When to Go Whale Watching in California
Individual species have their seasons, but you can find whales off the California coast almost any time of year if you know when and where to look. Use this guide: When to Whale Watch in California to find out what you can see, where and when.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 there plenty of places where you can sit down?
- 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 an Enjoyable Whale-Watching Cruise
- Have the right expectations. Wild animals don't appear on command. Some days, you might not see a whale at all and on others, you'll see several.
- Dress warmly, in layers. Any time of year, it will be colder out on the water than it is on the shore. Plan for a temperature difference of 20-30°F.
- 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.
- Even though the water's surface looks calm from shore, ocean swells can make the boat ride seem like a roller coaster. If you're prone to motion sickness, bring your favorite remedies, just in case - otherwise, you could be in for a miserable few hours.
- Wear sunglasses. The glare from the water can give you a headache.
- Wear a hat or visor to shade your eyes, but be sure it's secure. If the wind takes it, it's gone forever.
- Young children can get bored on a whale-watching trip. Bring along something to entertain them. And be sure they have enough warm clothing. The chilly wind on deck can dampen even the most excited child's enthusiasm.
- A lot of whale-watching guides suggest bringing binoculars, but we suspect those writers may have never been out on a boat looking for whales. Whales are sighted by scanning around, they appear and disappear quickly and in a moving boat, it's unlikely you'd get the binoculars on them before they were gone.
Whale-Watching Festivals
- Mendocino Whale Festivals: Fort Bragg and Mendocino, March
- Dana Point Festival of Whales: March
- 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.Your best bet for seeing a whale is to scan the ocean's surface, looking for a spout (a spray of water). 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. Keep binoculars handy and once you get good at figuring out where they are, you can get a closer look.
Grey whales normally swim in a cycle of 3 to 5 blows, 30 seconds apart, followed by a three- to six-minute dive, and they often show their tail flukes just before they dive. If they're swimming just below the surface and you're high enough to see the water's surface, they may leave a "trail" of circular calm spots on the surface as they pass, making them easier to track.
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 Reserve: 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
