Best places for whale watching from shore in southern. Besides the length of time for each trip, are there other differences. During whale watching season in southern california, which takes place along the coast from santa barbara to san diego, youll find plenty of ways to see the migration. With a maximum of 6 guests per cruise, you are sure to have the most personalized, intimate cruise. The fins and humpbacks are super fun to watch as well.
And these are 11 things not to miss when visiting san diego a practical travel guide with map. Orcas, or killer whales, are one of the most recognizable cetaceans in the world. Point reyes in marin county is the prime location to spot them. Newport landing whale watching dec 1, 2019 ongoing over 20,000 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. Whale watching in san diego san diego whale watching season. Many helidivers will tell you that its really about the challenge and adventure of exploring places from above and below. Departing from a natural bay it only takes a few minutes to leave the bays entrance and reach the productive waters for sighting whales and. During the summer and fall months, blue whales migrate from their. Whale watching at dana point and coastal orange county. But if you visit california i highly recommend spending at least a few days in san diego.
Visitors to the san diego bay will regularly see sea lions, dolphin and seals swim right up to the shore. Winter temperatures range between 44 and 61 degrees f in san francisco and from 48 to 66 in san diego. Orange county whale watching for over 20 years with newport landing. The warm waters right out of dana point harbor are flourishing with sea life including. Is there any chance of seeing whales in july august. Gray whales, the animal that started the whale watching phenomenon in dana point, can be seen migrating along our coast now through may. Whale watching is a fun thing to do near carlsbad and its visitors enjoy not just whales but dolphins and the beautiful scenery that san diego whale watching and whale watching dana point in newport beach sightings takes place on board our cruises. With some of the worlds largest mammals migrating past coastal points, feeding near the coast and swimming in inlets, youll find plenty of ocean creatures to see. Year round whale watching and a whale watch guarantee available. During the summer and fall, marvel at pods of migrating blue whales, plus gray whales, dolphin and other sea life, as they pass by san diego s coastline. Reserve your trip online or call 949 6731434 to schedule. San diego is a beautiful city in southern california, which is often overlooked by travelers. Whale watching off orange county from newport harbor. Im here in san diego now and took one of the whale watching trips a few days ago.
To see females with their calves, go late in the season as they take their babies back north with them. Newport landing provides multiple whale watching trips daily departing from the heart of orange county. Whale species in southern california and surrounding waters. From december to april you can catch a glimpse of these majestic creatures, both on shore and onboard a whale watching excursion boat. In the americas, oc helicopters is the 1st and only organization offering the recreational scuba diving community the ability to specialize in helicopter scuba diving. San diego offers some of the best whale watching with year round whale sightings of humpback whales, fin whales, orca whales, dolphins, and much more. According to dana wharf, one of the most popular whale watching tour companies in orange county, this has been a record season for spotting whales with more than 549 sightings of gray whales alone. Dolphin and whale watch cruise for 1, 2, 4, 6, or 10 people at san diego whale watch up to 54% off. Gray whales are baleen whales that migrate from the icy alaskan. Jan 22, 2018 the anniversary of san diegos award as a coast guard city is february 23. Southern california is a wonderful place to see whales at their finest. The best time for whale watching in california usa today. From our daily whale watching reports to photos and video, this is the spot for our favorite marine mammals.
Whale and dolphin watching tour or sunset couples cruise from tailwalker sportfishing up to 67% off. An amazing sight is the fin whale who is one of the fastest swimmers. The blue whale is the largest animal to ever on the earth and can grow to over 100 feet in length. Gray whales can be seen as close as 12 mile from mission bay san diego. May through november the mighty blue whales along with finback whales can be seen off the coast of san diego.
Newport landing whale watching offers whale watching cruises open to the general public viewing california grey whales, blue whales, all types of dolphins, and more. Pick from one of many different tour charters in oceansides harbor, like oceanside adventures, a luxury whale and dolphin tour company, located directly in front of oceansides historic light house. Its known for its many art galleries, coves and beaches. The real joy of the holiday season is the opportun. Her most memorable whale watching experience was in a small boat off san francisco, where a gray whale came up on one side of the.
