The 14 Best Whale Watching Tours in Monterey

1.Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,300 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $75Our pick

Cruise from Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary with a marine biologist. Guides such as Isaiah and Maddy explain the wildlife while you look for humpbacks, gray whales, blue whales, orcas, dolphins, sea lions, and otters. Bring layers and motion-sickness medicine.

“Excellent, guide (Isiah) was very good/knowledgeable, (also very good at singing sea shanty’s!); sightings very good, 90 minutes sailing alongside a family of 5 Orca, then lots of White Sided Dolphin bow riding the boat. Fabulous.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Monterey: Monterey Bay Dolphin and Whale Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,645 reviews · 3 hours · from $62Best value

Cruise from Old Fisherman’s Wharf with Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching for three hours of wildlife spotting. Guides such as Kevin explain whale behavior, migration, and Monterey Bay’s ecology while the captain searches for humpbacks, gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, birds, and, sometimes, orcas.

“Was able to see whales, sea lions and migrant birds it was worth it”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.4 Hour Whale Watching Tour From Monterey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,045 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85Top rated

Leave Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf at 9am for about three and a half hours on Monterey Bay. A marine biologist or naturalist helps you spot humpback, gray, blue, and other whales, plus dolphins, sea lions, and birds. Expect photo advice, conservation stories, coffee or tea, and a boat limited to 30 people.

“This whale watching tour was the best tour we have ever taken! A once in a lifetime experience! We were lucky to come across a feeding frenzy which included hundreds of sea lions, a dozen or more humpbacks and many birds all feeding on anchovies. Ryan & Ivy were informative and super friendly! We highly recommend Discovery Whale Watch!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Monterey Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 732 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $70

Cruise from Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf into the protected bay sanctuary aboard the 110-foot Princess Monterey or 100-foot Atlantis Monterey. Naturalists point out humpbacks, gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and other wildlife. Plan for cold, rough water and consider the $20 upper-deck upgrade.

“We had a great time. We didn’t see any whales for the first hour + but then we came across a group of humpbacks and they put on a show for us. We paid extra for the upper-deck access and I thought it was worth it. It was a great experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Monterey: Sunset Whale Watching Cruise with A Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 519 reviews · 3 hours · from $75

Join Discovery Whale Watch at Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a three-hour sunset cruise led by a marine biologist or naturalist. Guides such as Isaiah, Andrew, and Kevin explain whale behavior, migration, and conservation while the crew searches for humpbacks, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and more.

“The most incredible trip ever. Surrounded by whales! Super friendly and helpful team, we booked and got delayed so they moved our trip back a day for us. 10/10”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 497 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $62

Set out from 48 Fishermans Wharf with Chris’ Fishing Trips & Whale Watching for about three hours on a 53-foot to 70-foot boat. Your captain and crew track humpbacks, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and sometimes orcas, while sharing commentary from the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. Bring warm layers and motion-sickness medicine.

“Amazing experience! We saw humpback whales , mother +baby putting up a performance we had never seen before! The captain and guide excellent. The boat is a small one , but the " hands on" experience is huge.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Monterey: Whale Watching Tour with A Marine Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 348 reviews · 2h 30m · from $70

Cruise Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary for 150 minutes aboard the Princess Monterey or Atlantis Monterey. A marine guide explains whale behavior, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds while you watch from heated cabins, large windows, or the 360-degree outdoor deck. Food and drinks are available onboard.

“A nice trip out in to the ocean, great tour guide and crew. Good view of the wildlife, but after an hour of seeing the occasional whale it became a bit dull and everyone was waiting to go back. Would be better with a glass bottomed boat maybe. Also we were quite far from the whales for most of the time so you need a good zoom lens to get some good shots. Worth the trip”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Monterey Bay Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 316 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $69

Join Sea Goddess Whale Watching for a roughly three-hour cruise from Moss Landing, at the mouth of Monterey Bay Canyon. Look for humpback, gray, blue, and killer whales, plus dolphins, sea lions, seals, birds, jellyfish, and mola mola. VIP upper-deck seating is available.

“We did an early Sunday morning (9:30) VIP tour. I loved that it wasn’t as crowded as the later tour and being upstairs made it much easier to move from side to side as whales were spotted. (Captain seemed to like to keep the whales on the right for our trip) The crew was courteous and knowledgable. This is off season and we were still able to have quite a few sightings.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.3-Hour Whale Watching Tour from Monterey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 240 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $75

Join Discovery Whale Watch at Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a three-hour, naturalist-led trip across Monterey Bay. Guides explain whales, dolphins, conservation, and local marine life while the crew tracks sightings for science. Expect humpbacks, gray whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, and changing ocean conditions.

“Great guides and wonderful experience!! Onboarding and offboarding the boat was smooth. Learned a lot about the Gray Whale. The crew did their best to find whale!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Afternoon Whale Watch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 186 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $75

Sail from Monterey Fisherman’s Wharf with Discovery Whale Watch for about three hours of searching for humpback and gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and possibly orcas. Marine biologists such as Isaiah, Sophie, and Andrew explain the wildlife, while the small boat keeps you close to the water and the action.

“Saw an amazing breach and a few more also a lunge feed that I had never seen before! Trip was incredible”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Monterey: Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 179 reviews · 2h 30m · from $71

Set out from Moss Landing for a 150-minute cruise through Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. A marine biologist guide, including narrator Eliza on some trips, helps you spot humpback, gray, blue, orca, and minke whales, plus dolphins, otters, sea lions, seabirds, and more.

“We saw lots of whales and the guide was very informative and great boat”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Sunset Whale Watch Tour in Monterey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 86 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $75

Join Discovery Whale Watch at Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a roughly three-hour evening cruise. Naturalists such as Isaiah, Maddie, and Jessie explain the marine life as the crew searches for humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and seabirds. The boat holds up to 40 people, with coffee, tea, restrooms, and beer and wine for purchase.

“Ottimo abbiamo visto diverse balene in più punti e il tour è durato più di 2 ore. Ps. Copritevi che fa freddo”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Monterey: Private Whale Watching/Sailing Tour for 6

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3 reviews · 3h 30m

Spend about three and a half hours sailing Monterey Bay with a private group of up to six. Your captain shares local knowledge while you watch for whales, dolphins, sea lions, sea otters, and sunfish. Captain Tiki and Kiwi have earned special praise, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

“Captain Tiki was a wealth of knowledge and so accommodating with our 3 sons. We saw whales, sea lions, a sun fish, and otter! So much fun :)”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Monterey Private 3 – 4 Hour Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.)

Sail Monterey takes your private group of up to six from Old Fisherman’s Wharf into Monterey Bay for 3 to 4 hours of whale watching. Expect a quieter sailing experience, possible humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters, jellyfish, and seabirds, plus a short knot tying lesson before departure.

“My family and I were supposed to be in Zion. However due to malfunctions we salvaged the trip and went to Monterey Ca. Best thing we did. Our kids liked the aquarium BUT, the absolute highlight of the trip was seeing a bunch of humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters and jellyfish up close and personal with Monterey Bay Sailing. These guys are a class act and love what they do. We got to go on there beautiful huge catamaran. Within 3 hours our guide led us to numerous humpback whales very close up and hundreds of dolphins swimming right with boat. I will post pics from our trip. Our…”

Check availability →Read our full review