So Cal Dolphin Adventures, Dana Point

Just minutes south of Laguna Beach, SoCal Dolphin Adventures takes passengers on peaceful animal-sighting treks along the southern California coast. Rather than use a large whale-watching vessel, SoCal's cozy boat fits a maximum of six people, giving everyone unobstructed views of natural wildlife, such as dolphins and sea lions. Our three-hour adventures trek up to seven miles up or down the coast for a better chance of spotting animals and fuzzy seaweed banks you can later claim were mermaids. Careful to never disrupt marine habitats, each tour leaves plenty of time to snap pictures and wait for whales to breach.