Dolphin and Whale watching trip in San Diego

We had an absolutely unforgettable experience with Gone Whale Watching! We were a family of five and booked the entire 6-person boat for a private tour. The weather couldn’t have been better—calm seas and perfect conditions from start to finish. Right from the beginning, we were surrounded by pods of dolphins swimming alongside the boat and leaping out of the water. It was an incredible sight! Just when we thought we might not see any whales, we heard over the radio that other boats had spotted a humpback whale. We headed over and were lucky enough to watch this magnificent animal from a close and respectful distance. On top of that, we also spotted a sunfish, making the trip even more special. A huge thank you to Captain Caitlyn! She was outstanding—friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about marine life. She answered every question we had, explained everything in detail, and made the entire tour engaging and memorable. This was one of the highlights of our trip to San Diego, and we highly recommend Gone Whale Watching to anyone looking for an amazing wildlife experience. Five stars!

I was drawn in by their amazing YouTube videos. While the claims that San Diego is the best place in the world to see Blue Whales is dubious (not even sure it's best in California), we did spot two blues yesterday on the full-day trip that put on an amazing show, staying on the surface for hours, not taking lengthy dives between sightings. Our captain was Michael, accompanied by naturalist guide Nicole. They were both excellent at spotting animals and very knowledgeable and easy-going. Mind you, there were two of us passengers who asked a ton of questions, and they had all the answers. The boat is a dual-outboard ~25-footer that comfortably carries the maximum 6 passengers. There is a portable toilet thing, which is nice on the long trip, especially if you're shy about peeing off the side of the boat. Beware, there's no place to hide from the wind, and if you're in the rear seats (best for bumpiness and sea sickness), it's also pretty loud. So dress warmly and bring ear plugs. Gone Whale Watching stood behind their "guarantee" of sighting a blue whale on the extended trip, which at $300 is a factor in deciding to spend that much. The previous year, which was reportedly bad all around for blues, I did the trip and saw nothing, and they facilitated this repeat trip at no additional cost. I've been on many whale watching trips on larger boats and have really come to appreciate these smaller boats for their flexibility, intimacy, and ease of getting the best views without having to shoot over and around other passengers. Our group was very nice, all whale enthusiasts who were passionate about marine life, so it felt like I was amongst kindred spirits. This is not possible on a large tour. While it's a bit of a drive for me, and the also-amazing Santa Barbara Channel is in my backyard, I would definitely go out with Gone Whale Watching again.

We had a fabulous experience! We saw 4-5 whales and several dolphins. If you go, request Captain Jess…she’s amazing! She was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain what all we were seeing! She’s the best!! Definitely recommend!

Captain Caitlyn was amazing! We had the most wonderful time. We enjoyed the smaller tour size on a smaller boat which made it easy to maneuver to all areas of the boat so that everyone could see and everyone got a chance to take amazing photos and videos. It was like your own private charter. We saw two different species of whales and thousands of common dolphins swam along the hull of the boat with us. It was incredible. Everything was streamlined from start to finish for a relaxing, enjoyable bucket list cross off type of trip!

We had an amazing time on our tour on June 30, 2026. The conditions were not great - windy with choppy water and swells, so the trip off shore wasn't the most pleasant, but the payoff was worth it. There haven't been many Blue Whale sightings this season, and given the conditions, our expectations were kept in check. Our first encounter was with a pod of Pacific Common Dolphins riding the boat's wake at the first large drop off in depth. We later came across a small family group of rare Risso's Dolphins, though they kept their distance. The captain also stopped to let us get good looks and photos of some Black-Footed Albatross, which was a bonus for this birding enthusiast. Of course, the highlight was our encounter with the Blue Whale, and this is where Gone Whale Watching really earned its 5 stars. Even with the poor conditions, the captain caught sight of the whale's blow probably a mile off. He knew the timing of a whale dive and positioned the boat accordingly, and when the next spout occurred, he was able to confirm it was a Blue Whale, and we were able to close the distance. Using these two sightings, the captain was able to estimate where and when she would come up again, and again moved us into position. This time we were able to get great looks at her breaking the surface. Since she was on the move, we kept having to motor on while she dove, and each time, the captain expertly kept us in sighting distance of her surfacing, until at the very end, she came toward us and dove right under the boat. We were able to see her almost electric blue silhouette from above and the captain presciently grabbed his GoPro cameras to capture some stunning footage, which he shared with us at the end of the tour (see attached screenshot). It was exhilarating! The captain's expertise, maneuvering and knowledge made it possible, even with the rough ocean conditions. A few additional notes - the boat was comfortable if a bit worn, and while the bathroom situation is adequate though I did find being in the tight space on rough seas a little nauseating. Sit at the back of the boat for a smoother ride - given the speed they have to navigate at to get off shore and follow fast-moving wildlife, you'll need to be comfortable with some rough movements. If you can manage some of the discomforts, this is an adventure worth your time!