Every winter, gray whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic to the warmer waters of Baja California. From December to May, lucky whale watchers can spot these majestic giants on their journey off the coast of California!
A gray whale breaches offshore near Half Moon Bay. © Rhys Watkin
Whale Watching from Half Moon Bay
As many as 20,000 gray whales migrate past Half Moon Bay, CA each year, often coming close to the shoreline, making this quaint port city a perfect destination for whale watching. To help the public enjoy this amazing annual phenomenon, Oceanic Society has been leading boat-based whale watching trips from Half Moon Bay for decades. After a brief hiatus, we are excited to announce that these trips are back in 2025, offered every Saturday and Sunday from January through March. Our sunset cruise offers the perfect opportunity for wildlife sightings, and, thanks to our small group sizes (a maximum 33 passengers), you’ll have plenty of room to move about the boat to get the best views. Not to mention, passengers receive complimentary wildlife photos after each trip from our resident photographer!
Passengers watch a gray whale near the shore. © Chris Biertuempfel
What to Expect on our Half Moon Bay Whale Watching Trips
Our Half Moon Bay whale watching trips are designed to be the perfect afternoon trip, making for a great day trip from throughout the Bay Area. Check-in starts at 1:30pm and is followed by an introductory wildlife talk from our naturalist before our ship departs at 2:00 pm.
Our expert naturalists help spot and identify wildlife and provide educational commentary throughout the trip. © Rhys Watkin
As the boat departs from Pillar Point Harbor, keep an eye out for sea lions, porpoises, seabirds, and even whales! From the harbor, we will venture out to deeper waters to look for whales. Gray whales are distinctive for their heart-shaped spouts, mottled appearance, lack of dorsal fins, and rounded flukes. Sometimes they also engage in magnificent breaching behavior!
Our trips run during the best months to see gray whales on their migration. Chances are good of spotting whales – based on decades of data from our trips, there’s an 86% chance of seeing migrating whales! Every trip is an adventure in nature, and you never know what you’ll see.
As the sun begins to set, we’ll return to port, arriving at 5:00 pm.
The moon rises over the coast as we return to port. © Michael Pierson
