Whale and Dolphin Watching at Dana Wharf
We just got back from another great family vacation. One of the things we've wanted to do for a while now is take our kids whale and dolphin watching sometime when were in Southern California. For the longest time we felt like our kiddos were a bit to young so that's why we haven't in years past. This year our kids are a little bit older, and Ava has the biggest passion for animals. We knew she'd love an experience like this.
We partnered with Dana Wharf and were able to go out on one of their two hour whale watching trips. Located in beautiful Dana Point, California they have been taking people on excursions for sport fishing and whale watching since 1971.
The day we choose to go was a beautiful overcast day in sunny Southern California. I was excited that it wasn't to hot, and thankful for an over cast day for picture taking. You never know what you're going to get, how many whales or dolphins we'd see. Ava was mostly excited to see dolphins because she loves them so much.
It was quite a ways out to ride on the boat, luckily there was a deck below where we could sit and enjoy the ride and stay away from some of the cold wind that day. We shared some snacks with the kids and played games. During the excursions their knowledgeable staff let's you know what is going on. He announced over the speaker that we were coming up upon a pod of dolphins and we knew that was our chance to see these amazing creatures.
One of the coolest things I've had the chance to see was this massive pod of them swimming in the ocean. Dolphins travel in pods together, mostly females and their babies. It was incredible to see them jumping out of the water and swimming all around the boat.
We were able to see one whale that day, the Minke whale. Known as the "stinky Minke" because well..... they stink. Seriously so stinky, but so fun to see a whale swimming around. I love the ocean so much, there's just something about seeing all that God's created and being right out there in the middle of it. It's the coolest.
Some tips for whale watching with kids:
- Bring a back pack filled with snacks, water and an activity for them to do. It's a bit of a ride out to where the whales and dolphins are. Bring something along so they don't get bored while riding out there. And snacks are always a good option.
- Bring a light coat or sweater. If you happen to go on an over cast day like we did you may have kiddos that get cold. Or you may get cold yourself, we tend to forget how cold sitting near the ocean can be, especially combined with wind from the boat ride.
- There aren't life jackets provided, so if this is something concerning to you make sure to bring your own.
We had the best time as a family. If you're looking for something to do on your next family vacation I highly encourage you to take a whale watching excursion with Dana Wharf. Their staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Plus your kids will be talking about it all Summer long and have great stories to tell when they go back to school about what they did on their Summer vacation!
If you're looking to connect with Dana Wharf visit their site here.
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This post was sponsored by Dana Wharf. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands and business that help make this blog possible.