Newport Landing Whale Watching

Newport Landing Whale Watching Whale watching in Orange County! Cruises leave year-round, with daily departures. We offer multiple 2.5 hour whale watching excursions daily, year round!

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Each season has unique species: Summertime Blue Whales, Fall- pring Gray Whales, and year round sightings of fin whales, humpbacks, minke and more! Call for reservations: 949-675-0551!

We saw ORCAS today! đŸ€© The epic find was made this morning by  off of Laguna Beach and we watched this pod travel up the ...
12/28/2024

We saw ORCAS today! đŸ€© The epic find was made this morning by off of Laguna Beach and we watched this pod travel up the coast almost all day long. These are the same orcas seen recently on December 15th, identified as the CA51s - a well-known family of 4 orcas. Chances are very low that we will see them again tomorrow, as we left them far from the harbor moving away from the area.

Photo 1 by
Photo 2 by

12/27/2024

RARE SIGHTING of the CA51 Killer Whale Pod Spotted in Newport Beach!
This orca pod was first spotted this morning around 9am by Captains aboard Newport Coastal Adventure whale watching boats, just off of Laguna Beach, and again in the afternoon, close to the coast- within 3 miles of Newport Beach Harbor. This pod of orcas is well known among California whale watching enthusiasts as the CA51 pod, a family or orcas with a reputation for their playful nature interacting with boats.

The pod spotted today included the matriarch, CA51 Star (~40yrs old), and her three offspring, sons CA51B Orion and CA51C Bumper (known for his distinctive 6ft tall dorsal fin & playful behavior around boats), and daughter CA51E Comet. This pod of killer whales is considered to be ‘transient’ orcas, which means that they have a large range they cover between southeast Alaska to the Mexico border and primarily feed on marine mammals like seals and sea lions. This pod was also seen briefly on December 15th of this year ~17 miles off the coast of Orange County by Newport Coastal Adventure Zodiac boats. Prior to the brief sighting in mid Dec. of this year, the CA51 pod hasn’t been seen locally in about six years.

Lucky passengers aboard our whale watching boats were thrilled to see this family of orcas again today, as they used to be one of the most frequently-sighted killer whale pods in Southern California between 2012-2018, but now, we don’t encounter them much at all. This killer whale family seems to be spending their time in other areas nowadays. Between 2012-2018 they appeared almost like clock-work around New Years Eve / New Years day along the coast of Southern California each year. Why did they do this? It’s unclear, but they seemed to be on a schedule, likely a sign that seals and sea lions that these whales hunt have been plentiful in our area during that time of the year.

Last year between December-February of 2024, Newport Beach whale watching boats were lucky to have over 11 separate encounters with a different pod of killer whales known as Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales (EPT’s). Our whale watching boats during those encounters were lucky to have so many close encounters, as these whales were not shy of boats and even actively hunted dolphin off the coast.

Each pod of killer whales will have their own unique behaviors, and are one of the smartest animals on the planet so it’s hard to predict if the CA51 family pod will continue to hang around in the waters off Orange County, or if other orca pods will make an appearance in the coming weeks, but our boats are always on high alert for more killer whale sightings during this time in the year – especially when they are sighted locally. We’ll have whale watching boats running out of Newport Beach harbor all weekend, and we’re looking forward to more lucky encounters with this famous family pod.

We've got trips online ALL WEEKEND, you never know, these whales may decide to stick around! Book at www.newportwhales.com or give us a call at 949-675-0550.

KILLER WHALES seen today by ’s late afternoon trip! The pod of 4 was immediately recognized by some of our crew as the C...
12/16/2024

KILLER WHALES seen today by ’s late afternoon trip! The pod of 4 was immediately recognized by some of our crew as the CA51s - a well-known family belonging to the California Transient population. While we saw killer whales back in April of this year, we haven’t seen the CA51s in our waters since 2018!

They watched the killer whales consistently trending up the coast, leaving them 17 miles from Newport harbor. Chances are low that they’ll stick around in the area, but it’s not impossible!

Pictured here is CA51C “Bumper” beautifully captured by Capt. Dave .tv

12/12/2024

Use code ‘HUMPBACK50’ at checkout for an instant $17 discount on standard, Luxury & VIP cruises now through Dec.22nd!

