FAQ

It’s always whale watching season at Oceanside Adventures! Gray whale season officially begins on November 28th and runs through the end of April. Blue whale season runs May to November. The dolphins do not migrate, so we often see common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins all year round.

For more on each season, read our full seasonal guide.

November to April: gray whales, minke whales, humpback whales, fin whales and all four species of dolphin.
May to October: fin whales, blue whales, minke whales, humpback whales and all four species of dolphin.

Other sightings may include orcas, pilot whales, turtles, sharks, sunfish, sea lions, and various birds and other marine life. One never knows what we will see next on one of our adventures.

For the latest sightings, please visit our trip logs, or see the last few days on our cruise page. Please note that there is no better time for seeing whales or dolphins, as they both move 24 hours a day!

Whales migrate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so there is no “best” time of day to see whales or dolphins, morning or afternoon. The weather on the water does tend to be calmer in the morning.

We can’t guarantee a whale or dolphin sighting. Our experience has given us an unsurpassed record for finding them in the Oceanside area.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act requires that we stay 100 yards away from the whales, but some may swim right up to the boat! Dolphins usually come very close, but we do not touch, swim with or feed the wildlife.

Gray whales are coastal navigators, so we usually travel about a mile offshore. The same is generally true for blue whales. The boat does have a range of up to 7 miles if needed.

Advance purchase is strongly recommended, and trips often sell out quickly. To maximize your chances of getting the day and time you prefer, please buy your tickets well in advance.

Unfortunately, we do not have waiting lists for our trips. If the date and time you want is sold out, please choose another date and time from the schedule for this activity.

Food and beverages are not included in your ticket price but are available for purchase.

Yes, all boats are available for private charters. The charter office can be reached at 760-277-3073.

Yes! Whale watching is a perfect gift, and a whale watching trip is great for gatherings of friends or family. Buy a gift card online, or read more about our gift certificates.

Current ticket prices are on our whale watching cruise page. Our guide to what whale watching costs explains the fees and what is included.

We think so, but we’re biased. Read our honest look at whether whale watching in Oceanside is worth it, and check the recent sightings at the bottom of this page.

Yes, from Oceanside Harbor on our 47-foot catamaran, Oceanside Adventures. You’ll find answers to your burial at sea questions on our Burials at Sea page.

Oceanside Harbor: 256 Harbor Dr. S, Oceanside, CA 92054

Be sure to check in at our kiosk located by the Lighthouse for your boarding pass. Please do not go directly to the boat.

We’re in Oceanside Harbor, off the 5 freeway, 30 minutes north of SeaWorld San Diego and 30 minutes south of Orange County. Parking directions are on our Contact Us page.

Email: info@oceansidewhalewatching.com
Phone: 760-277-3737

Please arrive no later than 30 minutes before the cruise departs and have your entire party check in at the kiosk for boarding passes and to sign the manifest. We recommend at least 45 minutes on weekends and holidays to allow extra time to find parking.

Warm, layered clothing is best. It is always much cooler (10 to 15 degrees) on the ocean than in the harbor, so it is better to be overdressed than underdressed. Once you are comfortable, you can always peel a layer off! Waterproof clothing might be a good idea in the event of rain, and sunglasses are an absolute must!

More on what to wear, season by season.

Dry snacks and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are available for purchase on the boat (cash only, please). Alcohol may not be brought on board. No hot food allowed on the boat. Snacks and water are ok.

No ice chests or coolers are allowed on board. We will make exceptions for special diets, however.

While no money is required from you on board, if you’d like to purchase food or beverages at the full-service galley or souvenirs, please bring extra money (approximately $20). While the store on land accepts both cash and credit cards for souvenir purchases, food and drink on the boats’ galleys will need to be purchased with cash only.

No gratuity is required, but we recommend $2 to $5 per person. The crew works hard to make your trip enjoyable!

There is limited room to stow your belongings on board. Please only bring what is absolutely necessary for the trip.

Yes, there is a clean marine head on board.

Yes! We have covered cushion seating available. If you plan on staying outside to have a better view of the whales and dolphins, please dress appropriately with a hat, sunglasses and/or sunscreen.

You can sit under cover: we have covered cushion seating. Waterproof clothing is a good idea if there’s a chance of rain.

While our dual-hull catamarans are very safe and stable, we will be in the ocean. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, you might want to consider taking preventative measures beforehand.

Read our seasickness tips.

Absolutely. Along with modern safety equipment (EPIRB, life floats, life jackets and more), the Oceanside Adventures is constantly maintained and inspected once a year by the United States Coast Guard.

We do have life jackets on board, but it is not required for any passenger to wear one during the cruise.

No smoking is permitted.

Our boats are wheelchair accessible.

The ramp can accommodate standard size push wheelchairs with a wheelbase of 25 inches or less. The max width to get through the gate is 27 inches.

Unfortunately we are not able to accommodate electric wheelchairs or scooters, even if they fit the wheelbase provided above.

Please call after booking so we can make a note and have the ramp deployed and ready for your arrival.

Yes! We have no age limit for our whale watching cruises. Everyone is welcome, and our vessel is very safe with high rails. However, children ages 2 and under are not recommended.

Tips for whale watching with kids.

While we don’t put a limitation on who may or may not attend, pregnant women should always consult with their doctors before participating in any active activities.

We do not allow dogs on board, with the exception of service animals.

We do run in light rain, but if it becomes extremely windy, we might have to cancel the trip for safety reasons. If the trip has already left the dock and conditions become unsafe, we will issue a “whale check” that will allow you to come back another time for another one of our whale watching cruises!

Non-refundable, cannot be rescheduled. Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded and cannot be rescheduled because your space is being guaranteed at the event.

Full accommodation will be provided in the rare scenario the trip is canceled for any reason.

The activity usually runs in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but the seller may cancel the activity in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If the seller cancels the event for weather-related reasons or otherwise, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), receive a credit for a future event, or receive a full refund.

All participants are required to have tickets for this event.

Our boats are United States Coast Guard documented for a certain amount of passengers and we cannot exceed the capacity. This means that all passengers must have a ticket.