Offered year-round by the Dana Point Ocean Institute, the Dana Point Whale and Marine Life Tour is a 2.5-hour cruise that departs from the Institute’s own dock and hunts for dolphins, whales, birds, and sea lions in the Pacific Ocean before turning around and heading back. Expect to see dolphins – potentially dozens or hundreds at once – as well as cranes, suntanning sea lions, and possibly sunfish, with whale sightings neither guaranteed nor expected throughout many months of the year. The boat is well-maintained, fairly large, and stocked with free (basic) drinks for the cruise; friendly and upbeat crew members provide useful updates as the cruise progresses, and passengers can choose to sit inside, outside on first floor benches, or on a second floor (accessible via ladder).
Tickets are $40 per person and include access to the Ocean Institute at the conclusion of the tour. Parking is free in a lot adjacent to the Institute, and the boat’s pier is only a very brief walk from the lot.
