The 5 Most Popular Newport Beach Whale Watching Tours

1.2-Hour Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,375 reviews · 2 hours · from $27Our pick

Set out from Balboa Pavilion with an English-speaking crew for two hours off Newport Beach. Captain Hunter, Kayla, and other guides have helped guests spot blue, fin, gray, and humpback whales, plus huge dolphin pods, sea lions, and birds. Wildlife is never guaranteed, but the Newport-Laguna coastline and low price make this an easy outing near Disneyland.

“We arrived a little before time to go, and the trip was wonderful. Although we saw no whales, we did enjoy seeing two large pods of dolphins and were able to hang with them for a while. The captain was very helpful and we even had a volunteer naturalist on board. Thanks for a great day!”

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2.Whale-Watching Cruise from Newport Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 927 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $31

Cruise from Newport Harbor for about 2 hours and 15 minutes aboard a 65-foot boat, watching for whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions. Captains and guides such as Dani, Jill, Harrison, and Addison explain the marine life and help spot animals. Bring warm layers, sunscreen, and patience: sightings are never guaranteed.

“Our experience was so excellent! Dani, our captain, and Jill, our guide, made this whale watching cruise unforgettable. We saw ridiculously scenic coastline views, which added to the magic of thr trip. While we only saw bottlenose dolphins (tons of them), the cruise was still spectacular and definitely worth the ticket price. Plus, due to a last minute change on their end we happened to get upgraded to the higher end smaller boat with less people. There were lots of moments of sheer joy (we geeked out pretty hard) at getting to visit the dolphins up close in their natural environment. Others around us expressed feeling similarly. What also set…”

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3.Whale and Dolphin-Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 415 reviews · 2h 30m · from $30

Cruise from Newport Beach for 150 minutes with an English-speaking captain and crew who explain local marine life. Look for dolphins, sea lions, gray whales, blue whales, humpbacks, fin whales, and more. The boat follows the Newport Coast toward Laguna Beach, with calm water, ocean views, and a reported 96% chance of seeing whales or dolphins.

“We didn’t spot any whales but what we did see was very special to share as a family”

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4.Ultimate Whale Watching Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 272 reviews · 2 hours · from $84

Join Newport Landing Cruises for a fast, intimate 2-hour ride aboard a 15-seat RIB. Captains and guides such as Erika, Delaney, Molly, Mark, and Ryan search up to 14 miles offshore for whales, dolphins, sea lions, and other wildlife. Expect open views, lively commentary, and no bathroom onboard.

“An amazing experience to see gray whales, lots of dolphins and sea lions. We were lucky enough to find two gray whales pretty early into our tour. And then we headed to an area where there was 300-400 dolphins in a pod. Seeing that many dolphins at once was magical. And the sea lions was a great way to end the trip. Delaney and Erica were amazing guides and the fact that they took pictures of the wildlife on a large digital camera with great zoom and shared these with each passenger with Air Drop was an unexpected extra that made this trip five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

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5.Private 2hr Supreme Whale/Dolphin Watching Tour, Newport Beach CA

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 161 reviews Top rated

Set out from Newport Harbor with Captain Nick or another USCG licensed captain on a private two-hour whale and dolphin trip. The small twin-engine catamaran carries up to six people, giving you a quick, personal ride toward local wildlife. Expect harbor views, naturalist commentary, and possible dolphins, whales, and sea lions.

“We went on a Dolphin/Whale watching excursion with Nick from East Meets West yesterday morning. It was honestly the trip of a lifetime! Nick was our captain and is extremely knowledgeable about marine life. We learned alRead more”

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