When can you see whales in Northern California?
3 min read
Asked by: Stacy Vazquez
In Northern California, your best time to spot gray whales and orcas is December to May. For humpbacks, visit May through November, and for blue whales, the largest animal on Earth, plan your stay sometime between July and October.
What time of year can you see whales in California?
Summer Whale Watching (June, July, August):
The Summer months are the best months to witness the world’s largest animal…the BLUE WHALE! Southern California is the best place in the world to look for a Blue Whale as they seek the nutritious krill that allows them to grow to their epic size.
Where is the best place to watch whales in California?
The Top 8 Places for Whale Watching in California
- Mendocino. …
- San Francisco. …
- Santa Cruz. …
- Monterey County. …
- Channel Islands. …
- Los Angeles. …
- Orange County. …
- San Diego.
Can you see whales in Northern California?
Migrating gray whales are the species seen most often in Northern California. Their migration starts in the Arctic Ocean and ends 10,000 to 12,000 miles south off the coast of Mexico. They pass the Northern California coast from December through February, and they’re northward-bound from March through May.
What is the best month to go whale watching?
When is the best time to view the whales? The best time of year to view Orca whales is in May through September. If you’re looking for humpback whales then we suggest September through January.
What is the best month for whale watching in California?
In Northern California, your best time to spot gray whales and orcas is December to May. For humpbacks, visit May through November, and for blue whales, the largest animal on Earth, plan your stay sometime between July and October.
Can you see whales off the coast of California?
You can see the gray whales anywhere along the California coast. Whale watching cruises operate from San Diego, Dana Point, Long Beach, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Half Moon Bay and San Francisco.
Are whales migrating now in California?
Gray whales are migrating along California’s coast right now. Here’s where to see them. A baby gray whale swims with its mother off Dana Point. The gray whales are back, hugging the California coast while they make their 10,000-mile journey from Alaska to breed in the warm-water lagoons of Baja, Mexico, and back.
What is the best time of day to whale watch in California?
During the whale watching season in Southern California, an additional reason as to why mornings are the best time of day for whale watching is because of less local traffic in the area.
When can you see orcas in California?
Although killer whales have a decent population, this species in particular can be a bit more challenging to pinpoint, because they are more diversely spread out geographically. With that being said, the best time to see killer whales in California is typically during the spring, between the months of February and May.
Where is the best place to see blue whales in California?
The only place to see them is in the wild. And Dana Point, California, is one of the best places in the world to see blue whales. During the summer months there are more blue whales off our coast than anywhere else in the world. Blue whale watching in Southern California is typically May through October.
When can you see whales at Bodega Bay?
Viewers in Bodega Bay can spot whales headed south in late December through January. The pregnant females go first, then the adults of breeding age, then the immature whales and finally the yearlings. Heading north it’s the single whales that go first, and the mothers with their calves follow about a month later.
