Dana Wharf Whale & Dolphin Watching in Dana Point — Orange County’s First Since 1971
Dana Wharf Whale Watching began in 1971 as Orange County’s first whale watching company. Family-run for more than five decades, our highly rated whale and dolphin watching tours sail year-round from Dana Point, recognized as a Whale Heritage Area, with expert marine naturalists aboard every trip and sightings guaranteed, or ride again free. Come experience with us the coastline and marine life that have made Dana Point one of Southern California’s iconic whale watching destinations.
Whale Watching & Event Specials
Whale Watching Log
2026 sightings so far
What the boats have logged since Jan. 1st 2026, across every trip.
818Humpback Whales7 mom and calf
307Gray Whales11 mom and calf
279Fin Whales
58Minke Whales
10Blue Whales
3Bryde’s Whales
We also saw:
27Mola Mola
8Mako Sharks
5Blue Sharks
4Sea Turtle
2Frigatebird
1Thresher Shark
1Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
We’ve also seen Rissos Dolphins, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins and Common Dolphins.
What we saw in the last 30 days
| Date | Logged |
|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2026 | Bottlenose Dolphins & Common Dolphins |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 2 Humpback Whales |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Common Dolphin |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Bottlenose Dolphin, Devil Ray’s, |
| Sep 10, 2026 | Breaching Devil Ray’s, Common Dolphin |
| Sep 9, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Sep 7, 2026 | 1 Mola Mola & Common Dolphins |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 1 Minke Whale, Common Dolphin |
| Sep 5, 2026 | 2 Fin Whale, 1 Minke Whale, Common Dolphin |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Pacific White Sided Dolphin, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin |
| Sep 3, 2026 | Minke Whale, Common Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphin |
| Sep 2, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 1 Humpback, Common Dolphins & Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Aug 29, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Aug 25, 2026 | 3 Fin Whales, Common Dolphins |
| Aug 24, 2026 | Common Dolphins & Olive Ridley Sea Turtle |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 2 Fin Whales, 1 Mola Mola, Bottlenose Dolphins & Common Dolphins |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 1 Fin Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin |
| Aug 21, 2026 | 1 Fin Whale, 1 Minke Whale, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin |
| Aug 20, 2026 | 1 Fin Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin |
| Aug 19, 2026 | 1 Humpback Whale, 1 Sea Turtle, Common Dolphin |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Common Dolphins |
| Aug 17, 2026 | 1 Fin Whale, Common Dolphins & Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 4 Humpbacks (cow/calf pair), Common Dolphins & Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Aug 15, 2026 | 2 Humpback Whales, Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphin |
Every sighting since 2013
The complete log, day by day.
2025 Marine Life Sightings
Blue Whale – 20
Fin Whale – 160
Gray Whale – 241
Humpback Whale – 285
Minke Whale – 64
Mola Mola – 50
Orca – 6
Sperm Whale – 7
2024 Marine Life Sightings
Blue Whale – 259
Bryde’s Whale – 17
Fin Whale – 579
Gray Whale – 402
Humpback Whale – 251
Minke Whale – 118
Mola Mola – 287
Orca – 50
2023 Marine Life Sightings
Gray Whales – 460
(53 were Cow Calf Pairs!)
Humpback Whales – 185
Blue Whales – 197
Fin Whales – 387
Minke Whales – 74
Bryde’s Whales – 24
Orcas (ETPs) – 11
Sperm Whale – 1
Mako Shark – 5
Blue Shark – 2
Salmon Shark – 1
Great White – 1
What will you see on your whale watching trip?
Marine Life Calendar
Dana Point offers incredible whale and dolphin watching year-round, with different species visiting our waters throughout the seasons.
- Gray Whales (November – May) – Watch for gray whales during their annual migration along the Southern California coast. These incredible whales can reach up to 49 feet in length. Don’t miss the Festival of Whales in March.
- Blue Whales (May – November) – The largest animals on Earth, blue whales can reach nearly 100 feet in length. Seeing one off the Dana Point coast is an unforgettable experience.
- Year-Round Whales – Fin whales, humpback whales and minke whales may be spotted throughout the year.
- Dolphins – Dana Point waters are home to several species of dolphins year-round. You may encounter pods swimming, leaping and traveling alongside the boat.
- Sea Lions & Seabirds – Look for California sea lions, pelicans and a variety of other coastal and marine birds.
- Sharks & Other Marine Life – Every trip is different, with possible sightings of mako sharks, hammerhead sharks, great white sharks and other fascinating ocean wildlife.
Every trip is different, and you never know what you may discover!
Take Care of the Environment
Join the Stand Up To Trash Community! Our focus is to clean our oceans and protect our beaches for future generations. We exist to make a difference and we’re so excited you want to be a part of it!
For more information, visit https://www.standuptotrash.com/
Balloons Blow provides information to educate people about the destructive effects released balloons have on animals, people, and the environment, and strives to inspire and promote an eco-conscious lifestyle.
For more information, visit https://balloonsblow.org
Also, we’ve seen an increasing amount of plastic pollution on our adventures. Plastic is not only clogging our landfills but is also finding its way into our waterways and oceans at an unprecedented rate.
For more information, visit COSTA SUNGLASSES Kick Plastic to help reduce the amount of plastic we use and to mobilize a movement.
Dana Point Whale Watching Adventures
Dana Wharf Whale Watching trip guarantee for our two-hour trips:
Our commitment is that you will always see either a whale or a good showing of dolphins, as determined by the captain, on every two-hour whale watching trip.
If the captain determines that a satisfactory showing has not occurred, they will issue what we call a “Whale Check.” These checks are valid for a free return ticket and never expire.
Important: Whale Checks are treated like cash. You must present the original Whale Check at check-in to redeem the free return ticket.
