Puerto Vallarta whale watching with kids
A humpback lifting its tail beside the boat holds a child's attention better than most things on a beach holiday. The hard part is the hours around that moment, on a moving deck in the sun. Below, the age limits each listing gives and the trips that keep children on the water for less time. We also flag where an open bar changes the mood.
Age limits on each listing
Only some of the listings spell out who may join, and they do not use the same words. The table gives what each one says, with length and food, since those two decide how a child copes.
| Tour | Who the listing excludes | Length | Food | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecotours Vallarta | Under 3 (GetYourGuide), infants under 2 (Viator) | 3.5–4 hours | Snacks | ~$120 |
| Mike's Fishing & Tours | Check the listing | 4 hours | Breakfast and lunch | ~$99 |
| Los Veranos | Pregnant women, people with mobility impairments | 3 hours | Box lunch | ~$99 |
| Chica Locca Tours | People with mobility impairments; drinking from 18 | 3 hours | Guacamole and chips | ~$110 |
| Live & Travel Tours | Check the listing | 4.5 hours | Food and drinks | ~$62 |
The two booking sites put the lower limit for Ecotours Vallarta in slightly different places, at 3 on one and 2 on the other. Go by the stricter one, and ask the operator if your child sits right on the line.
Why the biologist trip suits school-age children
Ecotours Vallarta opens with a talk on humpback biology and behavior before anyone boards. Children who have heard what a blow or a tail slap means tend to watch for them, rather than waiting to be told where to look.
The boat carries a hydrophone, an underwater microphone. When the males are singing, the sound comes up through the speaker, and for many children that is the part they talk about afterward. The whale song page explains why only the males sing.
Guests also take part in a research project while watching, and a donation to it is included in the fare. Our guide to the biologist on board goes further into what that adds.
A whale lesson on the water
Ecotours Vallarta suits curious children from age 3, with a biologist and an underwater microphone on a small boat with a restroom. Snacks only, so pack a proper meal.
The catch for families is food and transport. The fare covers coffee or tea, water, sodas and granola bars, not a meal, and you get yourself to Marina Vallarta. The departures guide shows where the dock is.
Open bars and a family day
Three of the five trips pour drinks. Mike's catamaran and Live & Travel both include an open bar alongside the food, and they read as family outings on most departures, with the bar as one feature among several.
Chica Locca Tours is different. Its sunset yacht is sold around a premium open bar, and a party mood is possible on any given evening. Drinking is for 18 and over, and our sunset cruise guide covers who that trip suits.
Live & Travel also lists a marine biologist and a hydrophone, at the lowest fare here. Its scores are the lowest of the five, at 4.5 from 24 reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.2 from 200+ on Viator, so read recent comments first.
Short trips for short attention spans
Los Veranos and Chica Locca both run for 3 hours. The other three last 3.5 to 4.5 hours, and the last hour can drag for a five-year-old when the whales have gone deep.
The Los Veranos boats are fast, up to 40 mph (64 km/h), so less of the trip is spent getting somewhere. Its fare includes transportation and a box lunch with a sandwich and seasonal fruit. The 3-hour fast boat from ~$99 excludes pregnant women.
Speed has a price in comfort. Fast boats throw spray and thump over the swell, which some children love and others hate. Our boat comparison sets the speedboat beside the catamaran and the small boat.
Seasick children
Children get seasick like adults, and a long morning on open water raises the odds. Sitting low near the middle of the boat and watching the horizon both help, as does a light breakfast rather than none.
Ask a pharmacist or your doctor about motion-sickness tablets for your child's age, and give them before boarding, not once the queasiness starts. Our seasickness and weather guide has more on calm and rough days.
A restroom on board matters more with children than with adults. Viator confirms one on the Ecotours Vallarta boat; for the other trips the listings we read do not say, so ask before booking if it is a deal breaker.
Keeping small travelers fed and shaded
Shade on deck is often limited, and the light off the water is strong. Put reef-safe sunscreen on children before you leave the hotel, and add a hat with a chin strap, since the breeze takes loose hats straight into the bay.
On the trips without a full meal, pack food your child will eat. A light long-sleeved top helps against both sun and spray. The rest goes on our packing list for the boat.
Who the listings turn away
Ecotours Vallarta says its trip is not recommended for pregnant travelers or people with back problems, and it is not wheelchair accessible. A small boat moves sharply on a swell, which explains the warning.
Los Veranos excludes pregnant women and people with mobility impairments, and Chica Locca excludes the latter. If a grandparent or a parent in the group has a condition, check the listing's wording before you pay.
- Curious children from age 3: Ecotours Vallarta from ~$120
- Children who need a real meal: Mike's catamaran from ~$99
- Restless children, shorter trip: Los Veranos from ~$99
- Tightest budget: Live & Travel from ~$62