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The oldest and highest rated in Orange
County with 4,000+ five-star reviews!
World-Famous Dana Point Sportfishing and Whale Watching — But don’t take our word for it!
Dana Wharf offers a special 8-hour whale watching trip a few times a year. BOOK NOW for an adventure of a lifetime & a day you won’t soon forget!
Please join us for our Holiday Lights cruise around the harbor! View the Beautiful lights up around Dana point harbor and on the boat.
Get up close and personal with all the ships at the Annual Dana Point Harbor Lights Cruise. Come aboard one of our fine vessels to actually get out on the water and into the competition.
Take a boat ride with Santa this holiday season, hosted by Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching. Tickets are $5 per person and all proceeds will be donated to Soroptimist of Capistrano Bay. Reserve today!
Experience premier year-round whale watching in the Whale Watching Capital of the World® with the true pioneers of the industry.
Dana Wharf is once again offering our Annual Whale Watching Pass! Annual Passholders can join us all year round on as many trips as they’d like in 2023! Whale watching is year-round here in Dana Point because we are the Whale Watching Capital of the World®!
Half-day and twilight Dana Point fishing trips are perfect for everyone, from novice to expert fishers! Enjoy the great outdoors on this unique half-day fishing trip.
In the spring and summer, enjoy an evening of sunshine, cool ocean breezes, and romantic sunset views. In the winter, take in the romantic atmosphere of the beautifully lit Dana Point Harbor.
HALF PRICE TUESDAY IS BACK!
Half price off the usual adult fare on Tuesdays – Save $28.00!
Have the whole boat to yourself on this private whale watching tour! Keep an eye out for dolphins, whales, and other sea life during your unique adventure.
Fish for tuna, white sea bass, bonito, and more on our 3/4-day Dana Point fishing trip, our most popular time frame for fishing in Southern California.
Come aboard the 95′ Dana Pride for an evening filled with fun and entertainment. Enjoy live music as you cruise through beautiful Dana Point Harbor and enjoy the sunset.
Choose your next adventure with our selection of Dana Point whale watching tours, Dana Point sportfishing trips, and Dana Point harbor
cruises, like our OC wine cruise, and other events. Explore special offers and choose from one of our unique trips departing daily.
Choose your next adventure with our selection of Dana Point whale watching tours, Dana Point sportfishing trips, and Dana Point harbor cruises, like our OC wine cruise, and other events. Explore special offers and choose from one of our unique trips departing daily.
If you want to see whales, there is no better place to do it than from Dana Point, and there is no better company to do it with than Dana Wharf, the pioneers of the industry. Dana Wharf Whale Watching began in 1971 and was the first whale watching company in Orange County. We offer several unique, year-round, whale watching experiences, the most popular of which is our signature whale and dolphin-watching tour. A two-hour journey off the coast of Dana Point Harbor that puts you in close proximity to some of the ocean’s most beautiful animals including Gray whales, Minke whales, Humpback whales, Fin whales, and Blue whales which can be as big as 100 feet long, and also on rare occasions Cetaceans like the Killer Whales. For those looking for a more personal experience, we also offer private dolphin and whale watching tours. On our private tours, you get the boat to yourself as one of our marine life experts narrates this exclusive whale watching experience. If two hours just isn’t enough for you then we recommend our 8-hour ultimate whale watch tour. All of our trips may get you up close to a number of different whale species and four types of dolphins; the Common Dolphin, the Bottlenose Dolphin (Patches), Risso’s Dolphin, and our Wintertime favorites the Pacific White-Sided Dolphin. Whale watching in Dana Point is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and Dana Wharf makes it possible.
Join Dana Wharf Sportfishing today for an exciting day on the sparkling Southern California waters departing from Dana Point Harbor. Our 3/4 day, nine-hour trip (6 a.m. – 3 p.m.) is our most popular time frame fishing the local waters of Orange County. Our five-hour trip is popular with families, kids, and people who don’t have time for a longer trip. We also offer overnight fishing trips, a kids fishing clinic, and kids fishing camps. On any of the trips, you will have the opportunity to catch Halibut, White Sea Bass, Rockfish, Sheephead, Sand Bass, Calico Bass, even Yellowtail, and Tuna! Board any of our world-class vessels for an unforgettable trip or one of our private yachts well equipped with fishing gear and bait included! Our U.S. Coast Guard inspected vessels are clean, comfortable and include a variety of amenities. Our knowledgeable Captains and crew will take you to the best fishing grounds from Dana Point to San Clemente Island.