Most days it’s “whale watching” but some days, it’s called getting “whale WATCHED”! 😍🐋👀

Both the Newport Legacy and the Catallac were treated to an incredible encounter with a friendly humpback whale this morning! Close encounters like this one are a result of patience and respectful whale-watching technique; by giving the animal plenty of room, it may feel comfortable enough to check you out - it is NOT initiated by the boat closely approaching the whale. We enjoyed this amazing experience in neutral as the whale circled and lifted its head from the water. What a great morning!

Humpback sightings are continuing at the moment and we don’t know how long it will last! We have trips departing daily and encourage you to hop board to see & learn about these amazing creatures.

Videos from Capt. Dani and crew member Matt

Check out this hungry humpback photographed by  today off of Newport Beach! We’ve had some incredible action over the pa...
12/05/2024

Check out this hungry humpback photographed by today off of Newport Beach! We’ve had some incredible action over the past few days involving huge feeding frenzies of dolphins & whales. It’s been some of the BEST whale watching of the year going on RIGHT NOW! Don’t miss the action and hop on a boat. đŸ”„

A few of our boats went the distance today and saw some INCREDIBLE lunge-feeding from as many as FIVE humpback whales an...
11/18/2024

A few of our boats went the distance today and saw some INCREDIBLE lunge-feeding from as many as FIVE humpback whales and hundreds of common dolphins! This season is still going strong but activity fluctuates day to day as the whales move around in search of food. The extra speed provided by the Ultimate Whale Watch has been getting them to the offshore action, so book a spot if you’d like a chance at witnessing an ocean spectacle like this!

An active humpback photographed today by ! This whale was chasing around pods of dolphins on the Ultimate Whale Watch’s ...
11/15/2024

An active humpback photographed today by ! This whale was chasing around pods of dolphins on the Ultimate Whale Watch’s 1:45pm trip, not far from Newport harbor. They got to see it breach, chin slap, and tail throw with the scenic Newport Beach coastline behind it!

11/11/2024

This Veterans Day, we extend our deepest gratitude to those who have served our country with courage, commitment, and sacrifice. 🐋đŸ‡ș🇾

Today, we honor the brave men and women who have protected our seas, shores, and skies, ensuring that we can all enjoy the beauty and freedom of places like these. From the entire team here at Newport Whales, thank you veterans for your service.

In gratitude, we’re offering a special discount to join us on the water, and we've got just a few spots left for our 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 3:30pm cruises using promotional code 'Veteran50' to get $17 off your next standard or luxury cruise! For veterans and active service members on all our tours, please show your ID to get a free binocular rental during your cruise as well. Promotion valid now through Nov. 17th. Tap the 'book now' button on our page or give us a call at 949-675-0550 and mention the promotional code to receive the discount.

Join us on the water, and let us honor you with an unforgettable whale watching cruise. 💙

Video credit: Delaney Trowbridge Photography

The Ultimate Whale Watch had an INCREDIBLE encounter yesterday with two awesome humpback whales on their 1:15 trip! đŸ€Ż On...
10/29/2024

The Ultimate Whale Watch had an INCREDIBLE encounter yesterday with two awesome humpback whales on their 1:15 trip! đŸ€Ż One of the two whales became incredibly active, showing us a variety of surface behaviors including: breaches, flipper slaps, tail slaps, and tail throws. Always keep your camera ready, you just never know when the whales are going to go crazy!

Great photos from

10/26/2024

Back again, glowing bioluminescence tours will run tonight!🌊👀Bioluminescence has been CONFIRMED tonight in Newport Beach by our friends & 🙌 so we’ll be adding on trips night by night as we confirm the bio is sticking around.
Last night was beautiful, and we’re expecting tonight to be similar.
Limited availability, spots will sell out! Tonight only 7:45pm, 8pm, 9:30pm &9:45pm. You can book online at: https://daveyslocker.rezdy.com/594159/evening-bioluminescence-glow-coastal-cruise-90-mins?PHPSESSID=s1bln7a2bb1et2cn42056g0jkv

Cruises are added on about one day in advance, as we continue to watch if the bioluminescence sticks around.

