It’s no secret; whale watching tours abound in places such as Hawaii and Alaska, but watching a humpback whale breach from the murky depths of the Atlantic Ocean is not something travelers get to see everyday. Just ask vacationers who visit the waters off of Virginia Beach.
The whale-watching season wraps up along the East Coast at the end of the month. Which means you still have a few weeks to gather the family and sign up for a tour. The Rudee Flipper, which departs from the Virginia Fishing Center at Rudee Inlet on the south end of Virginia Beach do fill up rather quickly this time of year (as the weather becomes milder). However, don’t let the crowds deter you. Tours on the Rudee Flipper run three times a day, four days a week, and the prices are affordable– $30 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under.
In addition, the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau is also trying to get the word out on the whale-watching adventures. Currently, the Bureau is offering a special whale-watching package from $72 per person, which includes two nights lodging in one of the beach resorts’ many hotels, the whale-watching tour, and admission to the Virginia Aquarium and Science Center.
Not a bad deal, but of course, what vacationers want for their money is a chance to see the massive mammals up close and personal. While tour operators don’t promise every trip will yield an actual whale sighting, their record for this past January was 100% and averages 82% over the past two years. If nothing else, by signing up for the tour you are guaranteed a ride on a 60-foot double-decker catamaran (operated by the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center) where you can wait in suspense for a blubbery back to emerge from the chilly waters of the Atlantic. While waiting for the whales to appear your guide will cajole you with stories of menacing seabirds and you can warm up your cameras by taking shots of the dolphins and porpoises, which happily swim by.
Sure beats another winter day cruising the mall.
For more information on Virginia Beach’s whale watching packages click here.
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