For the first half of our trip, we are staying on coronado island, then were heading up to anaheim for a few days. You can see them seasonally along the orange county oc coast, along with migrating gray whales. Luckily we saw two whales, but had to go out for about 2 hours before we saw them. Legacy whale watch 1717 quivira rd san diego, ca boats. Trainers have killer whales perform for the crowd during a show at the animal theme park seaworld in san diego on march 19, 2014. In san diego, we also have two major seasons when we see the gray whale migration pass by us from november to may and the blue whale season from may to october. San diego whale watch 1617 quivira rd, san diego, california 92109 rated 4. And if whale watching enthusiasts cant board a boat over. Legacy whale watch 1717 quivira rd san diego ca 92109. Orcas, humpbacks, blue, and sperm whales are especially abundant there.
Experience the magic of migrating whales yearround off the coast of san diego. Similar success is being enjoyed from san diego to santa barbara and perhaps beyond. With daveys locker there is a viewing success rate of 96%. Cruise on the pacific ocean in a sturdy boat with a professional crew, looking for gray whales as they migrate along the coast of north america. Whale watching orange county book safaris with capt dave. Seaworld to phase out killer whale display in san diego. Whale watching off the coronado coast coronado times. Blue whale the largest animal on the planet, the blue whale, swims and feeds right here off newport beach coast. Dana point dolphin and whale watching tickets capt. Our company offers whale watching trips throughout the year and often times we are asked when the best time is to see the animals. Being int he bay and ocean is a terrific way to start. And near the historic lighthouse at cabrillo national monument. San francisco witnesses hundreds of gray whales passing along the shore from january through april.
Main beach features tide pools and a boardwalk leading to the paths. How to see amazing whales in san diego, california san. Gray whale watching season begins december 14, 2019. Where to go whale watching in california socal field trips. Orange county whale watching join guided cruises in the o. Nov 10, 2015 seaworld to phase out killer whale display in san diego. Coast guard inspected and certified rhib zodiac in orange county. Southern california whale watchers can view these giants during the summer months. October whale watching in san diego visit oceanside. One whale was found off orange county and two off san diego. Reaching lengths of nearly 100 feet, the blue whale is a sight to behold as it breaches the waters of the pacific ocean. Traditionally, whale watching season runs from december through april.
With just a few weeks left in the prime whale watching season, here are a few of the top orange county whale watching tours. Whale watching season in san diego runs from middecember through april, and migrating gray whales are the most common species. If you have a preference for one species of whale over the other, gray whales migrate from middecember through april while blue whales. San diego is one of the top locations to watch gray whales as they migrate from feeding grounds in the arctic to calving lagoons in baja. Nov 09, 2015 seaworld is ending its killer whale shows in san diego. Newport landing offers whale watching tours all year long. In california, whale watching is a popular thing for tourists to do, and its no wonder why. Daveys locker provides multiple whale watching cruises daily departing from newport beach. Its whale season, and these volunteers are counting each one. Take a look at our california whale watching seasons and pricing information for your trip. Whether youre looking to get up close and personal or witness whales from the shore, there are tons of ways to enjoy these magnificent creatures here in californias beach city. Oct 15, 2015 so ditch the pumpkin carving and come take a tour to see what lies beneath the deep blue sea in october. How to go whale watching in orange county orange county. People think whale watching season in california is limited to winter when pacific gray whales migrate from mexico to alaska and back.
Blue whales average 100 feet in length and 100 tons, this is the size of a boeing 737 jet. Seaworld to phase out killer whale display in san diego bbc. San diego whale watching showcased for coast guard families. This will be the last issue of the influenza watch for the 201920 season. Humpback whalewatching season lasts from november through march. For san diego whale watching, newport landing provides year round whale watching cruises multiple times daily departing north of san diego in newport beach. Daveys locker in the historic balboa pavilion famous orange county landmark next to the balboa funzone has over 40 years of history providing whale watching cruises. Whale watching from the land usually requires the use of binoculars. From december through april is the prime grey whale. Guide to whale watching in orange county oc mom blog. Providing whale watching in orange county for over 20. San diego provides the perfect launching point for a whale watching tour in california. Northern california also has had a large number of whale strandings, including eight in san francisco bay, one off mendocino county and one off humboldt.
