Monterey Bay Whale Watching
4.5
Monterey Bay Whale Watching
By Sea Goddess Whale Watching
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 3-100, max of 150 per group
Duration: 2–3 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Restroom on board
- All Fees and Taxes
- Entry/Admission - Moss Landing
What's not included- Snacks
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Lunch
- Soda/Pop
- Start:
- 7881 Sandholdt Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USAHead towards the Moss Landing harbor office and you will see our large mobile office for check-in.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 122932P3- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- No Walkers allowed
- Not Available for infants or children under 3 years old due to safety reasons
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 150 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 122932P3
From
$69.95
per adult
Select date and travelers
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- nativfla10 contributionsSafe and wonderful experienceSo much better than our Alaska whale watching tour out of Juno. This tour saw three times as many whales and got a bit closer to them. Also, the seals were a hoot! Crew was really great as far as knowledge of the marine life, waters, weather, and coast guard regs. I would go again if I were in the area again. The boat is quite able to handle the Pacific chop without too much bouncing.Written August 2, 2024
- Shashidurga0 contributionsA bit disappointing tripWent with our two teenage kids on June 15, 2024. Pretty disappointed that we saw only one whale that was not showing up much at all. The captain was telling someone that another boat had seen two whales. The journey was very tiring as can be expected with a bigger size boat in the pacific ocean whale watching with the waves but we had a similar trip 20 years ago in a smaller boat. We were able to watch a mom and cub pair from up/close having so much fun.Written June 19, 2024
- G2217DFbobbyw0 contributionsBad/ScamAs bad as it gets, they were no call no show. Wasted day of vacation plus the cost gas and parking. Hoping my credit card company can get back the $150.Moss Landing location.Written December 23, 2023
- Navigator516016467400 contributionsCancelled the trip at short noticeThey cancelled this trip less than 24-hours before due to not selling enough tickets. As a result we didn’t have enough time to rebook elsewhere. All done via email and very unimpressedWritten December 7, 2023
- coralspringscarol0 contributionsThe whales were everywhere!The best whale watching tour we’ve taken lately and we’ve taken several in different places over the years. I cannot count the number of whales we got to see, some breached, some just coming up out of the water and many whale’s tails as they dove back under the water. A most enjoyable afternoon. We could have watched them for another hour but unfortunately we had to head back to shore.Written December 4, 2023
- lfreeman19540 contributionsMonterey Bay marine life viewing at its best!We have used Sea Goddess many times over many years to see the marine life on Monterey Bay. We always see something new and this time was no exception! We saw several mother and calf pairs of Humpback Whales on their way to Baja. Breaching, pectoral flapping, and fluke displays. Other marine life seems to follow them and put on their own displays. The Captain and crew always find the best viewings and the expertise of the marine biologists is spot on! Take this excursion out of Moss Landing and you’ll not be disappointed!Written October 21, 2023
- Mayra R0 contributionsWhale watchingMy family enjoyed this trip. Lots of sea creatures and a lot of whales. The staff there were great and friendly. Definitely going again next year.Written October 8, 2023
- Curious244377145670 contributionsAmazing!!!!!My wife and I had an amazing time for our 3rd anniversary. We seen whales and dolphins on our tour. The staff was amazing and very knowledgeable. We will definitely do this again.Written September 25, 2023
- O3580BHandrewl0 contributionsWorth Every PennyI had a great time. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommended. I’ll definitely be going out with Sea Goddess Whale Watching again!Written September 4, 2023
- vinayakn4930 contributionsAmazing and one of the best experiences!The view was amazing. We saw many whales along our path and enjoyed our time out there, it was extremely peaceful and wonderful to see such gigantic mammals in our aquatic environmentWritten June 12, 2023
- 999namitas0 contributionsA wonderful , worth-the-money experienceIt was a great experience as we got to see the whales in their natural habitat. The tour gave sufficient time to see the whales. The boats were clean and not crowded (for the tour we went). The tour guides answered our queries satisfactorily. Overall a great experience for our child and us alike. I'mWritten June 6, 2023
