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One of our favorite activities to do in Monterey California is to go whale watching. When we have family and friends visit it is one thing we always take them to try! It is great fun for all ages, and we have seen whales every time we have gone out. Elijah’s parents were visiting from out of state on this trip and we wanted to take them whale watching. We chose to go out with Monterey Bay Whale Watch based on their ticket times, they host an afternoon/evening tour and we did not want to get up early! We paid $305.28 for four
adult tickets to go on the 2:30 PM tour.
Getting To Monterey Bay Whale Watch:
The tour meeting point is at the Monterey Bay Whale Watch building near the end of Old Fisherman's Wharf. There is a parking lot nearby with paid parking. During the summertime, this lot can fill up quickly! There are other lots nearby, but they are a little bit of a further walk. We normally try to park at Fisherman's Wharf Waterfront Lot WF#1 (101-106 Washington St, Monterey, CA 93940) as it is the most convenient.
A little bit further away is Downtown Garage West (340 Tyler St, Monterey, CA 93940) which is a good backup option if the closer lots are full. It is about a ten-minute walk from the garage to Old Fisherman's Wharf. We try to leave extra early when we go out on boat tours just in case we cannot find parking and have to walk! We have had a few close calls where we have almost missed boarding because we could not find parking quickly. We learned our lesson, and always give ourselves more time than we think we need. We like to be at the meeting point at least 30 minutes early for all tours. This helps us to avoid getting left behind but also helps us get a better parking spot.
The building is on the right-hand side of the wharf if you are walking towards the end, and it is bright red and says the name of the company. It was easy to spot as we walked down the wharf. We went inside to check in and did not have to sign any waivers since we all pre-signed online before arriving. We got our tickets and waited for the tour to begin.
The Experience:
We went through a brief safety demonstration with the crew before we boarded the boat, we were told where to find life jackets in case of an emergency, and what to do if we started to feel seasick. After the safety presentation, we began boarding the boat. There was a small ramp from the dock to the boat. The ramp was on wheels so it would move with the boat, but was easy to get on and off. Staff was nearby to help you on and off, and our family had no problem boarding the boat.
Everyone must be seated when driving in and out of the harbor, but once you are outside the harbor standing is allowed. We had enough room to sit comfortably as a group without being squashed. There was also enough room along the railing to stand comfortably and move around to other sides when wildlife was on one side of the boat.
As we were leaving the harbor we saw sea lions, seals, and birds on the rocks. We had only been on the boat a few minutes and had already seen some wildlife! From the harbor, we made our way towards where whales had been spotted, and it took us about 20 minutes to get there.
We saw multiple different whales throughout the tour! We saw a lot of different fins coming up when the whales would dive down for food and saw a few glimpses of their faces. We appreciated the captain spinning the boat so both sides saw the action. There was also crew on board commentating on what the whales were doing, and sharing interesting facts about the types of whales we were seeing. We saw multiple humpback whales on our trip, and the crew said they are distinguishable by their different tail markings! You can even register new whales from pictures of their tales if the tail has not yet been documented. You even get to name it! Unfortunately, we did not spot any undocumented whales, but we did have fun trying to come up with names.
We saw at least 6 different whales; each made multiple surfaces during our trip! The crew was great at keeping them in our sight! They do not get close to whales for safety reasons, but they are still close enough to see without endangering the animals. The water the day we went out was not very rough, and no one in our group got seasick. However, the boat did have a small shop inside where they were selling seasickness remedies. If you are prone to seasickness it is recommended to take a Dramamine about a half hour or so before you get on the boat!
Our group had an amazing time, and we were so glad that our family witnessed so much activity with the whales and sea lions! Elijah’s parents said it was one of their favorite things we have taken them to do so far in California!
What to bring:
Sunscreen
Hat
Dramamine (seasickness medication)
Comfortable shoes
Layers of clothing (it can get cold fast!)
Camera
Summary:
On a recent family trip to Monterey California, we went whale watching with Monterey Bay Whale Watch and four adult tickets cost $305.2. We went out on their 2:30 pm tour and saw an abundance of active wildlife. We saw multiple whales, sea lions, seals, and birds on our trip. There was never a dull moment! The crew was very knowledgeable about the animals we encountered and provided insightful commentary. This activity was a hit with family visiting and was something they said they would never forget! Let us know below if you think a whale watching trip with Monterey Bay Whale Watch is worth your wallet!
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