Dana Point whale watching is more than spectacular—it's world-class. As the Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World® and the first Whale Heritage Site in the Americas, Dana Point is the best location for watching year-round whales embark on one of the longest migrations by any mammal. Some of our favorite annual visitors grace us with their presence between November and May. These gentle giants, best known as gray whales, make their way along our gorgeous Orange County coastline while migrating to and from their breeding grounds in Baja, California, Mexico, to their feeding grounds in the cold seas near the Arctic.
During a gray whale's 12,000-mile round-trip migration, passengers aboard a Dana Point whale-watching excursion can catch close encounters with these 40 to 50-foot, 90,000-pound barnacled bejeweled beauties as they hug the coastline during their remarkable travels. The best time for whale watching Dana Point locals know to catch a glimpse of gray whales is between late November and mid-May.