Whale Watching off the Northern California Coast

San Francisco Whale Watching Boat Trips - Educational day-trips on a year-round basis to observe whales, seabirds, and other marine life up close.

Gray Whale Migration Season--December through May Sign Up Here

The annual gray whale migration is one of the world's most magnificent and accessible wildlife spectacles. Each year approximately 15,000 gray whales swim south from Arctic feeding grounds, en route to their Baja California breeding and calving grounds.

From December through May, gray whales can be observed a few miles off California's shore, and whale watchers aboard Oceanic Society's naturalist-led Whale Watch boats have a unique vantage from which to view this incredible event. Oceanic Society follows federal whale watching guidelines plus our own stated Code of Ethics during all whale watching trips.

Trips to observe the gray whales depart from Half Moon Bay. Join us on one of these trips!

Farallon Island Whales Season--May through November Sign Up Here

The Farallon Islands, just 27 miles off San Francisco, lie amid the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, a food-rich marine ecosystem which attracts whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds each summer and fall, to feed and to breed. Researchers have catalogued hundreds of individual humpbacks and blue whales as seasonal feeding residents.

From May through November, it is possible to view up to 23 species of marine mammals, including 18 species of whales and dolphins, plus 12 species of nesting seabirds. Nearly 250,000 birds lay their eggs and raise their young on the Refuge.

Trips to the Farallons operate out of San Francisco. Come join one of these fantastic trips!

For further information, check out our Fact Sheets on our Whale Watching tours, or contact us directly.