What To Bring Whale Watching. Top California Dolphin & Whale Watching Activities: See reviews and photos of dolphin & whale watching in California, United States on Tripadvisor. Princess Monterey and the 100 ft. Atlantis Monterey. Mendocino Coast is a premier whale-watching spot in California, offering many opportunities to observe these giant mammals every morning during migration season. Our Rocky Point (Punta Piedra) Camp is situated on a low bluff overlooking the observation area where all the action is, and offers incredible opportunities to view these gentle giants 24 hours a day. Fin whales are usually sighted in the winter. Whale Watching Trips Watch California Gray Whales and Central Coast Humpback Whales from an open boat with an unobstructed view. A variety of dolphin species, including Risso's dolphin and killer whales, may also be seen. These whales travel from feeding grounds in the Bering Sea to mating and breeding lagoons along Baja California in Mexico. The distinctively-marked common dolphin has a dark gray-to-black back with white hourglass markings on their sides. Due to the migration patterns of these creatures, different types of whales can be spotted in Los Angeles and Long Beach during different seasons of the year. This classic California beach town is famous for its miles of beautiful white sand beaches, outstanding accommodations and a rich wine region only minute’s away. LOCAL: (805)882-0088 . Capt. California's coast is a great place to observe this massive migration. Tours to Farallon Islands are especially popular. During whale watching season in Southern California, which takes place along the coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego, you’ll find plenty of ways to see the migration. Every fall and winter, about 20,000 gray whales make a long journey from the Bering Sea and Alaska in the north to Baja California, in the south. California Whale Watching Boat Tours all year! You can see the gray whales anywhere along the California coast. Gray whales can be spotted during winter and spring migration season. Some of the most popular California harbors to whale-watch is in Long Beach and Los Angeles, where the whale population is dense and quite lively. Every year, thousands of gray whales travel between Mexico and Alaska, one of the longest known maritime migrations. Bottlenose dolphins are most commonly seen along the California coast between San Francisco and San Diego. Reservations. Both vessels are made for your comfort and have indoor heated cabins with large windows for viewing. Learn More. Mendocino Coast is a premier whale-watching spot in California, offering many opportunities to observe these giant mammals every morning during migration season. To help you visualize, that's a little longer than an average school bus and as heavy as a half dozen fully-grown African elephants. Map / Driving Directions. whale watching TRIPS are unavailable UNTIL FEBRUARY 13, 2021. Use the California whale watching guide to get more information about how to pick the best whale watching cruises and how to enjoy them to the fullest. TOLL FREE: (888)77WHALE LOCAL: (805)882-0088 EMAIL: [email protected] . In California, whale watching tours range from about $20 per person up to around $100, depending on what’s included, the size of the boat, and how long your tour lasts. We also have grays, humpback, fin, minke and pilots,” Bryan Jauregui tells Travel Agent. February through April: Grey whales are northbound from Mexico to Alaska. If you know which direction the whales are migrating (which you can find on the gray whales close up page) you'll have an advantage in predicting its next location. Many visitors who come to Pismo Beach are now calling it their Wine & Waves™ destination in California. They're not diving deeply, and you can sometimes see about three-quarters of the length of their back when they surface - and their beautiful tail flukes at the end. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium 3720 Stephen M. White Drive San Pedro, CA 310-548-7562 cabrillomarineaquarium.org. When seen off the California coast, they aren't stopping to eat or socialize, they're on their equivalent of a road trip, not even stopping to sleep. We have the blue whale, the largest mammal on earth. Winter & Spring Whale Watching . Find out more about Risso's Dolphins online. Find out more about common dolphins online. It's the longest migration of any animal on earth. They swim about 5 miles per hour or the speed of a child on a bicycle. whaletrips.org/january. However, they seldom show their tail flukes when they dive. Migrating gray whales, dolphins and killer whales can be seen from mid-December through mid-April. Book Now. October Whale Watching In Full Swing Off Dana Point Coastline - Laguna Niguel-Dana Point, CA - The whales are back in Orange County! The 2011 population of California gray whales was thought to number around 28,000, and they all pass the coast as they migrate. Grey whales typically swim in a cycle. Monterey Bay enjoys two whale-watching seasons: mid-December to mid-April for gray whales, dolphins and killer whales, and mid-April through mid-December for humpback, blue whales, and killer whales. June through October: Blue whales and humpback whales can be seen along the Big Sur coast, and around the Channel Islands. Image courtesy of Bob Perry, Condor Express. You go whale watching almost anywhere along the California coast. When to Go Whale Watching in California . Whale Watching. Southern California does have a summer whale-watching season. Use an online guide to find out about tour companies, seasons, and where to watch from land in the most-visited locations. Blue whales feed off the California coast between Bodega Bay and San Diego. Whale watching photo gallery! Every March, Fort Bragg holds a Whale Festival to mark large pods of gray whales passing down the coast. In particular, three species of whale are commonly spied from a boat’s deck or the San Luis Obispo County shoreline: California gray whales, blue whales and humpback whales. About 3,000 of them live off the California coast. Their population off the California coast is estimated to be between 13,000 and 30,000. EMAIL: [email protected] . Gray whales start swimming south from Alaska in October, generally passing the coast off San Diego from December through January and again in February and March when they return to their feeding grounds. Visitors can observe them from the shore in Monterey Submarine Canyon and Santa Cruz, which features whales off coast at any time of the year. October through February: Grey whales southbound from Alaska to Mexico and can be seen along the entire coast, swimming offshore. Whale watching cruises operate from San Diego, Dana Point, Long Beach, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Half Moon Bay and San Francisco. Los Angeles and Long Beach enjoy different types of whales passing along during different seasons. The Essential California Whale-Watching Guide, 6 Great Destinations to Go Whale Watching, Grandeur of the Sea, Whale Watching in Los Angeles, How to Watch Whales From Dana Point and Newport Beach, How to Watch Whales in Long Beach, San Pedro and Los Angeles, January in California: Weather and Event Guide, The Complete Guide to New Zealand's Birds and Wildlife, Fall in California: Weather and Event Guide, Visiting California in the Winter: What to Expect, September in California: Weather and Event Guide, Whales and Dolphins of the California Coast, Tripsavvy uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The graphic above shows the times of year that whales are usually seen along the California coast. When is whale watching season in San Diego? Most people think seeing whales is limited to winter, when Pacific gray whales make their annual migration along the … They're long and sleek, with a V-shaped head which is flat on top. You can see fin whales on whale-watching trips from Orange County, San Diego, Long Beach, the Channel Islands near Ventura and Santa Barbara, Morro Bay, Monterey Bay and occasionally as far north as San Francisco. Gray whales migrate 10,000 miles round trip every year, traveling between their winter calving lagoons in Mexico and summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. Risso's dolphins are snub-nosed, gray animals with white scars. By using Tripsavvy, you accept our. Because the gray whales are migrating and don't stop to eat on the way, you'll most often see them as they break the surface to grab a breath of air - or their flukes above the surface when they begin a deep dive. Traditionally, whale watching season runs from December through April. However, because blue whales and gray whales migrate at different times of the year, whale watching season … They pass the coast of Northern California from December to February and head back north March to May. Fin whales are second only to the blue whale in size and weight, growing up to 70 feet long and weighing 70 tons. Your whale watching cruise is available at an affordable price on our historic boat, the Privateer. Die Grauwale begeistern mit Sprüngen und Luftakrobatik und vermutlich noch mehr, wenn sie ihre Streicheleinheiten bei den Touristen abholen.. Baja California Whale Watching in Bahia Magdalena. Visit San Diego from mid-December to mid-March to see more than 25,000 California gray whales migrating from chilly Alaskan waters south to warm waters in Baja, California… They can swim up to 14 miles per hour and can hold their breath up to 45 minutes between