Southern California offers opportunities to see whales in every month of the year. Gray whales are most associated with winter and spring migration, while blue whales are a late-spring, summer and sometimes fall prospect. Humpback and fin whale sightings vary with feeding conditions, and common dolphins occur year-round.
Month-by-month species guide
Use this calendar as a planning guide, not a prediction for an individual cruise. Species overlap between months, and their timing and abundance change from year to year.
Month | Whales to look for | Other possibilities | Planning notes |
|---|---|---|---|
January | Gray whales | Common dolphins | Main southbound migration window. |
February | Gray whales | Bottlenose and common dolphins | Southbound and northbound migration can overlap. |
March | Gray whales | Humpback whales | Northbound migration continues. Check January–March dates. |
April | Gray whales | Humpback whales | Look for northbound travelers, including possible mother-and-calf pairs. |
May | Humpback whales; possible early blue whales | Late gray whales | A transition month; check which species have arrived. |
June | Blue and humpback whales | Fin whales; common dolphins | Summer feeding activity varies. Check April–June dates. |
July | Blue and humpback whales | Fin whales; dolphins | Within the usual blue whale planning window. |
August | Blue and humpback whales | Fin whales; dolphins | Feeding conditions determine where whales gather. |
September | Blue and humpback whales | Fin whales; common dolphins | Summer species may remain. Check July–September dates. |
October | Humpback and fin whales | Late blue whales | Fall sightings depend on local feeding conditions. |
November | Fin or humpback whales | Late blue whales; possible early gray whales | Transition toward winter migration. |
December | Gray whales | Common and bottlenose dolphins | Southbound migration season. Check October–December dates. |
The year-round whale watching advantage
Southern California’s currents and feeding habitats support marine life across the seasons. Different species are more likely at different times, giving visitors reasons to go whale watching beyond a single summer or winter window.
What changes is the mix of animals you may encounter. A January cruise and a July cruise can offer very different experiences, and even two trips in the same week may produce different sightings. For help choosing a seasonal window, see our peak whale watching season guide for Long Beach.
Dolphins year-round
One of the most exciting constants across all twelve months is Southern California’s dolphin population. Common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins can be encountered year-round, while other species vary with conditions and location. Common dolphins sometimes gather in pods of hundreds or more.
Dolphins may approach a vessel or ride its bow wave, though that behavior is never assured. An encounter can be a highlight of the trip even when whales are harder to locate.
Planning your trip
Our whale sightings report helps you see which animals have recently been recorded. Check the dates on the entries before using them to plan, and remember that a past sighting cannot guarantee the next cruise’s route or wildlife.
You can also explore our whale species guide to learn more about the animals. Choose Long Beach or San Pedro for your departure, then use our availability calendar for current dates and prices. The quarterly links above open the same calendar, where you can select your preferred travel dates.