Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: Our most recommended tours and activities

Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour

Monterey Bay: Whale Watching Tour

Discover a variety of whale species in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary on this unforgettable cruise from Monterey. Renowned for its deep submarine canyon close to shore, Monterey Bay is one of the world’s top whale-watching destinations. With whales spotted almost daily, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Depart from the Old Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can catch a glimpse of hundreds of Californian sea lions inside the harbor as the boat leaves the dock. Take advantage of the view and snap a photo to capture the memory. As you pass the historic Cannery Row, you’ll enter the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Keep your eyes peeled for feeding humpback whales, various dolphin species, porpoises, blue whales, and fin whales. Enjoy the onboard biologist’s fascinating insights into the bay’s marine life and conservation efforts. During the summer and fall, the tour focuses on feeding whales that come to feast on small fish and krill. While humpback whales are spotted daily, you might also see blue whales, fin whales, gray whales, orcas, and diverse dolphin species. In the winter, the tour shifts to the south end of Monterey Bay to follow migrating whales, including gray whales. This cruise offers an incredible chance to witness the majesty of these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.

Monterey Peninsula Sightseeing Tour including 17 Mile Drive

Monterey Peninsula Sightseeing Tour including 17 Mile Drive

Experience Monterey, Pacific Grove and the iconic 17 Mile Drive through Pebble Beach making several stops to enjoy the scenic coastline and discover marine animals like sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales. Enjoy a brief sightseeing drive through quaint Carmel-by-the-Sea with its beautiful beach, boutique shops, art galleries, restaurants and famous Spanish Mission. This half-day tour also includes a drive through Old Monterey where we learn about Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We also stop for a 20-30 minute walk at Lover's Point Park in Pacific Grove and short stops at Bird Rock and the inspiring Lone Cypress tree in Pebble Beach. Along the way, we learn all about the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the area's fascinating history. For golf enthusiasts, a stop at the Pebble Beach Lodge and Golf Course can be included to visit one of the most famous golf courses in the World!

Monterey: Private Whale Watching/Sailing Tour for 6

Monterey: Private Whale Watching/Sailing Tour for 6

This private sailing tour is aimed at enjoying a few hours of whale watching in the morning on the Monterey Bay. Drinks and light snacks will be provided free of charge. Whale and Dolphin sightings are not guaranteed, but chances are high that during this 3 - 4 hour private tour you will see Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Dolphins, and Whales. Beer, hard seltzer, juice, water and bagged snack mix will be provided. Furthermore, your Captain is a wealth of local knowledge about the history, geography, and marine wildlife you will enjoy viewing while on this private tour.

Whale and wildlife watching Private and Semi-Private tours

Whale and wildlife watching Private and Semi-Private tours

Experience an ocean adventure and Get up close and personal with some of California's marine life on this whale-watching tour departing from Santa Cruz. We limit the tour to just 6 people to be able offer intimate encounters with wildlife emphasizing unique animal experiences, featuring humpback whales., gray whales, blue whales, killer whales, great white sharks, up to six species of dolphin and more. We have one simple goal in mind — to create a life-changing experience for you. Groups are small (one to six people), we travel quietly, and the focus is on the wildlife. There is plenty of free time for us to explore. Start your tour in Santa Cruz, from here we enter the Monterey Bay and see Sea lions, sea otter and whales, Learn more from your certified naturalist / Captain and spot whales including humpback whales, gray whales, killer whales, blue whales, sharks, and other sea life such as mola mola, sea turtles, and jellyfish. The tour departs from the Santa Cruz North harbor Dock J

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Other Sightseeing Options in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

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What people are saying about Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Overall rating

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8
4.8 out of 5 stars
(728 reviews)
5 out of 5 stars

Very punctual, transport was clean and fit for purpose. Handy to be able to buy travel pills at the desk before departure. Staff very knowledgeable and always on hand to answer questions or point out the whales to guests. Only down side was I wonder if switching the boat of would have attracted the whales closer. But still very glad we got to see them a far

5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful trip - we saw grey whales migrating and it was absolutely magical. Our guides Maddie and Ryan were very knowledgable can Captain Dan got us to the whales quickly giving us a phenomenal view. Thoroughly recommended

5 out of 5 stars

It was a great day out on the boat! We saw a breaching Humpback, followed by sightings of 5 humpbacks! All the staff were great & gave us loads of information on what we were seeing!

5 out of 5 stars

It was perfect. The crew was very nice and thanks to them we were able to see 4 whales for 1/2 hour and some dolphins. A big thank you to you

5 out of 5 stars

Got to see plenty of dolphins and whales and it was exciting to see something new in monterey..