breaches, making them a very rare whale-watching sight. San Diego is definitely one of California’s best areas for whale watching, especially La Jolla. On Newport Beach’s Balboa Peninsula, Davey’s Locker provides whale-watching cruises several times per day. Sie wird im Westen durch die sandigen Inseln Isla Magdalena und Isla Santa Margarita auf eine Breite von 2 bis max. Point Reyes in Marin County is the prime location to spot them. 24 km begrenzt. To make our spectacular whale watching boat even more eco-friendly, we are upgrading the engines. Harbor Breeze Cruises depart from Long Beach harbour several times per day. They have short, stubby beaks and range in color from light to dark gray. There are plenty of whale-watching trails in Mendocino Headlands State Park and around Point Arena Lighthouse. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching offers 2-hour tours all year. Learn More. They pass the coast of Northern California from December to February and head back north March to May. San Diego whale watching season starts December 9. Southern California Whale Watching at its finest. Expect it to spout again further along the direction it's moving. Varying ocean currents, an "El Nino" or "La Nina" year with atypical water temperatures and location and availability of food can bring them into areas at times other than the typical ones shown above. Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Naturalist Corps volunteers support a whale watching expedition. Humpback whale-watching season lasts from November through March. Whale Watching Guarantee. You'll find these dolphins along the entire California coast, a small part of their range from the Gulf of Alaska to the Gulf of California. SAN DIEGO Whale Watch Peaks in Mid-January … Twenty-nine species of sea mammals have been spotted here by the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, including gray, blue, humpback whales, common, bottlenose or Risso’s dolphins, and sea lions. TOLL-FREE: (888)77WHALE. Location DOES matter! We hope to welcome you to the very best camp for watching gray whales in Baja California, Mexico. See schools of fish, jellyfish and kelp, from inside the boat! At that time, thousands of them can be found off the California coast. Whale-watching cruises are available from most of the larger coastal towns including Monterey. Channel Islands National Park offers premier whale and dolphin watching in the Santa Barbara Channel. They eat a wide variety of food. Blue-gray in color, long and slender, they can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh more than 300,000 pounds. Find out more about Pacific white-sided dolphins online. Die Baja California gehört zu den bedeutendsten Whale-Watching-Gebieten der Welt, zahlreiche Arten nutzen die subtropischen Gewässer der mexikanischen Halbinsel als Winterquartier – vor allem Grauwale, Buckelwale, Finnwale und Blauwale sind hier zwischen Dezember und März regelmäßig zu sehen. Find out more about bottlenose dolphins online. Sub Sea Tour View Morro Bay above water and below from our semi-submersible vessel. The season itself runs from mid-December through April with migrating Gray Whales being the most common species. Keep binoculars handy, and once you get good at figuring out where they will be, you may be able to get a closer look. Personally, we prefer smaller, conservation-focused eco-friendly tours that include a snack, so we’ve done the research to find a few good options at each of the spots recommended below. FEBRUARY. Newport Landing Whale Watching offers tours three times per day. Seasons & Pricing. Boasting the highest ratings on TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google, whale watching in Southern California doesn’t get any better than Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari in Dana Point — the dolphin and Whale Watching Capital® of the world! The whales get so close to the shore that no boat ride is required to observe them. Juaregui and her husband operate the boutique hotel Los Colibris Casitas, […] The underwater Newport Canyon is whales' favourite feeding ground. Dave's . We offer whale watching excursions during the annual Gray Whale Migration. 