Visit north California to Washington between December and May for migrating Gray Whales and June to September for summering ones; between August and October Blue and Humpback Whales are seen off central California.

For information on whale watching trips in California, visit Real Adventures.

From mid-December to early January you’ll find most of the gray whales between Monterey and San Diego. By late December to early January, the first of the Gray Whales begin to arrive at the calving lagoons of Baja.

Monterey Bay (home to Cannery Row, made famous in John Steinbeck’s novel) is a popular tourist spot and is also close to the legendary Big Sur: one of the world’s most scenic drives is down the Big Sur Coast. Gray whales can be seen from the highway turnouts from December through April. From December to early February, the whales are migrating south; starting in February, you begin to see whales heading north again with newborns. Humpback Whales occur in Monterey Bay area from late April to early December. At the junction of Partington Ridge and Highway One there is a deep submarine canyon where the Humpback Whales are seen on a regular basis.

San Diego whale watching season runs from December through March, with January being good during the southward migration. Whale watching excursions leave San Diego regularly during the gray whale migration. A great spot for shore based whale watching is Point Loma at Cabrillo National Monument. There are whale watching cruises which last for around 3.5 hours, or you can enjoy a kayak trip out of La Jolla Shores.

The Channel Islands National Park provides opportunities to watch Blue Whales from July to September – it’s claimed that around 10% of the world’s blue whales gather in the Santa Barbara Channel. From late December through April the annual gray whale migration can be enjoyed. There are whale watching boat trips, but shore based whale watching is enjoyed with the aid of telescopes in the tower at the National Park Visitor Centre in Ventura.

New England’s premier whale watch. Guaranteed sightings, most experienced captains and naturalists with trips leaving daily. Group, senior and other discounts available.

During the warmer season from April to October, more than 900 Humpback whales choose the Bay of Maine as their home.  Shore based whale watching is great, with the mammals being found along the entire length of the state from Portsmouth to Eastport.

Whale watching cruises depart from Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport and Boothbay Harbor, with the tours going out around 20 miles from shore.  A trip usually lasts around four hours.

Come with us on a sea adventure to explore the scenic coasts of Maine, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, with your hosts Captains Rick and Karen. Share our dream of life on the sea on our renovated 90-foot Dutch fishing vessel.

Maine Family Adventures We offer fun activities the whole family will enjoy, exploring, swimming, kayaking, biking, whale watching and relaxing. We take care of all the details. Stay at Maine’s finest Inns. Join us for an unforgettable family trip.

San Juan Islands (Northwest corner of Washington) is a very popular whale watching destination made up of more than 170 islands surrounded by deep, cold water it is famous for its Orcas. The area is sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island. Lopez, Orcas, San Juan, and Shaw are the 4 islands most visited for whale watching – they are served by the Washington State Ferry System.

Anacortes is located on the east side of the San Juan Islands on Fidalgo Island and is easily accessed from either Seattle, or Vancouver – there are two bridges, so there are no complicated ferry arrangements to deal with. It’s a good spot to overnight if you are taking a ferry to one of the islands in the morning. Orcas can be spotted from shore in Washington Park. Anacortes is also a great departure point for whale watching – Fidalgo Island’s west side is protected and it is often a mere ten minute trip before whales are spotted.

San Juan Island is little more than an hour’s ride by ferry from Anacortes and is well known for its sea kayaking and whale watching opportunities. Some 80 Orca whales visit the surrounding waters during the spring and summer. They can be seen from the shore at Limekiln State Park. Boat trips depart from Friday Harbour.

Whale watching has become one of the most popular tourist activities in Alaska – with good reason! Situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, Alaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area. To its east lies Canada, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south. Across the Bering Strait lies Russia.

Gray Whales and Humpbacks migrate along the Alaskan coast waters each year.

The whale watching season is an extended one – beginning in April/May and going through till late in the year. Vessels used for whale watching range from kayaks to small cruise liners.

The best whale watching areas are:

• Southeast Alaska – especially the area known as “The Inside Passage”. Juneau is one of the better known departure points. Depending upon the season, you’ll encounter Grey Whales, Humpback Whales and Orcas. Here you can explore the natural history and Native American heritage of Southeast Alaska, watch humpback whales and ears feeding on salmon in a rushing river.

• South Central – the Gulf of Alaska, Resurrection Bay, Kachemak Bay and Kodiak Island. Here you’ll find Blue Whales, especially in July and August. Seward is a famous departure point in this area, as is Kodiak Island and Homer. What makes Seward popular is its road access to the Seward Highway, meaning that a bus service is available to tourists. It is also the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad, making it a primary end point for north-bound cruise ships. There is an airport used by sight-seeing aircraft, but there are flight connections to Anchorage International Airport.Kodiak Island with its nutrient-rich waters is a great area to watch: Fin, Minke, Sei, Humpback and Grey Whales. The Grey Whales begin their migration in April, with the Humpbacks arriving in June.For kayaking, Hoonah is a good departure point for seeing Humpbacks.

• Bering Sea – the areas north of the Alaska Peninsula, including the Aleutian Islands, Bristol Bay, Pribilof Islands and Yukon Kuskokwim Delta. Blue Whales are being seen in ever-increasing numbers, especially around the Aleutian Islands.
  

For listings of canoe and kayak trips in Alaska, visit Real Adventures