How Much Does a Whale Watching Tour Cost? (And What You Actually Get)
Let me be straight with you about pricing — and more importantly, about what you’re actually paying for.
What Tickets Cost
General admission tickets at Jersey Shore Whale Watch run roughly $45 to $65 depending on the trip and time of season. Premium trips — three hours on the water with our full whale guarantee — can go up to $85.
That guarantee matters. If you don’t see a whale, you come back for free. Same year, no hassle. No other whale watching operation on the East Coast offers that. We’ve been doing this for nine years and we stand behind it.
What’s Included (And What Isn’t)
Parking at Belmar Marina is free. You’re welcome to bring your own food — a sandwich for the kids, whatever you want. We do sell food and drinks on board.
What we also sell: some of the nicest whale watching merchandise you’ll find anywhere. T-shirts and sweatshirts that people actually want to wear — not cheap tourist stuff. We’ve sold over 10,000 shirts off this boat. When you wear one home and your friends ask where you got it, that’s the best marketing we have.
Groups, Schools, and Special Pricing
We work with school groups, senior groups, corporate outings, reunions, and civic organizations year after year. Schools love our morning departure — out at 9 or 9:30, back at the dock by 12 or 12:30, and kids can grab pizza at a walkable restaurant or get back on the bus.
Here’s something group organizers don’t always think about: a whale watch is a committed event. Nobody pops in late. Everyone boards together, everyone leaves together. Three hours on the water — no one’s checking their phone looking for an excuse to leave early. It makes for a genuinely memorable group experience.
For group pricing, email Bill at jerseyshorewhalewatch.com. We can adjust scheduling and work out catering logistics if needed.
Why We Cost What We Cost
Our tickets are probably slightly higher than some other operators. Here’s what you’re getting for that difference.
Our naturalists are either working scientists with advanced degrees in marine research, or they’ve been trained directly under Dr. Danielle Brown from Rutgers. They walk the boat. They answer questions. They keep a seven-year-old as engaged as a retired marine biologist.
Our boat — the Jersey Girl, 110 feet, red and white, you can’t miss her — is a dedicated whale watching vessel. We don’t do fishing. The boat doesn’t smell like a fishing boat. Whale watching isn’t our side hustle. It’s what we built this entire company around.
While you’re out there, you’ll hear about the New Jersey coastline — what towns you’re passing, which lighthouse is which, why yes, that really is New York City on the horizon while a humpback whale surfaces fifty yards off the bow. It’s a unique thing. I never get tired of watching people see it for the first time.
How to Book
Online at jerseyshorewhalewatch.com or the easier-to-remember whalesnj.com. Book ahead for summer weekends. For groups of 30 or more, call us directly.