Dana Wharf sails from Dana Point Harbor, roughly half an hour south of Newport Beach down Pacific Coast Highway. We have been running whale watching trips from the same harbor since 1971, when Dana Wharf became the first whale watching company in Orange County.

The drive down

Pacific Coast Highway from Newport to Dana Point runs about twenty miles through Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach and Monarch Beach. It takes roughly forty minutes in ordinary traffic and rather less on the 5 freeway if you are in a hurry, though the coast road is the better version of the trip.

Dana Point Harbor sits right off the 5 freeway and Pacific Coast Highway. Golden Lantern dead ends into the Dana Wharf lot. There is public parking around the harbor as well, but it carries a four hour limit, so check that against the trip you have booked before you leave the car.

Give yourself half an hour at the harbor before departure. Boarding closes before the posted sailing time and the harbor is worth a walk.

What is out there, and when

Southern California has two distinct whale seasons rather than one, and which animals you meet depends far more on the month than on the harbor you sail from.

Winter and early spring

Gray whales move down the coast from December through April on their way to the calving lagoons of Baja, then back north with calves. They keep close to shore, which is what makes them the most dependable sighting on the calendar. February and March are usually the busiest weeks.

Late spring through autumn

From May into October the water warms, krill moves up the coast, and the rorquals follow it. Blue whales, which reach roughly 80 to 100 feet, are the headline. Fin whales are here through the same stretch, along with humpbacks and the occasional minke.

The rest of the year

Common and bottlenose dolphins are residents rather than migrants, so they are around whatever month you sail. Pods off this stretch of coast can run into the hundreds.

Picking a trip

The two hour Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour is the standard trip and suits most visitors, particularly with children. The Epic 4 Hour Adventure and the 8 Hour Ultimate Whale Watch go considerably further offshore, which matters most in summer when the larger baleen whales are working deeper water. Private charters are available for groups.

If you are making the drive from Newport on a Tuesday, Half Price Tuesdays apply to whale watching trips.

Before you book

Dress warmer than the parking lot suggests, since it is cooler on the water and cooler again once the boat is moving. Flat shoes. Sunscreen regardless of season. Take something for seasickness before boarding rather than once you are out.

Dana Point, the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World®

Dana Point holds the Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World® trademark, and Dana Wharf is a proud partner of the World Cetacean Alliance. More about the designation.

Book a trip

Trips run daily, year round, from Dana Point Harbor. Use code WW20 for 20% off.