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Monterey Bay Whale Watching: Marine Wildlife Tour
4.8
238 Ratings
Monterey
Embark on a thrilling 3-hour whale-watching tour in Monterey Bay. Learn from marine biologists and naturalists about whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife while enjoying the stunning natural beauty of the area.
Embark on a thrilling 3-hour whale-watching tour in Monterey Bay. Learn from marine biologists and naturalists about whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife while enjoying the stunning natural beauty of the area.
Duration:
3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- 66 Fishermans Wharf - Meet at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey to begin your whale watching experience at 10am. 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…
- 66 Fishermans Wharf - Meet at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey to begin your whale watching experience at 10am. 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
- Experienced driver/guide
- Engaging live commentary
- Complimentary tea and coffee
- Experienced driver/guide
- Engaging live commentary
- Complimentary tea and coffee
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- Transportation to/from attractions
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks
- Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- Transportation to/from attractions
Additional Information
Monterey Bay stands as the top location for year-round whale observing. Enjoy a daily 3-hour journey, accompanied by a commentary from a marine biologist or naturalist offering insightful and informative details about whales, dolphins, and numerous marine creatures. Alongside guiding you about the wildlife, your onboard specialists will discuss the…
Monterey Bay stands as the top location for year-round whale observing. Enjoy a daily 3-hour journey, accompanied by a commentary from a marine biologist or naturalist offering insightful and informative details about whales, dolphins, and numerous marine creatures. Alongside guiding you about the wildlife, your onboard specialists will discuss the local area’s natural past and the importance of conservation.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum drinking age is 21 years
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.
Location
66 Fishermans Wharf
Fishermans Wharf
Parking Address:
101 Washington Street
Monterey CA 93940
Find beginning of Fisherman's Wharf with Pink building/Blue Lighthouse (Harbor House).
Walk past all the gift shops and turn right when you see a giant clock or the Crab house Restaurant.
Will be on the right the BLUE Building.
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
(238 Ratings)
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Catherinemp2428vp
Jul 31, 2025
Brilliant whale watching tour - We did the 9am tour and had a fantastic trip. We were lucky enough to see Pacific white-sided dolphins and northern right whale dolphins swimming together around the boat plus two humpback whales lunge feeding and a blue shark. The crew (Isaiah, Cory and Captain Rod) were brilliant, very knowledgeable about the marine life and made it a really enjoyable trip. Highly recommend this company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kerribaker
Jul 19, 2025
Fun outing, professional crew, saw 8 humpbacks in less than an hour. - We had a superb whale watching tour, and Isiah is a terrific Naturalist. His enthusiasm for the sea creatures and knowledge really added to the experience. We saw 8 humpback whales, they were feeding at a shallow level so surfacing frequently. We got some great photos, and Discovery also gives you access to high definition action shots and closeups taken by several crew members (including Isiah) for each tour. I would take this outing again and highly recommend it. Dress warm.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
_tmedge
Jul 9, 2025
A fabulous afternoon Whale Watching. - Fabulous 3 hours whale watching. I had such a good time. The staff on board were friendly and informative Izziah is the information guy and he gave lots of information on the wildlife that we saw. Kenny was over seeing the customers on board ensuring their safety and then Jackson expertly positioned the boat for a maximum view for everyone. Great Job 👏 The boat was spotless and comfortable. Ultimately the whales were amazing and we saw lots of them. I got some great pictures and also took time to just stand on watch, which was easy as the boat was not over crowded. Fabulous experience. Well worth it. Thankyou Discovery Whale Watch.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Durindaa2017
Jun 5, 2025
Fun and educational. You won’t be disappointed - Guaranteed fun for the whole family
We recently had the best whale watching experience with **Discovery Whale Watching Tour**. The staff was incredibly experienced and knowledgeable, making the trip even more enjoyable. They were all very pleasant and readily available to answer any questions we had.
Their expertise truly enhanced our understanding of the marine life around us, and it was clear they were passionate about what they do. If you’re looking for a memorable day out on the water, I highly recommend this tour. You won’t be disappointed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dianamo53
Mar 12, 2025
Perfect whale watching adventure! - Fantastic!! Gray whales accompanied the boat for at least 30 minutes, just 30-40 yards away. Our naturalist alerted us to sightings, as well as otters, seals and sea lions. The trip was a wonder and boat staff were extremely attentive to all passengers. Highly recommend this tour!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mrsmersey
Feb 26, 2025
Must do experience when visiting Monterey. - We are visiting Monterey from Bristol, England and today we joined Isaiah, Matt and JJ on a thrilling whale watching expedition. The journey was a smooth one, on a very comfortable boat with all the amenities you could ask for, including free tea/coffee/cocoa. Captain JJ did a great job navigating us whilst at the same time letting us know if he could see anything up ahead. Isaiah and Matt were super friendly, I especially loved Isaiah’s sea shanty singing us in and out of the harbor.
We saw a pod of Risso’s dolphins and some Californian Gray Whales and it was truly a magical experience to see these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. Isaiah and Matt did a great job of making sure they pointed out the animals when they could, and while we waited for them to resurface they provided interesting information about the animals.
I would highly recommend Discovery Whale watching expedition if you’re visiting Monterey. I hope to return again someday!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicole_a
Feb 23, 2025
Great crew, especially... - Great crew, especially the fantastic naturalist. Learned a ton and she was available one-on-one to answer all of our questions. They worked hard to make sure we saw a whale (we saw a humpback off-season) and Risso's dolphins.
Review provided by Viator
U9316hustefand
Feb 22, 2025
Monterey Wahle Adventure - Wow wow wow, it was better so we expected. After our dolphin adventure in Florida, which was a total bust. Here is a well-organized tour. Of course you can book nature as little as the weather, but the crew knew exactly wines time will be and has not bounced with seeing 100% whales from the beginning. All questions were answered and children were taken on the journey to experience the magic of the oceans. Very great tour again and again Thank you.....
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christians874
Feb 3, 2025
great whale watching with an amazing crew - Being a whale nerd, I joined Discovery Whale Watch on a couple of trips last week……and I was simply amazed, both by the wildlife and the crew!! I have been whale watching in many places and many different countries, but these guys are simply awesome: starting with the team in the ticket office, who were providing an excellent service and made me feel very welcome from the very beginning (a massive shoutout to Amanda, of course 😊), and after a little safety briefing on the pier, I found myself on board. The crews were simply amazing: you could feel that the captains (Danny and J-J) are definitely experienced whale watching captains that made sure that everyone on board felt comfortable (despite a little swell on one of the trips), and they were also taking great care around the whales. We got great looks at gray whales, big groups of pacific white-sided dolphins, northern right whale dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and also a small pod of common dolphins,……not to mention all the sea lions, sea otters and various species of seabirds. The naturalists on board (Ryan and Isaiah) were really knowledgeable and great fun to listen to, and deckhand Kenny took great care of everyone – I simply had a really great time with all of them! All in all, definitely a great whale watching experience and a must do whenever you are in Monterey!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Airshowsafety
Jan 19, 2025
A great trip - This was a great trip with friendly helpful crew and a great guide. Vessel was comfortable and felt safe. Saw 3 whales and lots of great information given over the PA system. A thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
