San Diego: Amphibious Seal Tour & Bay Cruise from Port

An Amphibious Vehicle Drops You Into San Diego Bay to Hunt for Seals

You board an amphibious vehicle at Seaport Village and spend 90 minutes traveling by land and water through San Diego Bay. The tour includes narrated history of early sailors and the military's role in the city, a cruise past the airport and Maritime Museum, and a water portion where you watch for seals, sea lions, and pelicans in Quivira Basin and Mission Bay. You return to your starting point and walk back to the cruise port on your own schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

San Diego Seal Amphibious Tour

• Depart from Seaport Village
• Drive along San Diego Bay waterfront
• Hear stories of early sailors and military
• Pass San Diego International Airport
• Splash into San Diego Bay
• Travel through Mission Bay
• View SeaWorld, Hospitality Point, Vacation Isle
• Spot seals, sea lions, and pelicans
• Return via Harbor Drive
• Pass Maritime Museum and cruise terminal
• End tour at Seaport Village

The experience

The amphibious vehicle sits low and wide on the dock at Seaport Village, painted bright yellow, looking like something between a truck and a boat that made a choice and committed to it. You climb aboard, settle into an open-air seat, and the driver points the nose toward Harbor Drive. For the first stretch, you're on land: rolling past the Maritime Museum, the cruise ship terminal, and along the waterfront where the narration picks up the early history of the bay, the sailors who came through, the military presence that shaped San Diego into what it is today. San Diego International Airport slides past, named after Charles Lindbergh, and you hear the stories attached to the people and places that built this city.

Then the vehicle angles toward the water. There's a moment where you feel the transition: the engine note changes, the wheels stop gripping asphalt, and suddenly you're floating. The 90-minute San Diego Seal Tour splits itself between land and water, and this is the part people come for. You're cruising through San Diego Bay now, and the guide tells you to watch the water. Quivira Basin is where the seals and sea lions hang out, and they're not shy. You'll see them hauled out on the rocks, moving in and out of the water, doing exactly what they do. A California brown pelican might show up. Mission Bay opens up with views of SeaWorld, Hospitality Point, and Vacation Isle. The whole thing moves at a pace where you can actually see things instead of just hearing about them.

The route can shift depending on weather or traffic, so what you see isn't locked in stone, but the core stays the same: land, water, back to land, ending where you started. Because this tour departs from Seaport Village (which is a five-minute walk from the cruise port), you're not dependent on a fixed return time. You control when you head back to the ship, which matters when you're working with a port day and a departure schedule. Just give yourself enough buffer to get back without rushing.

What’s included

Your 90-minute tour includes the narrated amphibious vehicle journey through San Diego Bay and along the waterfront, all taxes, and the flexibility to return to your ship on your own schedule. The tour departs from Seaport Village and covers the waterfront landmarks, military history, San Diego International Airport, the Maritime Museum, and the water portion through Quivira Basin and Mission Bay where seals and sea lions gather.

Information

Lasts 1h 45m, runs every day, 10 start times, from US$ 55.59 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday and Friday: 10:00, 11:30, 12:45, 14:30 and 15:00Wednesday: 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:45, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:00Friday: 10:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:45, 13:30, 14:30, 14:45 and 15:00

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Historic Tours Of America

Is this one for you?Book this if you're docked in San Diego and want to see the bay and wildlife without arranging separate transport back to the port: the five-minute walk from Seaport Village and self-timed return mean you're never stuck waiting for a shuttle or watching the clock.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4).

How long is the San Diego Seal Tour?

The tour lasts 90 minutes total, split between land and water portions.

Where does the tour depart from?

It departs from Seaport Village, located on Harbor Drive at the Embarcadero, a five-minute walk from the cruise port.

Will I definitely see seals and sea lions?

Quivira Basin is a known habitat for seals and sea lions, so sightings are likely, but not guaranteed. California brown pelicans may also appear.

What if the weather is bad?

The tour route is subject to change due to weather or traffic conditions, but the tour typically operates in most conditions.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible.

What's included in the price?

The 90-minute narrated tour and all taxes are included. Entry fees to attractions are not part of this excursion.

Can I bring my pet?

Pets and emotional support animals are not allowed. Service animals are permitted.

Do I have to return at a set time?

No. Since the tour departs within walking distance of the cruise port, you decide when to return to your ship. Just allow enough time to get back before departure.

Is this covered by the cruise line's worry-free policy?

No, this excursion is not covered by the worry-free cancellation policy.