Dolphin and Whale watching trip in San Diego

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 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!

This was my first whale watching experience, and Captain Caitlyn made it a very enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, we did not see any whales, but we did see hundreds of dolphins, which was amazing. They offered a 50% discount for our next tour since we didn't see any whales (or 100% if you don't see any marine life) so that made me feel much better. Of course, nature is unpredictable and it's out of their control, but I greatly appreciate the "insurance" so-to-speak. Great tour and we'll be back to hopefully spot some whales!

Had the best day ever watching the pod of Eastern Tropical Pacific Killer Whales playing in the water for 6 hours just off the coast of San Diego. Captain Michael and Nicole were so kind, knowledgeable and made sure we had the best time. It was a once in a lifetime experience , thank you!!!

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.