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Whale Watching Tour: Marine Biologist Guide
4.8
1,072 Ratings
Monterey
Join a 4-hour excursion to spot whales. Tour guides, certified as naturalists or marine biologists, will explain the sights and interact with passengers on deck. Pro photographers frequently accompany the tours to photograph the amazing views and can provide advice on your own picture-taking.
Join a 4-hour excursion to spot whales. Tour guides, certified as naturalists or marine biologists, will explain the sights and interact with passengers on deck. Pro photographers frequently accompany the tours to photograph the amazing views and can provide advice on your own picture-taking.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- 66 Fishermans Wharf - Meet at Fisherman’s Wharf to begin your whale watching experience at 9am. Monterey Bay is considered to be a premier destination for whale watching year round as these animals are often spotted there. Your whale watching trip will be narrated by a marine biologist or naturalist, who will provide you educational and…
- 66 Fishermans Wharf - Meet at Fisherman’s Wharf to begin your whale watching experience at 9am. Monterey Bay is considered to be a premier destination for whale watching year round as these animals are often spotted there. Your whale watching trip will be narrated by a marine biologist or naturalist, who will provide you educational and interesting information about marine wildlife.
In addition to teaching you about the wildlife, your marine biologists and naturalists will provide information about the natural history of the local area and talk about conservation. While out on the ocean your marine biologists and naturalists will also be collecting sighting data for scientific research. During your trip the crew will show you how to spot whales and dolphins as well as give you advice on how to best capture photos and videos of the wildlife. You will return back to the original departure point between 12:30pm and 1pm.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Live commentary on board
- Professional guide
- Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks (Chips, Candy, Soda, and Water)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks (Chips, Candy, Soda, and Water)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum drinking age is 21 years
- Warm layers are recommended
- Sun protection, camera, binoculars, water, and snacks are recommended
- If prone to motionsickness, please take precautionary measures and we also sell motion sickness remedies in the shop
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum drinking age is 21 years
- Warm layers are recommended
- Sun protection, camera, binoculars, water, and snacks are recommended
- If prone to motionsickness, please take precautionary measures and we also sell motion sickness remedies in the shop
Location
66 Fishermans Wharf
Fishermans Wharf
TIME LISTED IS WHEN THE BOAT LEAVES!!!!!
CHECK-IN 45 - 30 MINUTES AHEAD
HIGH TRAFFIC!!! PLAN EXTRA TIME!!! MONTEREY CAR WEEK AUGUST 8 - 17TH
Parking Address: 101 Washington, Monterey, Ca 93940
Building Address: 66 Fisherman's Wharf
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(1072 Ratings)
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David_v
May 28, 2026
Monterey Whale Watching - The crew is very receptive to questions and knowledgeable of the sealife. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Laurie_b
May 28, 2026
Fantastic!! Can’t wait to go again!! - Fantastic tour from beginning to end. Very knowledgable naturalist and ship hands. They made it very fun and educational. They did an amazing job of keeping us close enough to the whales to really appreciate them and get good photos, without causing them any distress! Can’t wait to do another tour with them!
Review provided by Viator
Courtney
May 24, 2026
Unforgettable Whale & Dolphin Adventure Featuring Humpbacks and Casper the Albino Risso’s Dolphin - The whale watching experience was incredible from start to finish. The crew was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip enjoyable while sharing great information about the wildlife and ocean around us. We spent lots of quality time out on the water and saw an amazing variety of marine life, including Risso’s Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Purple Striped Jellyfish, and Humpback Whales. The highlight was definitely the special appearance by Casper, the famous albino Risso’s dolphin!
One tip for future visitors — definitely bundle up because it can get pretty chilly out on the water, even on a nice day. They had hand warmers available for purchase, and they were absolutely worth it!
Overall, it was a fantastic experience filled with unforgettable wildlife encounters and meaningful connections with nature.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ruben
May 21, 2026
One of the best days I ever experienced in a boat and with nature. Whale watching well worth the experience. - One of the best days on the boat beautiful sunny day found whales within 20 minutes of leaving port. Found family of 3. Then left location and saw dolphins, sealions, and whales at the next sight over 10+ whales in the new location with. Took numerous video of the whales excellent day of whale watching.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Randy_p
May 19, 2026
Great experience! Take Dramamine ahead of time! - Great experience! Highly recommend! Saw about 20 to 30 whales and a baby.❤️ Otter, LOTS of sea lions swimming together, pelicans! Beautiful sunshine!
Maddie and Isaiah were very helpful in their instructions, anssisting, and very friendly!
DON’T FORGET TO TAKE DRAMAMINE 30 min - 1 hour before disembarking.
The sea was quite rough but still a lot of fun (accept for the few who had seasickness😢). If you have difficulty walking or keeping good balance, you will not be able to get around on the boat on a windy day like ours.
Use the restroom before you go - one girl got super seasick after she was in the bathroom during the rough waves.
Remember ….. when observing the incredible nature, to consider the Lord who designed and created everything around you! Magnificent creation! But even more - a Magnificent God! Give thanks!!
Review provided by Viator
Tiffany
May 19, 2026
We saw so many whales!! - What a fantastic tour! The tour guide and deckhand were not only knowledgeable, but also so friendly and added positively to the overall experience. I would happily book with them again. Also, we saw sooo many whales!!! I had a great time and strongly recommend this company to others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y1188uwchristopherg
May 15, 2026
Fab trip with plenty of whales - A fantastic trip, there were at least 20 humpback whales, we saw them breaching and surface feeding. Also killer whales and white sided dolphins. Captain JJ made every effort to position the boat to get the best views, and our guide Isaiah provided expert and entertaining commentary. Well worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G5341svmichaelk
May 10, 2026
Spotted a mother-daughter humpback whale pair on Mother's Day! - Our family had a great experience during our whale watch tour today. It felt like quite an adventure as the waves were rolling, but we felt safe and prepared thanks to the amazing crew, Captain Jackson, Kayla, and Isaiah. We saw seals, sea lions, dolphins, and humpback whales -- including a mother-daughter pair, which was perfect for Mother's Day. We even spotted a blue whale off in the distance. Isaiah was a a knowledgeable and upbeat guide who helped us spot each of these amazing creatures. We highly recommend this tour operator!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P7969htkathleenm
May 8, 2026
Fantastic experience - Fantastic crew! Knowledgeable, friendly, and good sense of humor. Their passion for marine life comes through - they seemed as excited as the passengers about all the sightings. We had a lucky day - 25-ish humpbacks, three orcas, dolphins, and more. The company has sea sicknesses medication available when you check in - if you have any concern, definitely take it before boarding...they can't control how rough the sea is and better safe than sorry. It worked great for me. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Songk495
May 21, 2026
Not well-designed service - The wind was too strong. Couldn't enjoy watching whales. Too many whales, but not close enough to see. Don't sit at the front because you'll be wet. The workers should notify this before the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