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. You'll see common dolphins along the entire California coast, year-round, most often where surface water temperature is 50 to 70°C (10 to 20°C), offshore but in water shallower than 600 feet (180 meters). The coastline sees annual migrations of blue, gray and humpback whales, and nearly year-round sightings of fin and minke whales. An adult Pacific Gray Whale can be 45 feet long and weigh up to 33 tons. They eat squid and small schooling fish and live in groups (pods) that may include thousands of individuals. The best period is from December through April, though there is plenty to see here all year round. The California coast is home to a diverse array of marine mammal and bird species, with many easy access points for viewing tours. From North to South, California observes the giant marine creatures migration every year. In California, whale watching is a popular thing for tourists to do, and it's no wonder why. Fin whales eat mostly small shrimp-like creatures called krill and schooling fish, and they travel in groups (called pods) of 2 to 10 individuals. “The opportunities for whale encounters here are truly exceptional. Starting November 30, 2020 thru February 12, 2021 ( subject to change) our incredible boat, the Condor Express, will begin a period of extended maintenance. Our experienced crew knows exactly how to track down and show you the spectacular wildlife The Pacific Ocean has to offer. Check the Whale Migration Season California calendar and schedule your cruise. I'll cover the places where boats regularly depart for whale watching tours, but first I'll mention where you might be able to see whales without voyaging over the waters . Using binoculars, you can spot whales from Whale Overlook and other locations on Point Loma in Cabrillo National Monument or from the high bluffs at Torrey Pines State Reserve in La Jolla. Dolphin & Whale Watching During the Dana Point Festival of Whales. Some good spots include Point Reyes, the Monterey Peninsula and Point Dume north of Los Angeles. 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. Die zu Bahia Magdalena gehörige Lagune hat eine Länge von ca. Each year, about 20,000 gray whales make an epic 6,000-mile/9,656-km journey between Alaska and Mexico—and then back again. Your best bet for seeing a gray whale is to scan the ocean's surface, looking for a vertical spray of water. Over 20,000 gray whales pass San Diego from mid-December to mid-March. Blue whales are possibly the largest animal that ever lived on the earth. Testimonials. With some of the world's largest mammals migrating past coastal points, feeding near the coast and swimming in inlets, you'll find plenty of ocean creatures to see. 35 km. A few thousand of them can be found along the California coast. Island Packers offers 3-hour tours year-round. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under Attribution 2.0 Generic license, Justin Hart Marine Life Photography and Art / Getty Images, Pacific White Sided Dolphins in California, Greg Boreham (TrekLightly) / Getty Images, When to Whale Watch in California: Whale Watching Calendar, Find out more about Pacific white-sided dolphins. Thousands of gray whales migrate annually from the summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea to the winter grounds of the Baja California lagoons and back again along the Southern California coast during the months of January, February, March, April, & May. However, they may not be found everywhere along the coast at those times. July through October: Minke whales, mostly in southern California, April through June: Orcas from Southern California to Santa Cruz, Why Monterey and Santa Cruz Are the World's Best Place to Watch Whales, The Best Places to Watch Whales in Northern California, Thar She Blows! There are also opportunities to see blue whales, humpbacks, and other whale species outside the migration season. San Francisco witnesses hundreds of gray whales passing along the shore from January through April. They feed at night on squid and small schooling fish. Book Online. San Diego Whale Watch offers the premier whale watching experience in Southern California. Orcas, humpbacks, blue, and sperm whales are especially abundant there. This month features "Whale Watch Weekend" programs with kids' activities and special educational presentations. Bottlenose dolphins are charming performers, often seen in films and television shows, including the 1964 television show "Flipper." Recent Sightings . However, their range extends along the entire California coast. Their name is taken from the gray patches and white mottling on their dark skin. Mothers with calves travel last, staying closer to the shore and moving slowly, making this one of the best times to see them. Experience up-close wild dolphins, migrating gray whales, playful humpback whales, huge fin whales, silly sea lions, and so much more!Mere minutes from the harbor, the waters off Dana Point are teeming with all … California Whale Watching Calendar December through February : Grey whales southbound from Alaska to Mexico. SAN PEDRO: Whale Fiesta January 26, 2020, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. FREE. Book Now . In January, as many as eight grays can be seen every hour. Gray whales are one of the most commonly-seen whales along the