Great Escape: Whale Watching in Our Backyard

The opportunity to observe marine life can be an exciting adventure and a great getaway. Travel to San Francisco, take a day trip beyond the Golden Gate Bridge into the Pacific and return to dine in the evening along the wharf. 

Depart San Francisco and cruise to the Farallon Islands for a visit to the waters where whales, sea lions, birds, and other species make their residence. 

SF Bay Whale Watching tours depart from Gashouse Cove Marina, just outside the entrance to Fort Mason at 10 Marina Blvd. Expeditions include opportunities to see gray, humpback and blue whales, dolphins, seals and orcas. SF Bay Whale Watching operates every weekend in May, June and July, with special rates offered on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Check the SF Bay Whale Watching Migration calendar and plan your getaway under the Golden Gate. Price is $110. Tour boats leave at 8 a.m. and return to the marina between 3 and 4 p.m. Contact vern@sfbaywhalewatching.com  or call 415-331-6267 to plan your excursion event.

San Francisco Whale Tours departs Pier 39, Dock B, at 8 a.m. for a cruise nearly 30 miles out to the Farallon Islands where whales can be seen during year-round feeding. Expeditions last five to six hours, depending on the chosen trip. If there's no whale sighting, the company says the next trip is on them. Tickets range from $60 for children (3-15 years) to $89 for adults. San Francisco Whale Tours also offers San Francisco Bay Explorations trips to observe the diverse bay marine life. Adults $34, Children $24 (ages 1-15). 

To do further research, visit the American Cetacean Society fact sheet. www.acsonline.org.

Upon returning, dine at the Waterfront Restaurant, Pier 7 at The Embarcadero. Choose from appetizers such as Oysters on the Half Shell, to a entree of Prime New York Steak. Call the Waterfront for reservations, 415-391-2696.