Long Beach Whale Watching

This post may contain affiliate links.  See our Disclosure Policy for more information.

Whale watching is one of my favorite things to do when we are near the ocean. There’s nothing like seeing such magnificent animals in their natural habitat. We have seen Orcas in Monterey, and Humpbacks in Alaska. When we visited Long Beach, I was really really hoping to see a blue whale. What a treat it would be to get to see the largest animal in the world! I knew it was still early in the season for the blue whales to be off the coast of Long Beach, but they had seen one a week earlier on one of the whale watching trips, so I was hopeful, but not optimistic.

We booked the excursion through Harbor Breeze Cruises. They are affiliated with the Aquarium of the Pacific, and have experts from the aquarium on board to answer questions and tell you all about the marine life.

We showed up about 30 minutes prior to our departure time, as people were starting to line up outside. The seating is first come, first serve, so it is recommended to get there early in order to get your choice of seating.

The Boat

One thing I really liked about the whale watching boat at Harbor Breeze Cruises was the stadium seating. It pretty much guaranteed that everyone on the boat had a good seat and could see uninhibited.

We made a beeline for the top so we could sit right outside the front of the captains area. The seat was comfortable, we could lean back for more comfort, and there was space in front of us in case we wanted to stand up. It was the perfect location.

There was an inside area on the lower deck of the boat with a lot of seating for those that preferred to sit inside, or who got too chilly while on the water. There were snacks and drinks for purchase inside the cabin as well.

The Ride

Even when we were not seeing anything, the boat ride was definitely not boring. The marine experts were constantly telling us about the marine life. They would come sit by us, answer our questions, and give us fun facts about the marine animals. They even brought show and tell stuff on board, like whale baleen, that we could touch! Pretty cool.

Also, here’s a tip. If you happen to get sea sick like I do, try this Less Drowsy Dramamine. I have used Dramamine before, and it did help for the sea sickness, but I really did not like how it made me so drowsy. I took this before we boarded the boat, and I did not feel sick at all, nor did I ever get tired. Plus it lasts for 24 hours, so no need to keep taking more!

The Wildlife

We cruised around for awhile seeing not much more than birds. Then finally, off in the distance, we saw a whale spouting!!! Excitement instantly made it’s way around the boat while people went to the rails and stood to spot the whale. After the first spout we saw, the whale instantly fluked and went under. I held my breath waiting to hear what kind of whale they thought it was. I was pretty certain I knew, but I’m no whale expert. Then they announced it… a BLUE WHALE!!!! YES! I was ecstatic!

After about six minutes under, the whale surfaced again. It surfaced about three times spouting, then fluked again. Again it went under and again we waited, knowing it would probably surface again in a few more minutes. It was incredible seeing this humongous animal so close to us! I was in awe at it’s size. The whale surfaced it’s third and final time, spouting for us some more, and then fluking one more time.

Even if we saw nothing else the rest of the trip, whale watching was definitely a success.

On the ride back to the dock, a pod of dolphins playfully followed our boat for a bit.

The Sights

Along the way there were some fun sights to see, like the Long Beach Skyline and the Queen Mary Oceanliner. Many different kinds of birds flew overhead also, and it was fun to try to identify them.

I would say our day was a success! The kids really enjoyed seeing the blue whale as well, and had so much fun on the boat. They talked about it for weeks afterwards! To read more about our Long Beach trip, check out our unique accomodations here!