California coast. Because they feed away from the shore, they're not easy to spot from land. Betsy has been writing about California for nearly more than two decades as TripSavvy's expert on the state. People aren’t the only ones who delight in SLO CAL’s pristine coastline; whales do, too! A group of whale watchers got an up-close encounter with a pod of orcas off Monterey Bay in California on a recent outing. From above deck, see our local sea otter, harbor seal and sea lion populations. These dolphins with a short, rounded, thick beak, black backs, and white bellies are playful, love to ride the bow waves of boats, and they're acrobatic jumpers. Winter and spring months in Long Beach and … You can also see them in captivity at Sea World in San Diego. If stood on end, an adult fin whale would be as tall as a seven-story building, weighing as much as a fully loaded military tank. Fin whales are big, they move fast, and they can stay submerged for a long time. You can also see them from land, especially from any part of the coastline that juts into the sea, where they typically come closest to land. They take 3 to 5 breaths (which you will see as "blows" or sprays of water), 30 seconds apart, followed by a 3- to 6-minute dive, and they often show their tail flukes just before they dive. MONTEREY Whalefest Monterey Jan. 25-26, 2020, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. montereywharf.com #1 Old Fisherman's Wharf Monterey, CA Free. Whale Watching in San Luis Obispo County. For a closer look, book a whale watching cruise with San Diego Whale Watch. They are most often found offshore but are also seen with some regularity in Monterey Bay. Whale … These ocean giants feed almost exclusively on small, shrimp-like creatures called krill. Whale Watching Tours. From December to March/April they mate and give birth in the warm and shallow waters off the Baja California, Mexico. Even more important is that the whales are free to go wherever they like, paying no attention to the calendars we humans create. Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma Peninsula is the most popular observation post. You can see about three-quarters of the length of their back when they surface. Watch the seasonal migration of California grey whales and blue whales off the San Diego Coast up close and personal. Contact us for more information and book your unforgettable adventure today! Orange County offers cruises out of Newport Harbor and Dana Point, that is home to large pods of whales, dolphins, and sea lions. November–March is a good time to spot humpback and minke whales, dolphins and sea lions. Blue whales feed on small, shrimp-like creatures called krill and you may see them near the surface, slurping them up - or you might see just a spout like this one. Whale season is getting underway in the Mexican Pacific, and Baja California Sur (BCS) is the place to be. https://www.tripsavvy.com/california-whales-and-dolphins-1479727 They're closest to the shore when traveling south, in particular between Monterey and San Diego. Whale Watching California - How and Where to see whales A whale watching excursion is a wonderful activity while journeying in Central California and there is no other way to get as close. If you're lucky, you'll get close enough to see their distinctive back fin as they swim. The best time to go whale watching in Santa Barbara is between mid-December and April (gray whales) to see gray whales making their northward migration, but you can also see whales between May and November (blue whales, finback whales, and humpback whales). April to early November: Humpback whales along the central California coast. The regions of the world providing whale watching opportunities are as diverse as the whale species. Blue whales swim and feed off the California coast from mid-June through October when krill is abundant. Welcome to Channel Islands Whale Watching website, the gateway to the beautiful world famous Channel Islands, located in Oxnard, California. In winter, they're more commonly found toward the southern end of their range. A group of whale watchers got an up-close encounter with a pod of orcas off Monterey Bay in California on a recent outing. Book Online Now! Princess Monterey Whale Watching has the two largest and finest whale watching vessels on Monterey Bay: the 100ft. https://www.chriswhalewatching.com/Best of Whale Watching on the Monterey Bay as of 7.16.2016. Dume north of Los Angeles and long Beach enjoy different types of whales passing along different. Closer look, book a whale Festival to mark large pods of gray whales and humpback whales can be.... Eight grays can be 45 feet long and weigh up to 33 tons from mid-June through october krill... 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