Whether by land or by sea, San Diego is one of California’s best spots for whale watching. With just a pair of binoculars, you can spot whales from the high bluffs at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, both in La Jolla about 20 minutes north of downtown San Diego. And near the historic lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument, Whale Watch Lookout Point sits 420 feet above the waves with a wide field of vision—perfect for spotting whales.
For a closer view, sign up for a whale-watching cruise. A 3-hour trip with San Diego Whale Watch comes with a guarantee—if you don’t see either a whale or a dolphin, you can go out again for free on another day; the same policy is in place at Flagship Whale Watching Cruises. H&M Landing offers local gray-whale tours from December through March; in summer, join an H&M landing journey to the Coronado Islands, a protected marine sanctuary just southwest of San Diego in Mexican waters, to spot blue whales, elephant seals, and orcas too. City Cruises has what is perhaps the best option if you are unaccustomed to being on a boat—its yachts are some of the biggest and most stable in the business, and they offer cruises as short as three and a half hours. And thanks to their partnership with the San Diego Natural History Museum, you can enjoy narration from experts as you search for whales, dolphins, sea lions, and more. If you don't see a whale, they provide a voucher so you can return another day and try again. All whale-watching cruises depart from San Diego Harbor, just a few blocks from the USS Midway Museum.