Book your tickets online for san diego whale watch, san diego. Whale watching off orange county from newport harbororange. Newport landing whale watching offers year round whale watching cruises multiple times daily departing from beautiful newport bay in newport beach. With just a few weeks left in the prime whalewatching season, here are a few of the top orange county whale watching tours. And near the historic lighthouse at cabrillo national monument, whale. This was the last shamu show i saw during my time at orlando so i thought i should film it. There were experts from the birch aquarium on board and they said the whales transiting this area are winding down. With over a half dozen different types of whales and several varieties of dolphin, newport beach has become one of the top whale. Tours from san diego whale watch tend to sell out travelers recommend booking in advance. One whale washed up on the rocks near san pedro in early march, and about a week later, a whale was found just off hermosa beach. Newport landing whale watching offers whale watch trips open to the general public as well as private cruises.
Due to coast guard regulations, guests weighing more than 250 pounds may not be accommodated on this boat. Listed below are the best places to watch whales from the shore in southern california. New killer whale show premieres at seaworld san diego. Best time of year for whale watching by seasons daveys. They have a striking black and white color pattern and individuals can be identified by a unique white patch behind their dorsal fin called a saddle patch. Off the beautiful, sandy beaches of coronado the california gray whales are heading south to the warm waters of baja mexico.
Festivals attend the mendocino coast whale festival just north of san francisco in early march. The official subreddit for san diego california, americas finest city. Out of season whale watching from san diego san diego. Our sunset cruise departs from mission bay in beautiful san diego, ca. However, because blue whales and gray whales migrate at different times of the year, whale watching season in san diego is open year round.
Renowned for our wide range of adventure offerings, we have unsurpassed expertise in the approach and observation of marine wildlife in their natural environment. Being int he bay and ocean is a terrific way to start the new year. The crew had informative narrations when we were not actively watching. Seaforth sportfishing whale watching trips san diego. Captain\owner chuck taft of the local sportfishing boat legend, suggested that the coast guard host a special whale watching trip for members and their dependents on an extraordinary threehour excursion. Whale watching in orange county, california usa today. Watch the seasonal migration of california grey whales and blue whales off the san diego coast up close and personal. Its whale season, and these volunteers are counting each. Laguna beach is a small coastal city in orange county, california. Seaworld is ending its killer whale shows in san diego the. From beautiful orange county in southern california view dolphin seals sea lions and our gentle giants the grey whale.
Things to look for include blowholes, plumes of wet air that shoot up into the air, and fluking as the whales tail rise from the water before they make a dive. Whether by land or by sea, san diego is one of californias best spots for whale watching. Endorsed by the orange county cetacean society, daveys locker provides year round whale watching cruises daily. This is your chance to have some amazing face time with gray whales who are the friendliest and will at times come right up to our boat. Experience some of the ultimate whale watching in southern ca with daveys locker. To find out what all those wonderful creatures look like up close and what they look like when you see them from. San diego whale watch 2020 all you need to know before you. San diego winter whale watching expedition cruise 2020. Ive seen that the main season is december to march, but im hoping against hope that there may be something to see in the summer too. For detailed info on whale watching season in san diego see this blog. One of our best methods for finding whales is by u. Laguna beach orange county california 4k part 1 youtube. Newly reported influenza cases decreased substantially in week 14 in san diego county. Any time of year, you might also see a fin whale, a humpback, a minke whale, or a pod of orcas.
A prime location for whale watching, orange county, california, offers yearround options to view several whale species from land, sea and air. Nov 11, 2012 whale watching off the coast of san diego is exciting and fun for the whole family. We didnt see many whales, but it was early in the season early january. San diego whale watch all you need to know before you go. Whale watching report in san diego whale sightings. Things to look for include blowholes, plumes of wet air that shoot up into the air, and fluking as the whale s tail rise from the water before they make a dive. Get up close and personal with dolphins, sea lions, pelagic sea birds and migrating whales on this 3. San diegos marine life is very active, and one of the more interesting things to see while in town is the migration of the whale pods, or in other words, whale watching in san diego. According to experts, gray whales breachthats the spectacular jumpoutofthewater and make a big splash movemore often near dana point and. The park at san diego is the companys second biggest and features its famous shamu killer whale show. While were there, wed like to go on a whale watching trip.