Oceanic Society is pleased to offer private charter whale watching experiences out of San Francisco, Sausalito, Half Moon Bay, or Santa Cruz for special events, employee outings, corporate retreats, team building activities, clubs, groups of friends, and others.
We offer a variety of private charter whale watch trips depending on the time of year, your interests, budget, and available time—descriptions of each of our standard options are provided below, and we are happy to develop customized itineraries to suit your needs. All trips include a private boat charter with a dedicated captain and experienced Oceanic Society naturalists, with options to add a professional photographer, catering, and more.
Oceanic Society is not only a pioneer in whale watching with more than 50 years of experience, we are also America’s oldest non-profit organization dedicated to ocean conservation, founded in San Francisco in 1969. Every trip with Oceanic Society supports ocean conservation.
Please contact us to schedule your charter or request additional information.
Gulf of the Farallones Whale Watching Charters – San Francisco
Just outside of San Francisco Bay, the Gulf of the Farallones is one of the most diverse and exciting marine environments on Earth. Our Gulf of the Farallones whale watching charters take you from San Francisco, under the Golden Gate Bridge, and north along the breathtaking coast of Marin County. With the guidance of an expert Oceanic Society naturalist and our seasoned captain, you and your group will enjoy beautiful views and informative presentations as we look for humpback and blue whales, seals and sea lions, dolphins, harbor porpoises, seabirds, and much more. Oceanic Society is not only a pioneer and leader in whale watching, we are also a non-profit organization and your trip will support ocean conservation.
Departure Point: San Francisco Small Craft Harbor
Duration: 4 hours
Available Dates: Most weekdays from May though November
Group size: Maximum of 40
Price: $2,700
>> Download a PDF of detailed trip information
Farallon Islands Whale Watching Charters – San Francisco
This is the trip for serious nature lovers. Our Farallon Islands whale watching charters take you 25 miles offshore to the dramatic and wildlife-rich Farallon Islands, whose surrounding waters are feeding grounds for blue and humpback whales and 8 species of porpoises and dolphins. The islands themselves are home to 13 breeding seabird species as well as 6 species of seals and sea lions. In October, large numbers of great white sharks opportunistically arrive to prey upon young elephant seals making the Farallons one of the premier sites for white shark research in the world. This isn’t your average whale watch. This is an open ocean expedition, led by marine scientists into one of the truly unique environments in the world: the Farallon Islands.
Departure Point: San Francisco Small Craft Harbor
Duration: 7.5 hours
Available Dates: Most weekdays from May though November
Price: $4,200
Group size: Maximum of 40
>> Download a PDF of detailed trip information
Half Moon Bay Gray Whale Watching Charters
Each year, thousands of gray whales migrate along the California coast between their winter breeding grounds in Mexico and summer feeding habitats off of Alaska. Our gray whale watching charters are designed to put you in the heart of this spectacular gray whale migration. Departing from Half Moon Bay, we will cruise along the coastline in search of whales and other wildlife including seals and sea lions, porpoises and dolphins, and many species of seabirds.
Departure Point: Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay, CA
Duration: 3 hours
Available Dates: Most weekdays and some weekends from January to May
Group size: Maximum of 40
Price: $2,250
>> Download a PDF of detailed trip information