The glow is produced by living plankton that come & go, so we don’t really know how long the bioluminescence will be here, or where the best place will be to see it day to day, as the algae can move around, or be gone from the area at a moments notice.

We may be adding on more cruises through the weekend if the bioluminescence continues to show each night.

Tag us if you’ve joined our cruises this week, we’d love to share the magic!

Photo Credit 📾

10/16/2024

Our famous bioluminescence night cruises are BACK!🌊👀Our bioluminescence scouting cruise last night was a SUCCESS in Newport Beach by our friends & 🙌 So we’ve just added on several boats tonight to run glow tours! It should be SPECTACULAR!
As of now, cruises will depart TONIGHT ONLY for tours departing at 8pm, 8:15pm, 8:30pm, 9:45pm, 10pm & 10:45pm. You can book online at: https://daveyslocker.rezdy.com/647915/bioluminescence-glow-evening-coastal-cruise-1-hr-30-min?PHPSESSID=cts9sqk4usc7coev60p9imtd02

Cruises are added on day by day, as we continue to watch if the bioluminescence sticks around.

BIOLUMINESCENT ALGAE has been creating awe-inspiring moments like the ones captured here. 👆

Q: Are you offering tours?
A: Yes! But they are selling out quickly. The BEST way to secure a spot is to visit our website and check availability for the “Evening Bioluminescence Coastal Cruise” at https://daveyslocker.rezdy.com/647915/bioluminescence-glow-evening-coastal-cruise-1-hr-30-min?PHPSESSID=cts9sqk4usc7coev60p9imtd02
or call us at 949-675-0550

Q: How long will it last?
A: We don’t know. The presence of bioluminescence is very unpredictable and varies significantly day to day. To increase the likelihood of success, we are only scheduling tours a couple of days in advance.

Q: What can we expect on the tour?
A: All 90min tours should enjoy sights of bioluminescence stirred by the movement of the boat if we’re lucky again tonight. Super lucky trips have also seen dolphins, sea lions, and schools of fish swimming through the glow.

Q: Will it be back?
A: Yes! We see bioluminescence yearly off of Orange County in differing quantities. Not all years will yield as much as we are currently seeing, but we will be keeping our eyes out for future opportunities!

09/25/2024

Fall arrives in Southern California and with it, comes opportunities to view majestic humpback whales! 🐳 These seasonal visitors are often spotted along our coast OCTOBER through DECEMBER as they head towards Mexican waters. While some simply pass through, some whales stop to fill-up on schools of anchovies alongside dolphins and seabirds.

Humpback whales are wonderful for whale-watching, they often lift their tails when diving and rarely stay underwater longer than 10 minutes. If you’re SUPER LUCKY, you could even see them: breaching, lunge-feeding, tail-slapping, pec-slapping, or becoming curious about the boat!

To give yourself the BEST ODDS, visit our website to view our daily sightings log to get an idea of what we’ve been seeing. When it comes to whale activity, it’s best to strike while the action is hot rather than waiting weeks to plan a trip. Morning or afternoon will not affect your likelihood of sightings, but low winds and calm seas make spotting whales & dolphins easier on captains and crew.

Have any questions about preparing for your next whale watch? Let us know below! 👇

09/18/2024

Use code DOLPHIN50 for 50% OFF>>https://tinyurl.com/yc5znmtr
Who doesn't love dolphins? We've had sooo many Common Dolphins off our coast recently, we just had to share!
To celebrate, we're offering a limited-time promo code ‘DOLPHIN50’ when checking out online, you'll receive 50% off your next whale watching cruise NOW - Sept. 30th! Good for both our standard AND Luxury whale-watching excursions. Tickets start at $19.50-$26 for standard admission on weekdays & weekends start at $23-$27.50
Call us at 949-675-0550 or book online at: https://tinyurl.com/yc5znmtr
How to book?
Make sure to list all passengers as ‘adults’ for our promotion to apply now through Sept 30th. Upon checkout, type in the promo code box ‘Dolphin50’ to apply the discount.
*The above promotion is not retroactive and does not apply to any Newport Coastal Adventure zodiac boat cruises. Reservations are required, and subject to availability.
Videos from

09/06/2024

“WOAH!” was the only thing we could say when we saw this awesome clip of a high-flying bottlenose dolphin filmed by Captain Christine ()!Nothing beats the magic of seeing these amazing animals in their natural habitat. Nature puts on the best “shows” in the world and our boats give you front row seats!Save $$$ on your next whale-watching trip with us when you use code “INSTA50”! Discount applies only to standard cruises.

