Where to Go Whale Watching in Orange County

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One of the best perks of living in (or visiting) Southern California is of course the beach. We love the beach! The weather is almost always perfect and the scenery is beautiful; which is why everyone goes there. And it is a sure way to make kids happy, even if they do have sand coming out of who knows where for the following three days.

But, we do the typical beach day a lot. So, this spring break we decided to branch out from the normal and do something new. Or, I should say new for everyone but me.

Whale watching! I went when I was a teenager, but the experience I had was nothing like this go around. I was on a tiny boat, and all we saw were a couple of sea lions. Plus, if I am to be honest, and if I remember correctly, the boat was so small and rocky, I got a little seasick.

This time around, we were on a big boat with all the amenities. Bathrooms (Hallelujah! With 4 small kids that is a must), snacks, and both inside and outside seating. It was the perfect introduction to the sea for my kids.

But, the best part of this trip was the fact is that literally within minutes of leaving the harbor we saw a big grey whale. We followed it for the better part of an hour and each time were equally enthused and couldn’t help but muster a cry of excitement along with “oooos and ahhhhhs” from the rest of the boat.

We played tag with a pod dolphins who playfully swam alongside our boat for the longest of time. And saw 2 other whales (if you were looking in the right spot at the right time) during the remainder of our voyage.

It was such a wonderful day and everyone was happy; and if you have young kids, you know that is not always the easiest task to accomplish. So, seeing a whale //check//. Kids enjoying the day //check//. I’m calling the whole day a huge success!

We bought our tickets through Groupon from Davey Jone’s Locker out of Newport Beach, CA. Reserve your spot early because they did run out of availability during the busy season. I would also recommend checking the peak season to better your chances of seeing something.