The 15 Best Whale Watching Trips in the USA

Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching - Auke Bay and the two-hour whale search

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7,379 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $177Our pick

Review of Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching, with guaranteed humpback sightings, cruise pickup, heated cabins, guides, timing, and value tips.

“I was nervous to take this tour during our stop over in Juneau on a cruise. I was afraid maybe they wouldn't get us back on time. They did pick us up on time and get us back in plenty of time to make our boarding. We saw lots of whales and everyone was super friendly and taught us a lot of interesting information. We went in August. I'm not sure if that has an impact on how many whales we saw, but it was a very good experience.”

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Alaska Tours, Glacier Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Alaska, Wildlife

Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

2.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,236 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $249

Review of Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier and whale-watching tour, with timing, value, wildlife odds, transport tips, and practical advice.

“Loved Alaska Tours with Kacie, Justin, and Nate aboard the George Mason. Very informative and we saw 2 whales that breeched! So exciting to see Sasha and her baby Chacha! Kacie knows her stuff and you can tell she loves her work! Great time! Highly recommend!”

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Boston Tours, City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Sightseeing Cruises, Sightseeing Cruises in Boston, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Boston: City Cruises Whale Watching Cruise

3.City Cruises Whale Watching Cruise

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

Review of Boston’s whale watching cruise, with whale sightings, boat comfort, guide quality, value, timing, and practical tips.

“Amazing, we were very lucky and saw over 6 humpbacks and a right whale in late November! Was an incredible trip and smooth sailing, good choice of food and snacks on board.”

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Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching

Whale Watching Tour in Gloucester

4.Whale Watching Tour in Gloucester

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,460 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $48

Review of Gloucester’s Cape Ann Whale Watch, with Stellwagen Bank sightings, boat details, pricing, timing, sea conditions, and booking tips.

“The best experience of my life! Booked it last minute. So glad we did. The crew was exceptional. Full of great information. I’ll do not again! With this same company.”

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Boston Tours, City Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Sightseeing Cruises, Sightseeing Cruises in Boston, Speedboat Rides, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

City Cruises Boston Whale Watching Cruise by High-Speed Boat

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

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

Review of Boston’s high-speed whale watch to Stellwagen Bank, with practical advice on wildlife sightings, seasickness, weather, price, and value.

“The scientists and crew were very passionate about the animals, and that came through during the tour. They were very knowledgeable with an injection of humor, albeit a little bit on the corny side, but enough to make one smile. We had the privilege of seeing a pair of humpbacks during our time in the feeding grounds and witnessed a fluke. They are truly remarkable animals.”

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Dolphin Watching, Maui Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Maui

Maui Eco-Raft Tour: Eye-Level Whale or Dolphin Watching – Lahaina

6.Maui Eco-Raft Tour: Eye-Level Whale or Dolphin Watching – Lahaina

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,482 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Review of Maui’s small raft whale and dolphin tour, with eye-level wildlife views, whale songs, practical tips, pricing, and booking advice.

“This was one of my favorite days in hawaii. We saw 27 breaches, including one well that breached at least 10 times. The staff really knows how to find the whales and stick with them. Captain Jack and Meredith were incredibly knowledgeable. I highly recommend this tour especially because you're on a smaller boat at eye level with the water for the best views.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, San Diego Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

San Diego Whale Watching Cruise

7.San Diego Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,317 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $85

Review of San Diego’s America whale watching cruise, with sailing details, wildlife odds, price value, timing, tips, and booking advice.

“I took my daughter and three of her friends for her 16th birthday the 2nd of January. We had an amazing whale watching experience! The crew was fantastic—friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. The boat was very nice and comfortable, and it never felt overly crowded, which made the experience even better. We were lucky enough to see two gray whales—a mom and her baby—migrating together, which was absolutely incredible. The crew shared so much informative and interesting information about the whales and other marine life throughout the trip. The complimentary snacks and sodas were a really nice bonus, and when one of the kids started feeling…”

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Monterey and Carmel Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Monterey and Carmel

Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour

8.Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour

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

Review of Monterey Bay whale watching with Discovery Whale Watch, including wildlife, timing, value, parking, sea conditions, and practical tips.

