You’ve decided to go whale watching, and you want the trip to feel special. At Oceanside Adventures, we think the boat that takes you out to see the ocean’s giants should be worth the trip on its own. Departing directly from Oceanside Harbor, our whale watching trips run on our two catamarans, including the 63-foot Nala, adorned with custom Wyland marine life art. Here’s what sets an Oceanside Adventures whale watch apart, from the comfort of our boats to the art that celebrates the very creatures you’ve come to see.
Comfort and Design on Nala
Our newest boat, Nala, is a 63-foot, double-deck catamaran custom-built for Oceanside Adventures by Cooper Marine in Florida and launched in Oceanside Harbor in March 2024. She carries up to 118 passengers, and her two-hull design suits the waters off the California coast:
- Exceptional Stability: Nala’s catamaran design gives a very stable, smooth ride, which helps reduce the chance of seasickness (more on why a catamaran makes for a smoother ride). This means more comfortable viewing for everyone, from families to seasoned ocean-goers, as you glide from Oceanside Harbor into the open Pacific.
- Spacious Viewing Decks: Nala has upper and lower decks, a raised viewing platform and a VIP captain’s deck. With plenty of covered and open seating, you get unobstructed 360-degree views for spotting a breaching whale or a pod of dolphins right off the Oceanside coast, and there’s room to move around so everyone can find a good spot.
- Onboard Amenities for Your Comfort: Nala has a large galley selling dry snacks and drinks, including alcohol (cash only), and clean restrooms. Covered cushion seating gives you shade, which makes the two-hour trip from Oceanside easy and relaxing.
Art Meets Ocean: The Exclusive Wyland Connection
Our boats also carry the work of the internationally renowned marine life artist and conservationist, Wyland, a long-standing collaborator with the Hansen family.
- Floating Masterpieces: Both of Oceanside Adventures’ catamarans feature custom Wyland art wraps. Nala carries his graphic of a blue whale mother and calf along the hull, and you can see it from the dock before you leave Oceanside Harbor.
- Inspiring Conservation: Wyland’s art puts the creatures you’re hoping to see front and center, and it carries a message about ocean health wherever the boat goes off Oceanside.
Easy Departures & Prime Access from Oceanside’s Coast
Your trip starts at our kiosk by the Lighthouse in Oceanside Harbor, in front of Rockin Baja Lobster, where you check in for boarding passes. We’re in the heart of the harbor just off the 5 freeway, a short drive from Carlsbad (see our guide to whale watching near Carlsbad). Our dockside location gives fast and direct access to the open ocean, so you spend less time in transit and more time in the whale and dolphin viewing areas off the Oceanside coastline, where gray and blue whales are usually about a mile offshore.
Year-Round Wonders, Personalized by Oceanside Adventures
Nala sails all year round from Oceanside, because it’s always whale watching season off our coast. Gray whales migrate past from late November through April, blue whales feed off our coast from May to November, and we often see dolphins all year round. Our captains are US Coast Guard licensed and American Cetacean Society Certified Naturalists, and they use what they know of Oceanside’s local waters to find the best sightings they can. Before you book: public cruises run on Nala or our 47-foot catamaran, Oceanside Adventures. Trips from Oceanside Harbor often sell out, so book ahead. Book your luxury whale watching tour aboard Nala with Oceanside Adventures and see the Pacific from our newest catamaran.