This year we have seen over 2,000+ whales including blue whales, gray whales, humpback whales,
and killer whales. Our fishing trips have caught tuna, white sea bass, bonito, and more.
This year we have seen over 2,000+ whales including blue whales, gray whales, humpback whales,
and killer whales. Our fishing trips have caught tuna, white sea bass, bonito, and more.
Best of Dana Point voted Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching the Best Whale Watching, Tackle Shop, and
Harbor Excursion! Thank you for over 50 years of the best adventures and lifelong memories.
Best of Dana Point voted Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching the Best Whale Watching, Tackle Shop, and Harbor Excursion! Thank you for over 50 years of the best adventures and lifelong memories.
I had family come in from out of state and took them out whale watching for an evening whale watching tour. Although the water was a bit choppy, the captain and crew were great! We loved getting to see the pods of dolphins playing. Such an exciting trip for kids and adults alike. I live in SoCal and have been on several whale watching tours in other locations. This is my favorite place to bring family and friends!
– Lela Robinson, GoogleVery friendly staff and crew. Helpful and extremely knowledgeable. We had a naturalist on board that taught the kids all about the different kinds of California whales and dolphins! She was exceptional and sets this company apart from others. I have never had a naturalist on board a whale watching before! It was really nice. She answered all of our questions and was helpful in every way. I highly recommend this company and if you are available on Tuesday’s, it’s half price!!!
– Jack Kavanagh, GoogleGreat trip! Great crew! Lots of fish! I took 8 grandkids with me (3 for the first time!) and the crew bent over backwards to help them! Across the board, Dana Wharf employees were OUTSTANDING! I highly recommend them, without reservation! You’ll be glad you did!
– Bill Freeman, GoogleI took my daughter on a fishing trip with Dana Wharf Whalewatching and Sports fishing. We had a blast. She caught 4 fish, and I caught 3. Amazing experience for my daughter and I.
– Julie C., TripadvisorOur captain was able to find us a huge group of dolphins that we were able to drive with and the continued to swim, jump and dance around our boat. 1000's of dolphins. We took our 3 yr old and 1 ye old and they both had a fantastic time.
– Stacy C., Tripadvisor2 childhood friends were visiting so I took them on the Dana Point wine tasting cruise around the harbor. It was a beautiful evening and very relaxing. Music was great and the wine pours were generous. I’ll go again! Lots of fun!
– Molly N., TripadvisorDana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching storefront was easy to get to and great folks to talk to. They were helpful on the phone and in person. The boats were clean and well managed. Having a naturalist on staff during the Whale Watching really helped to educate us and put some context to what were seeing. Excellent Job Data Wharf!
– Mrs. Rodgers, GoogleFriendly and knowledgeable staff and large comfortable boat out on beautiful water. We saw loads of dolphins, sea lions and a humpback whale! Very good value and good period of time.
– Lydia C., TripadvisorWe have fished all over the country and internationally. Dana wharf has top notch service, clean boats with fantastic crews. The crew was very friendly, helpful and supportive. They ensured everyone had a great time and caught fish.
– Richard H., TripadvisorGreat staff and Captain. We saw the really big Dolphins and cruised with a 80 to 85' Blue whale. What a beautiful animal. He broke several times for us. What a sight!
– Bryan P., TripadvisorThis trip was awesome as we we traveling right next to a whole pod of dolphins for almost half the time of the trip. There were probably 200 dolphins surrounding our boat and right next to the boat. We got really lucky to see so many and had them give us a great show full of tricks on the water. The captain also provided some really cool information about them while we were watching them play next to us. Great trip!
– Amy O., TripadvisorIn 1958, while running several sport fishing boats off the San Clemente Pier, Don Hansen decided to take children out on a whale watching excursion at the urging of friend and local educator, Philip Grignon. For years, Hansen and his fellow captains had been watching gray whales pass by them but no one was really watching these majestic whales at the time. And just like that, whale watching was born. LEARN MORE.
Don Hansen
Founder of Dana Wharf
