Whale Watching Tours in San Diego

What are your resolutions for the new year?  Go to the gym more (or start going to the gym)?  Eat healthier?  Be more altruistic?  Engage in more activities around San Diego?  If the final resolution rings a bell for you, why not start off 2019 with a bang?  If you’re anything like me, you’ve always wanted to go whale watching.  To me, there is an elusive quality about being out on the open water, searching for those migrating gentle giants.

Each year, from December until April, approximately 20,000 gray whales traverse the Pacific Ocean on a 10,000 mile round-trip excursion from Alaska to the warm lagoons of Baja California in order to give birth to their calves.  This journey is typically navigated solo or in small “pods” of two or three whales.  During peak migration season, these whales can be seen from myriad spots around San Diego, including the look-out point at the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, the Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma, and Torrey Pines State Reserve in Del Mar.

If you would like to enlist the expertise of a guide, there are several options for boat tours.  During these tours, you will likely see dolphins, sea lions, sunfish, and a variety of birds, in addition to whales.  There are numerous companies that offer these tours, including Hornblower, San Diego Harbor Excursion, and San Diego Whale Watch.  Worried what may happen if you don’t see any whales?  No problem; most companies will give you the opportunity to try again another day at no cost to you.  Also, be sure to check out Travelzoo before booking as money-saving deals pop up frequently.

So this year, commit to fulfilling all of your new year’s resolutions and book that tour today.  See you out there on the water!

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Darcie Czajkowski lives, works, and plays in Carmel Valley.  While she is a securities litigation attorney by day, her passions lie in writing, cooking, and traveling.  She has written two women’s fiction novels and is pursuing publication.  She also enjoys playing tennis, hiking at Torrey Pines State Reserve, and frequenting North County’s best happy hour spots.