- paulacB709RO0 contributionsSuccess! We saw whales!I have motion sickness, so I was trepidatious about the trip. We had friends from out of town who wanted to see the whales, so we booked. I recently purchased a Relief Band, which helped, in addition to taking Dramamine the night before and an hour before the trip. The water was choppy, and I would have been sick without these measures. Just an FYI, they do have disposable vomit bags onboard. The staff were helpful and checked in to ensure we were doing okay. We saw three whales while we were out. which made it a successful trip! It was fun watching all the sea otters swimming around the whales too. The boat was comfortable. I highly recommend checking the weather beforehand and being prepared with a hat, gloves, and layers of clothing. It's cooler out on the water than it is on land. Otherwise, the gift shop where you check in has all these items. It was a great time, and I highly recommend the Sea Goddess!Written June 5, 2023
- 830jeanettep0 contributionsLove This Tour!I love this tour - this is my 10th time and the crew and experience has never failed us! I look forward to my next tour.Written May 31, 2023
- sravanit20200 contributionsPerfect for a day trip!What a fun experience! The instructions to prep for whale watching were quite clear so I felt very prepared going into the experience. The guides were informative and kept checking up on us for questions. The temperature does drop 10 degrees on the water so definitely dress warm!Written May 30, 2023
- 529trinan0 contributionsWonderful ExperienceI took my children on this tour for my birthday, which was terrific! We got to see three humpback whales. The staff was very welcoming and informative. They even stopped to fetch a balloon out of the ocean which was great to see how they respect the environment and wildlife. They also were filming their commercial, so we got to be a part of it. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to go whale watching near Monterey.Written May 29, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
259 reviews
Excellent
229
Very good
13
Average
4
Poor
3
Terrible
10
Claire998
3 contributions
We picked this operator from the ratings and we weren't disappointed. Juliette our guide was very knowledgeable and kept us informed of what to look for and the different types of behaviour the whales were demonstrating. There were so many it was difficult to know where to look first. At least 20 humpback with plenty more sealions and the occasional sea otter. We even had a couple of whales come and check out the boat and swim alongside for a while. The captain was great at keeping the boat near enough to see the whales, but a respectful distance away. He even stopped on the way back as there were a few breaching in the bay. Perfect day. Thank you
Written October 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ivy S
San Francisco, CA40 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
We had a great time on Sea Goddess' afternoon whale watching tour this month! We saw at least 20 humpback whales, which was really cool, and a ton of sea lions. The guides were knowledgeable and kind. Boat was spacious and clean - we were on the main deck and had plenty of room to sit, and move around inside & outside around the boat.
I do want to try a smaller boat tour next time for a more up-close experience, but this afternoon tour with Sea Goddess was a great tour for larger groups, first-timers or those prone to seasickness, and at a relatively lower cost.
I do want to try a smaller boat tour next time for a more up-close experience, but this afternoon tour with Sea Goddess was a great tour for larger groups, first-timers or those prone to seasickness, and at a relatively lower cost.
Written November 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Haniza Z
San Jose, CA13 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
We were hoping to see blue whales and orcas. Alas, that didn’t happen and it was foggy too so I was a bit worried. However, it was still a great trip overall, we upgraded to the upper deck so were able to move between left and right side of the boat to get the best views. The naturalist had a really informative narration about the animals we saw . What was most amazing is that the humpback whales turning to swim right towards our boat. I admit that there was that instant where my excitement turned to fear as it got closer, They’re huge..probably around 55 ft but I think they were just curious as their heads popped up a little to look at us. I even saw the barnacles on their heads. We’ve been whale watching about five times throughout the last 20 years and this is the first time a whale actually swam up to the boat.
Oo..and we also saw a sunfish!! I’ve only seen them in aquariums so this is so cool. It swam at the top of the water, and the naturalist says that’s normal.
After our trip, we had lunch at a Thai restaurant there, probably the only Thai restaurant at Moss Landing. Everything was so good and flavorful, highly recommended.
Oo..and we also saw a sunfish!! I’ve only seen them in aquariums so this is so cool. It swam at the top of the water, and the naturalist says that’s normal.
After our trip, we had lunch at a Thai restaurant there, probably the only Thai restaurant at Moss Landing. Everything was so good and flavorful, highly recommended.
