9 City Tours with Whale Watching to Build a Morning Around

1.Boston: City Cruises Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,710 reviews · 3h 30m · from $85Our pick

Cruise from Boston’s Long Wharf to Stellwagen Bank aboard a high-speed whale-watching boat with outdoor decks, indoor seating, snacks, and New England Aquarium Naturalists. Expect expert commentary, changing sea conditions, and a real chance to see humpback, fin, and minke whales in the wild.

“We were very lucky to have a fine day for this activity and although I do suffer from motion sickness I felt absolutely fine for the whole trip. We were given an interesting dialogue on the way out to the whale watching area and it was wonderful to manage to see three magnificent whales.”

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2.City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,115 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Leave Boston’s Long Wharf aboard a high-speed catamaran for a 3.5-hour whale watch at Stellwagen Bank. An onboard naturalist points out humpbacks, fin whales, minkes, dolphins, and seabirds, while indoor seating, restrooms, and a snack bar make the long ride easier.

“Great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well worth it. Very educational and interesting!!!!!!!!!!”

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3.Quebec City: Whale Watching Excursion Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 863 reviews · 11 hours · from $186

Spend 11 hours traveling from Quebec City to Baie-Sainte-Catherine for whale watching in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Choose a large boat or fast Zodiac, hear bilingual commentary, and look for belugas, fin, minke, and humpback whales with guides such as Patricia and Captain Luke.

“Experience of a life time and great value! The operator provided easy instructions and informative dialogue throughout transport to the launch site. It is quite a long bus ride, but the seating was very comfortable. There were many beautiful sights along the way too. The Zodiac excursion was fantastic! We were provided with waterproof pants and jackets, but be prepared to get splashed and wet from the boat ride. It was quite a warm day, but it is much cooler (-10° Celsius) on the water. There is no proper food stop, so be prepared to bring some snacks/beverages. We were lucky enough to have encounters with a family of Belugas,…”

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4.Cebu City: Whale Shark Swimming & Kawasan Falls Canyoneering

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 665 reviews · 16 hours · from $124

Start before dawn for a whale shark swim in Oslob, then continue to Badian for lunch and three hours of canyoneering. Guides such as Ray, Jordon, Marcelo, and Ronaldo are praised for safety and photos, while the long drive and possible two to three hour wait require patience.

“Had a phenomenal time Canyoneering, my guide Johnrey, did an amazing job helping me through the canyon, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, cliffs and trails. I had so much fun and he took some great photos! Zip lining was a blast! Felt like I was flying’s highly recommend. Whale shark swimming was fun, but there were a lot of people. The boatmen were very helpful and took some nice photos. Driver was good, but transportation was rough, especially sitting in the back of the van. Be ready for a long car ride - bring snacks, a book, music, portable charger, bug spray.”

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5.Québec City: Whale Watching Tour with Bus Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 426 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $191

Travel from Québec City to Baie-Sainte-Catherine by deluxe coach, then cruise the Saguenay-Saint Lawrence Marine Park by large observation boat or Zodiac. Guides such as Patricia and Priscilla provide bilingual commentary, while the smaller boat brings you closer to whales, seals, and other wildlife.

“Our guide was Ms Patricia and our driver was Paul. Ms Patricia was warm, professional and knowledgeable. She went above and beyond for us. We chose the AML boat (larger boat) and have no regrets. Given the weather was cold and windy it was really nice to be warm and still enjoy the seals and beluga sightings. It was truly one of a kind experience.My family and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

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6.City Cruises San Diego: Whale and Dolphin Watching Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 143 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $56Best value

Cruise from Navy Pier with City Cruises San Diego and look for migrating gray whales, fin whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds. Captains and San Diego Natural History Museum volunteers explain what you see. Choose a morning or afternoon departure, with indoor and outdoor seating.

“I bought the tickets online, and it was easy. I couldn't communicate by phone to confirm my reservation. I got there 30 minutes before, and I did not have any problem with my booking. The ferry is well equipped: tables, chairs, restrooms, a small bar that sells snacks, beverages (alcohol), Dramamine. You can pay with cards and cash. You can do the tour indoors and watch through the windows or being on the deck and enjoy the sun and the heavy and cool wind because they have chairs and tables there too. I highly recommended taking one Dramamine before departs because the ferry moves a lot during the three hours.…”

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7.5 hours Whale Watching Experience from Panama City

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $100Top rated

Join Mario, Milton, Alex, and their boat team for a morning search for humpback whales from Panama City. You may see mothers with calves, dolphins, turtles, or even a whale shark. The trip includes transport, boat fees, and about an hour on Taboga Island, but expect choppy water and no lunch.

“Alex was a wonderful and very informed guide. The day was perfect from pickup by Mario, to boat logistics, to the flexibility to see different things in our time. Highly recommend this tour!”

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8.Whale Watching Tour from Akureyri City Central

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 33 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $105

Set out from central Akureyri for a 2.5-hour whale search in Iceland’s fjord waters. Your English-speaking guide explains the wildlife, while thermal overalls, heated seating, Wi-Fi, and onboard refreshments keep the trip comfortable. Guides such as Max and Philippe have helped make the outing both informative and flexible.

“The tour is super convenient to any location in Akureyri. The guides are knowledgeable, and the ship was not overcrowded. We enjoyed our day out in the fjord and saw humpbacks and bottlenose whales.”

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9.Cebu City: Scuba Diving with Whale Sharks Trip in Oslob

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 14 reviews · from $172

Leave Cebu City around 5:00 AM for Oslob by private car. After a safety briefing and equipment fitting, an English-speaking instructor takes you into the sea for a 30 to 40-minute scuba session beside whale sharks. Non-licensed and licensed participants are welcome.

“Whale shark watching in Oslob starts early at 3am, but you should definitely go. There are many snorkeling tours, but there are a lot of people lined up to board the boat that goes out to sea, so you have to wait quite a while. And the surface of the sea is also full of people. However, with diving, you can enter directly from the beach without having to wait to enter, and the water is empty so you can move freely and see well. It's a little more expensive than snorkeling, but diving is definitely recommended. At Sumilon Island, we didn't dive, we went snorkeling. The drivers are very…”

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