This California Destination Has Some of the Best Whale Watching in the U.S.-and Right Now Is the Best Time to Spot Them

"Each year, these massive aquatic animals, which the Oceanic Society explained can weigh more than 72,000 pounds, make the trip from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to calve and breed in the Baja lagoons. That means they swim about 6,000 miles-not once, but twice in a calendar year. Or, as the Oceanic Society puts it, it's about the same as "traveling across the United States from San Francisco, California, to Washington, D.C., three times.""

"However, this season is rather well-known and smack dab in the middle of the busier tourism period. But fret not because there's another secret season-and it's happening right now. As Harbarth explained, there are currently a "smaller number of gray whales" moving along the coast in the winter-specifically, from January through May. And it's an especially good time to spot them if you're interested in seeing babies, as this is when the recently born calves swim by on the return trip to colder waters."

Gray whales migrate approximately 6,000 miles between Arctic feeding grounds and Baja breeding lagoons, completing that distance twice annually. Adults can exceed 72,000 pounds. Sonoma County's coast provides two strong viewing seasons: late summer into early fall brings nutrient-rich waters, active feeding behavior, species diversity close to shore, calmer seas, and strong visibility for reliable encounters. Winter, from January through May, brings smaller numbers of whales moving along the coast and offers prime opportunities to see recently born calves traveling north. Bodega Head on the Sonoma Peninsula is an excellent land-based vantage point, and boat tours from Bodega Bay provide closer sea-level encounters.

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