Bottlenose dolphins treating us to a wild dolphin show! đŸ©· While it’s possible to spot small pods of dolphins at the beac...
08/27/2024

Bottlenose dolphins treating us to a wild dolphin show! đŸ©·

While it’s possible to spot small pods of dolphins at the beach in Southern California, there’s no comparing to the experience of seeing wild dolphins up close from the comfort of a boat! These incredible animals are a major highlight of our whale-watching tours due to their high-energy and friendliness. Recent tours have spotted large pods of common dolphins numbering up to 1,000 individuals, as well as playful pods of bottlenose dolphins and a few groups of Risso’s dolphins.

These fun photos were captured by on a recent trip!

08/22/2024

Use code DOLPHIN50 for $17 OFF>>https://tinyurl.com/yc5znmtr
Who doesn't love dolphins? We had a trifecta of playful dolphins spotted yesterday aboard our whale watching trips! Three unique species of dolphins spotted yesterday for our Newport Beach whale watching fleet, Risso's Dolphin, Common Dolphin, and Bottlenose Dolphin.
Whale watching tours this week have also spotted Minke Whales, and a rare sighting of a BIG 6-8ft Mako Shark feeding on the carcass of a swordfish. The weather has been beautiful, and with most schools back in session, we've had less crowds down at the beach, making it a wonderful time to get on a boat!
To celebrate, we're offering a limited-time promo code ‘DOLPHIN50’ when checking out online, you'll receive $17off your next whale watching cruise NOW - Sept. 2nd Labor Day! Good for both our standard AND Luxury whale-watching excursions. Tickets start at $21-$32 for standard admission on weekdays & weekends start at $25-$36.
Call us at 949-675-0550 or book online at: https://tinyurl.com/yc5znmtr
How to book?
Make sure to list all passengers as ‘adults’ for our promotion to apply now through Sept 2nd. Upon checkout, type in the promo code box ‘Dolphin50’ to apply the discount.
*The above promotion is not retroactive and does not apply to any Newport Coastal Adventure zodiac boat cruises. Reservations are required, and subject to availability.
Videos from

08/22/2024

We had a trifecta of dolphin sightings yesterday with common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin and risso's dolphin in our counts! It's been a fun week so far in Newport Beach!



Video by

08/16/2024

We’ve had a fantastic time on the water lately, with minke whales and dolphins stealing the show. Don’t let their small size fool you, these whales are still 20-30 feet long and weigh over 15,000lbs! We’ve been getting some fabulous looks at them lately as they feed alongside hundreds of dolphins. Enjoy the final weeks of summer with us and use code “INSTA50” to get 50% OFF standard whale watching cruises!

Address

400 Main Street
Newport Beach, CA
92661

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 7pm
Friday 7am - 7pm
Saturday 7am - 7pm
Sunday 7am - 7pm

Telephone

+19496750550

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Welcome aboard Newport Beach’s original whale watching & dolphin tours in Orange County! Together we’ll sail aboard our state of the art ships in search of wildlife while enjoying a suite of amenities aimed to enhance your experience. Our experienced Captains, Crew, & Naturalists will guide you as we view some of the most amazing wildlife in the Pacific Ocean. Here in Southern California we see giant Blue Whales, energetic Humpback Whales, friendly Gray Whales, awe-inspiring Fin Whales, charismatic Minke Whales, & several other species! Our most common sighting is the playful and energetic dolphins that can be seen by the hundreds! Other sightings include California Sea Lions, Pelicans, Ocean Sunfish, and more! We have cruise departures leaving daily year-round. Every cruise is a unique adventure.

Call for reservations: 949-675-0551 or visit us online at at www.NewportWhales.com for booking information! We hope to see you soon!