“Just incredible to see the sea otters, dolphins and whales. The crew were incredibly knowledgable. Sea sickness tablets are a must”

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Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale Watching Trips to Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. Guaranteed sightings!

9.Whale Watching Trips to Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. Guaranteed sightings!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,135 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $45

Review of 7 Seas Whale Watch from Gloucester to Stellwagen Bank, with whale sightings, prices, practical tips, boat details, and booking advice.

“They went out of their way (quite literally as we cruised until we found the whales/dolphins). We had an awesome experience viewing these amazing creatures! The captain kept turning the boat, heading towards the pods for us to view them more closely. Will definitely recommend this tour and tour group to others”

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2-Hour Experiences, Oahu Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

2-Hour Oahu Whale Watch from Ala Wai Harbor, Waikiki

10.2-Hour Oahu Whale Watch from Ala Wai Harbor, Waikiki

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,929 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $49

Review of Oahu’s 2-hour Waikiki whale watch, with boat details, whale season tips, value, meeting advice, and honest pros and cons.

“Great vessel, terrific captain and crew. Everyone was friendly and informative. It was a nice time even though we didn't see anything besides spouts. Learned some new things which is always cool.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Monterey and Carmel Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Monterey and Carmel

Monterey: Monterey Bay Dolphin and Whale Watching Boat Tour

11.Monterey Bay Dolphin and Whale Watching Boat Tour

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

Review of Monterey Bay’s 3-hour whale and dolphin cruise, with wildlife highlights, boat comfort, parking advice, value, and booking tips.

“We had a great experience from beginning to end. luckily we had a chance to see quite a few whales.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, San Diego Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

San Diego Whale Watching & Dolphin Cruise

12.San Diego Whale Watching & Dolphin Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,588 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $71

San Diego whale watching cruise review covering wildlife, views, price, crew, parking, weather, what to bring, and who should book.

“Disappointing, we did not see any whales, the background and story telling was also not very engaging.”

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Maui Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Maui

From Maalaea: Whale Watching Tour Aboard the Quicksilver

13.From Maalaea: Whale Watching Tour Aboard the Quicksilver

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,461 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $49

Review of Maui’s Quicksilver whale watching cruise from Maalaea, with practical tips on seating, timing, value, drinks, parking, and whale sightings.

“Great tour great team on the trip. However they let themselves down by leaving us standing on the dock in the pouring rain, when they could have met us on the boat.”

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2-Hour Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours, Whale Watching

Newport Beach: 2-Hour Whale Watching Tour

14.Newport Beach: 2-Hour Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,375 reviews · 2 hours · from $27Best value

Review of Newport Beach’s $27 whale watching cruise, with seasonal wildlife tips, parking advice, itinerary details, and honest value guidance.

“Had a whale of a good time. The trip was very well orca-strated. The guide was fintastic. Glad I didn’t miss the boat on this one”

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Buffet Experiences, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Oahu Tours, Snorkeling, Snorkeling Trips in Oahu, Tour Reviews, VIP, Whale Watching

Luxury Snorkel Cruise, Local Buffet with Whale & Dolphin Watch

15.Luxury Snorkel Cruise, Local Buffet with Whale & Dolphin Watch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,334 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $174

Review of Oahu’s luxury snorkel cruise from Ko Olina, with whale and dolphin watching, Hawaiian buffet, drinks, gear, and Waikiki pickup.

“This was a fun trip. We were spoiled by Maui, so we were a bit down on not seeing a ton of whales, but as soon as we got in the water, we saw so many fish and turtles. The ride was great and the crew were so nice! The food even turned out to be really good! I would definitely book this again.”

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