Whale Watching Worldwide

Central Region
Sonoma County, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Marin County, Santa Cruz County,
Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County
The central region offers a greater variety of watching compared to the north, with twenty‐two operators
taking an estimated 128,509 boat‐based whale watchers in 2008. This region is also the biggest for land‐
based whale watching in California, with an estimated 454,560 land‐based whale watchers. Although
approximately 20 land‐based locations are identified in this region, the vast majority of tourist estimates are
based on seasonal visitation to Point Reyes National Seashore and Sonoma Coast State Park, with San
Simeon and Montaña de Oro State Park also attracting large numbers of whale watchers.
Around San Francisco, boat‐based trips are offered year‐round and focus on the gray whales between mid‐
December and May, with whale numbers peaking in mid‐January for the southern migration and mid‐March
for the northern migration. Mothers with calves can be seen late April and early May. Humpback and blue
whale tours are also offered between July and November and year‐round day trips to the Farallon Islands
are offered on weekends. The Farallon Islands are located 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco, close to
the continental shelf, and are home to thousands of birds, seals and sea lions. The waters of the Gulf of the
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary are also important feeding grounds for Pacific white‐sided dolphins
and Dall’s and harbour porpoises, as well as being in the migratory path of larger cetaceans such as gray,
humpback and blue whales. An estimated 4,500 to 5,000 passengers go on Farallon Islands trips annually.
Average adult ticket prices around San Francisco are $60 for a half‐day trip while full‐day trips to the Farallon
Islands can cost between $95 and $125. Shorter harbour trips of around 2 hours are also run and cost $30
but only offer opportunistic sightings of dolphins and porpoises. Most trips depart from San Francisco,
Sausalito or Half Moon Bay.
South of San Mateo county, Monterey, Moss Landing and Santa Cruz account for the vast majority of boat‐
based whale watchers in the central region, offering reliable year‐round whale watching in the Monterey
Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Trips in Monterey Bay are offered year‐round with gray whales between
December to April, particularly during the peak of the southern migration in February and the peak of the
northern migration in April. Humpback and blue whales are seen between May and December with
humpbacks being more common than blue whales during this time. Orcas are also a common year‐round
sight in Monterey Bay — short‐beaked common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, Pacific white‐sided dolphins,
Risso’s dolphins, northern right whale dolphins, Dall’s porpoises and harbour porpoises are seen year‐round.
There are also occasional sightings of fin whales, minke whales and Baird’s beaked whales. Average adult
ticket prices for 2 to 3 hour trips are $46. Average adult ticket prices for longer trips are $86.
Farther south, trips are also run out of Morro Bay and Port San Luis. Operators here are smaller than those
around Monterey Bay, and only one offers year‐round whale watching, with most just offering gray whale
watching in winter and sport fishing during summer.
Southern Region
Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County
Southern California is the home of organised whale watching, and remains the largest region for boat‐based
operators in California, with forty‐five operators taking an estimated 253,381 boat‐based whale watchers in
2008.
The region also attracts an estimated 386,618 land‐based whale watchers, primarily to Cabrillo National
Monument, the Point Vicente Interpretive Center and Crystal Cove State Park. A total of 25 land‐based
locations are identified in the southern region, although as in central California, whales can usually be seen
from any elevated location, including along many of the coastal highways.
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