Whale Watching: Santa Barbara, CA
One of the events Matt and I had been most excited about on our California adventure was the opportunity to experience whale watching for the first time. Having booked months in advance, we were absolutely elated when the day finally came and we were able to board the boat for our trip.
We booked with Condor Express and I highly recommend them! Very easy to use website for booking, great central location, and fantastically knowledgeable staff. It really couldn't have been simpler to organize this adventure and I thought the whole trip was wonderful from start to finish. When booking online, you need to bring your reservation details with you on the day. Upon arriving at the harbor, head into the office where they'll exchange that info for actual tickets that let you board the boat.
After boarding, we took our seats as we motored out of the little harbor and out into the Pacific. First up is a talk by a local naturalist who explained the different types of whales that migrate past Santa Barbara, the differences between them, and the history of whales in the area. He even had little models that he passed around so that we could see the types of whales up close. In Santa Barbara, visitors tend to see either Humpback, Gray or Blue whales although there have also been Orca sightings on occasion.
As we were visiting in mid May, we knew our timing wasn't perfect since the height of the whale watching season is from December through April, which encompasses the annual Gray Whale migration. However, the season picks up again from May to November as Blue, Finback and Humpback whales start their migrations so we were hopeful we might be able to spot an early arrival somewhere along the coast.
Unfortunately, we were out of luck when it came to whales but we did see more dolphins than we could count. Apparently a large pod of them live in the Santa Barbara waters and therefore they are accustomed to having gawking visitors arriving every day. As a result, they put on a wonderful show for us as they jumped and dived through the boat's waves.
One of the things I liked about Condor Express was that they have a guarantee where they will offer you a free visit if you don't get a chance to see a whale. I thought initially that this meant any ocean creatures at all so cynically expected the guarantee to be void because we saw dolphins. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised when they stamped our tickets at the end of the trip and clarified that we were therefore entitled to another visit anytime in the next ten years. TEN YEARS! How's that for customer service?!
The boat itself was also an improvement on my expectations with it's multi floor viewing decks and cafe. We had decided to get lunch in town when we got back so we didn't get a chance to try the food but apparently the consensus was that it was delicious and a decent value. We had a lovely time chatting to other visitors and the naturalist as we motored back to the harbor and even learned a thing or two - such as the fact that whales migrate along the coast because Orcas attack from below... so the shallower the water, the safer the babies will be. Interesting, no?
When we got back to the harbor, these little fatties greeted us from their sun lounging perches and formed a perfect end to a really lovely little trip. Although we didn't get to see any whales, we still had a great time out on the water and being in the low season meant we had an added bonus: our tickets were half price!
Condor Express offers three trips a day in the low season (early spring), each lasting about three hours so it was really easy to fit into our fairly busy visit. I really cannot recommend them enough and hope that you'll give them a try if you're in the Santa Barbara area!
Full Details:
Address: 301 West Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara Harbor, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Hours: Vary by season
Price: $50 - $99 per person depending on the season
Website: https://condorexpress.com/
