
Boasting the highest ratings on Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google, Dana Point’s whale watching season in Southern California doesn’t get any better than Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours. Contact us or view our FAQs for more information and book your unforgettable adventure in Dana Point—the dolphin and Whale Watching Capital® of the world!
(949) 682-3892