Written August 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Boorle
Fort Wayne, IN2 contributions
Worst experience with sea Goddess whale watch .
Went half hour before the departure.
No one to guide us for check in.
The tour person even didn't bother to call us and canceled the trip.
No reply to the calls or to the email they provided on voice mail.
We missed to see whales watch total in our trip a it was last day of our stay.
I hope I will get my refund.
Will not recommend to book via this sea goddess whale watch.
Monterey Bay whale watch did responded better than this people .
Went half hour before the departure.
No one to guide us for check in.
The tour person even didn't bother to call us and canceled the trip.
No reply to the calls or to the email they provided on voice mail.
We missed to see whales watch total in our trip a it was last day of our stay.
I hope I will get my refund.
Will not recommend to book via this sea goddess whale watch.
Monterey Bay whale watch did responded better than this people .
Written December 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nj B
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
Very disappointing experience. Not only promised way more than we saw but just stuck with one resident whale the whole time that we could barely view. Very much a gimmick. I strongly suggest traveling a little up the coast to find a legitimate whale watching tour with people that won't oversell and actually know something about the marine life.
Written July 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harsha V
6 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
We got to see a whale doing a lot of flips and slaps, and it was incredibly entertaining!... For the first 30 min. The entire tour revolved around this one humpback, and after 30 min nobody was interested. So the next 2h, captain kept calling out the same whale and people just went to sleep to fight the seasickness. Would have preferred if he'd gone further to look for other animals. But captain was great and gave plenty of info, and it was fun, again all for the first half hour.
Carry layers, for sure - it gets chilly. Some snacks, water too.
Carry layers, for sure - it gets chilly. Some snacks, water too.
Written August 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ronah B
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Friends
We had a wonderful trip with Sea Goddess. The boat was roomy enough for everyone to have a great view of the marine life. We expected humpback whales, but we got more than we bargained for - our tour came across a pod of orcas that put on a show for us while hunting a sea lion. We also saw a pod of dolphins, a sunfish, and a few humpbacks. The narration was great and the crew were all very friendly. I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone looking to see whales in the Monterey Bay!
Written August 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ali from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA4 contributions
May 2023
I have gone whale watching many times out of Moss Landing. We definitely had some great sightings on this trip, for which I am grateful! However, the speaker system on board the ship was very quiet, so you could only hear it well if you were inside the galley, or if the boat was not moving. Additionally, on the way back in we could see Orcas jumping out of the water not far off, but the boat just went straight back in because the company booked a departing cruise at 12:30 pm, which I was told when I purchased our tickets was our arrival time. So it definitely isn't a 3 hour cruise. I was frustrated as we would certainly have had time to go watch the Orcas on the way in, given they weren't very far away, if this was truly a 3 hour cruise. I just think the company should take the 3 hour advertising off if it is not going to happen, even if there are whales or orcas right there to see.
Written May 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle
Carmichael, CA1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Such a great trip. I remembered my non drowsy dramamine and for the first time was not motion sick on a boat. Amazing day with countless views of the humpback whales. We even had one swim directly under the front of the boat to experience the size of the whale. So amazing! Unforgettable family/friend trip.the staff was helpful and kind as well. The kept everyone safe on the boat and tracked the whales well to maximize our viewing time.
Written August 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fearless10044847304
3 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
Our tour got cancelled the night before due to strong winds - which was perfectly understandable for us. They emailed us to ask whether we wanted a ticket for a later tour or a refund. We decided for a refund since we had no more time left in Monterey. They ignored our respective e-mail and did not refund. We asked again, but our following 2 e-mails got ignored again, as well as our messages via facebook. We even called from our hotel room but nobody ever picks up the phone. After 3 weeks still no refund. Really unprofessional behavior! We feel exploited and betrayed for those 159$, that seem to be lost. Not recommended.
Written May 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I will be visiting Pacific Grove in September and #1 on our list is whale watching (which we have done in several locations). I see your age restriction does not allow for 70 yo. Should we book with someone else? We are active healthy retirees and have no restricitions
Written August 22, 2023
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