Davey's Locker Whale Watching & Sportfishing - Newport Beach, California

Julie F. A.

We had another enjoyable trip with Davey's Locker this year. They are always accommodating with our school group, providing excellent communication and help with booking, through check-in, and on the boat. The option to add a naturalist makes this charter even better. While we didn't see whales on this very cold morning, we loved the multiple schools of dolphins we encountered and learning about them. I always look forward to seeing the lounging sea lions at the end of the tour. As a present and chaperone, I always feel safe with the boat crew and have seen multiple times that they really do (and have except this time) attempt to find whales and other sea life. They also have always been respectful to the wildlife, and not crowding in as we have seen other companies do. I would absolutely book with Davey's Locker for any whale watching or fishing trips, and we'll be back again with our students next year.

Can’t S. W. S.

We had the best time! We took nine kids with three adults. The staff was very patient but also very on top of safety. We had the best experience! We saw thousands of dolphins, 7 active whales (6fin and one minke), and sea lions. It was such an amazing and exciting trip! So thankful for the experience ❤️.

Kenny A.

The experience was great on the last boat at 5:45pm the woman at the front desk was awesome. Didn't see any whales unfortunately but we saw dolphins! The weather was great! Bring a jacket if your going that late. And maybe eat first if the ocean doesn't make you sick because the food is expensive on the boat.

Jose P.

My first time out at Sea in probably 40 years and I loved it. All the guys were as cool as cool can be. I really appreciate all the help they gave me and my cousins as we were celebrating my godson's 19th birthday. Thank you all for the beautiful experience. Will definitely do it again for sure.

Rui H.

I had an incredible experience on the VIP tour with Davey’s Locker on March 14 for the 4:00 PM tour. The entire crew was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about creating a memorable experience for everyone on board. The captain provided fascinating insights about the local marine life, and the crew made sure we were comfortable and engaged throughout the trip.

The highlight was witnessing the stunning whale up close—an unforgettable sight that I’ll cherish. The boat was well-maintained, and the atmosphere was welcoming and safe. I highly recommend Davey’s Locker for anyone looking to have an amazing ocean adventure.

Thank you to the entire team for such a fantastic experience! I look forward to joining another tour in the future.

Rakell E.

Had so much fun on this whale/dolphin trip..we actually saw dolphins which I'm obsessed with so it was super exciting for me!!! The hostess was amazing!!! I'm sorry i don't know her name.. she had very short hair...She was super informative about whales and dolphins!! And bartender was super nice!! Thank you for a great time!!! It was my husband's birthday and my husband and all our kids enjoyed every second!!!

Starr S.

Fun, safe and informative experience overall. Our group was excellent. Plenty of room on the boat to sit and stand as we advanced out to sea. Such a wonderful experience being on the water. Two hours of increasing entertainment just being on the ocean overall! No whale sightings personally on this trip, but we did catch the amazing pod of dolphins playing and feeding for miles & up close around the boat too! From Dana Point and up to where we were off Newport Beach waters, these beautiful dolphins were a delightful sight to see!!!
Four stars because the back speakers didn't work on the boat. Where we were located, we couldn't hear everything the knowledgeable staff's facts were saying about the thousands of dolphins. It was especially hard to hear anything through the speakers over the boat's engine overall. Safety instructions were terribly muffled upon our initial launch, too. ( My dad got a chance to let the staff know this after our excursion though. I hope they made the necessary adjustments for the next groups to go out that day. ) Tom is an informative man. You will learn a lot about sea creatures if you happen to have the chance to chat with him afterwards 😉

Check Groupon to see if any deals are available before you book your reservation!

Give yourself a good 40 minutes to an hour before your departure so as to be able to ;

1) find free parking in the neighborhood

2) get your boarding tickets from the gift shop
( they sell Dramamine in case you need it too )

3) use the restroom

4) get your place in line before they start to board, (it can get crowded quickly in the general area overall)

They sell drinks on the boat, but bring yourself some sunblock, and a water bottle if you can.

I can't wait to go out again!!

Darran J.

Went out for an extended 3/4 day trip on Wednesday, 5/28/25. The Captain and the crew members of the Freelance were all terrific. Everyone was personable and friendly. Crew members were great about being able to help everyone out with a variety of things. From rigging lines for people, helping repair fouled tackle, calling out fish activity on the sides of the boat, answering questions and preparing food. We had about 42 people on that day so it was a little crowded but not crazy. Please be aware, the boat can hold 80 people and on Groupon Tuesdays, weekends, popular fishing days, they sell the boat out completely and it is way too crazy and crowded. This was relayed to us by several regular charter guests of the boat. The cost of the charter does not include your fishing pole and equipment, if you don’t have your own, but they are available from Davey's Locker or on the boat. Also be aware that there are several things that can cost you more money once you get on board. It had been 30 years since I last was on a charter fishing boat, so it was like a first time for me again. I'm not in any way saying that the charges are unfair or unreasonable. Nor am I complaining about having to pay it. My only complaint is that these charges weren't visible or accurately represented before getting on the boat. I brought $100 (cash only on the boat) and I'm glad that I did. If you want the deckhands to rig your lines with their recommend weights and lures, it's $14 per pole. And you have to rig them differently depending upon what you are fishing for in that spot. So you might get your pole rigged up 3 times. If you want them to filet the fish for you, they charge you $3 up-front but then they don't tell you that they charge by the weight of your catch at the end of the day. So that added another $25. And I didn't catch anything that big nor very much. Only 10 fish total. Burgers on board were $10, sodas were $2, waters are $2 and you do get thirsty out there. It is also appropriate to tip the crew/Captain (I was expecting this) about 15-20% of the cost of what you paid for the charter, so $20. So you can see that the $100 got ate up pretty quickly. Again, I'm not saying that the charges are unreasonable, I would have liked to have had visibility and knowledge of it beforehand. The trip would have been a lot worse if I hadn't brought the money with me. But A great experience overall, highly recommend this boat and crew.