California Whale Watching

Where, When and How to Go Whale Watching on the California Coast

Whale-watching is a popular tourist activity along the Pacific Coast from Washington to California, and it's no wonder. With some of the world's largest creatures migrating past coastal points, feeding off the coast and swimming in inlets, there are plenty of ocean creatures to see.

California Whale Watching Calendar

• December through February: Grey whales southbound from Alaska to Mexico. The entire population of grey whales (over 20,000) swim past the west coast twice a year, traveling between summer feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas and nursery/breeding lagoons in Baja California, Mexico. Grey whales are medium-sized, up to 45 feet long. Their dark, slate grey skin is covered with white patches caused by barnacles and parasites. They have no dorsal or back fin.

• February through April: Grey whales northbound from Mexico to Alaska. Mothers with calves travel last, staying closer to the shore and moving slowly, making this one of the best times to see them.

• June through October: Blue whales and humpback whales can be seen along the Big Sur coast, and around the Channel Islands. Blue whales are largest animal on earth, 70 to 90 feet long, with a heart the size of a small car. They're blue-grey in color, long and streamlined, with light grey mottling. Humpbacks are 50 to 55 feet long, dark-colored with distinctive bumps on their noses.

• April to early December: Humpback whales along the central California coast.

The black-and-white whales made famous by the movie "Free Willy" and SeaWorld's Shamu are killer whales, which are not usually sighted off the California coast. Look for them instead around the Juan Islands near Seattle.

California Whale Watching Cruises

Between the Channel Islands and the mainland is probably the richest whale-watching area in all California. You may see blue whales, humpback whales and the rare Minke Whale from the cruise boats that run out of Ventura and Santa Barbara.

Whale-watching cruises range from a two-hour jaunt out of a local harbor to multi-day cruises to Baja, Mexico. In winter, you can find whale-watching cruises leaving from harbors and marinas along the entire California coast. The quality of whale-watching trips varies widely and there are far too many for us to know every one of them in detail. Asking a few questions may help you find one that best meets your needs:

• Is the boat Coast Guard certified?
• Do they use a sighting network?
• Will a naturalist be on board? What is their training?
• How long will the trip last?
• What is available on the ship? Is there is a galley or snack bar, or should bring your own food?
• Are they a member of a Whale Watching Operators Association (a group with stringent self-regulations)?
• Will they take you out again for free if you don't see a whale?

Tips for a Comfortable Whale-Watching Cruise

• Dress warmly, in layers. Any time of year, it will be colder out on the water than it is on the shore.
• In winter, you may want to bring gloves or mittens (an extra pair of socks make a good emergency substitute).
• Even if it isn't raining, some of the smaller boats can kick up quite a spray. Bring a waterproof jacket with a hood.
• Wear sunscreen, no matter what the weather. Even if you sit in the shade, 60% of the sunlight bounces back up from the water's surface, and you can sunburn even under cloudy skies.
• The earlier in the day you go, the smoother the ride will be. The wind often picks up and causes choppiness later in the day. If you're prone to motion sickness, bring your favorite remedies.
• Wear sunglasses. The glare from the water can give you a headache.
• Wear a hat or visor to shade your eyes.
• Young children can get bored on a whale-watching trip. Bring along something to entertain them.

Whale-Watching Festivals

• Mendocino Whale Festivals: Fort Bragg and Mendocino, March
• Dana Point Festival of Whales: March
• Earth Day WhaleFest: Malibu Coast, April
• Point Mugu to Point Dume Festival: Malibu Coast, April
• Redwood Coast Whale and Jazz Festival: Gualala, April

California Whale Watching From Land

Migrating whales come closest to the parts of the coast that "stick out" the furthest. Any place with "Point" in its name is a good bet, as are most of the coastal lighthouses. Unless you're an expert whale-watcher, binoculars may not be very useful. Looking through them is hard, even on dry land and they restrict your view to a small area. Good spots to look for whales from the California shore include (organized from north to south):

• Ferndale: Centerville Beach and Guthrie Beach are popular whale-watching spots January through March
• Point Reyes National Seashore: Around Chimney Rock and the Point Reyes Lighthouse, December through April. A shuttle runs to these locations from Drake's Beach on weekends.
• Point Lobos State Park: Just south of Carmel (where you can also tour a whaler's cabin)
• Big Sur: Look for humpback whales offshore Highway One between Nepenthe Restaurant and the town of Big Sur and from the bench at the end of Overlook Trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
• Morro Bay: From the bluffs in Montana de Oro State Park
• Point Dume: Just north of Zuma Beach, you can find some nice places to sit in the sand dunes and watch for passing whales
• Orange County: Around Dana Point
• Cabrillo National Monument: You'll find a glass-enclosed observatory at Whale Overlook

If you see a whale spout, you can expect it to spout again in the direction it's moving (south in winter, north in spring). They move about 5 miles per hour, or the speed of a child on a bicycle.

Grey whales normally swim in a cycle of 3 to 5 blows, 30 seconds apart, followed by three- to six-minute dive, and they often show their tail flukes just before they dive.