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Is Los Angeles The Best Whale Watching Destination In North America?

  • June 7, 2021
  • Jules

California is no doubt the best state for whale watching. Not only that, Los Angeles whale watching services dates back to the 1950s so the whale watching services as an organized activity for tourists are pretty old. The main reasons why Los Angeles whale watching is so popular because every year around 20,000 grey whales swim a journey of whooping 12,000 miles and it is a round trip journey from the Bering Sea, i.e. all the way down from the Pacific coast to the coast of Mexico,  Baja Peninsula to be more specific. This epic swim makes the coast of LA perfect for hosting Los Angeles whale watching services. You can watch these majestic ocean creatures in their natural habitat without having to disturb them due to the LA whale watching services.

The Los Angeles whale watching services are perfect for those people who want to see the grey whales in their natural habitat swimming around the ocean. For those tourists who are a fan of marine life then a visit to Los Angeles whale watching is a must. Tourists can choose between whether they want to see the whales from the coasts or get on a ship and watch whales right from their turf.

When is the best time of the year for Los Angeles whale watching?

According to studies, winter and summers are the preferred seasons of the year for LA whale watching. The boat tours are available from the aquarium of the Pacific in Long beach. Regardless of which time of the day you prefer or whether it’s from the coast or the sea, you and your family surely will find the Los Angeles whale watching quite thrilling. 

Why is Los Angeles the best place for whale watching?

Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbour in Los Angeles is one of the most popular places to board a cruise. Along with that, the long Beach also houses the Aquarium of Pacific which is a combination of museum and cruising, both these services are offered by Harbour Breeze Cruises.

There are several other places where whale watching Los Angeles services are provided such as in Newport Beach, there are several whale watching services all competing with each other to come out as a winner. Dana point is one of the longest coasts in orange county, the cruise ships are on the costlier side but the whale watching from Dana point is worth every extra dollar.

Marina del Ray on the other hand houses hundreds of privately chartered yachts, booze cruises, and parasailing. The LA whale watching services there cater to the needs of wealthy people who have a liking for the marine creatures and want to watch them in their natural habitat. Redondo Beach is known for having close-to-shore whale sightings. The grey whales swim very near to the coast and if you get lucky then you might even be able to spot a pod of killer whales in the waters from the coast. It is a perfect place to avail of Los Angeles whale watching services for those living in the South Bay.

San Pedro is used mostly as a port to allow the movement of cargo ships but at times even the harbor cruises conveniently port here and take up tourists for whale watching.

Things to know before you sign up for whale watching at Los Angeles 

Even if you are not able to spot whales, you will surely come across dolphins. Even though the different Los Angeles whale watching services might promise you whales, what kind that nobody knows for sure because the whales are in their natural habitat and if you are lucky enough they might come near your cruise ship and only then you will be able to catch a glimpse of the majestic creatures of the ocean.

Showing up earlier doesn’t mean you will be at a better chance of spotting whales. If you happen to be seasick, then avail of the morning cruises because the sea will be much calmer and won’t make you nauseated.

The summer months are the best season to spot the blue whale, even though they are endangered they easily swim near the shore of LA from June to September. Whether you spot a whale, or which kind of whale you spot; it all depends on the migration. Most tourists availing of the LA whale watching services during winter can spot whales heading south around January and those who avail of services around Mid-March to April can spot the whales heading north with their calves.

How to spot Whales while whale watching

It doesn’t matter whether you are on the coast, or on a ship in the middle of the sea, if you don’t know the tips to spot a whale, the entire tip won’t make any sense. One of the easiest ways to spot the majestic creatures in the ocean is to look for any mists rising from the ocean onto the air above. This mist is the spout of mist that whales produce when they come up from the ocean to catch a breath. This spout of mist can be easily visible from a long distance because the whales are huge and the mist about the size of the mammal will also be huge.

For those who want to hop onto the boat to catch the glimpse of a whale, look for the flat patches on the water. The flat patches are an indication that a whale is about to surface to catch air. Another trick is to look for any group of birds diving into the water for small fishes. Such areas could also indicate the presence of sea lions, dolphins, and whales, as they would be near that area to feed on the small fishes.

If you are visiting California, then Los Angeles whale watching is a must. It not only gives you the experience to last a lifetime but also creates awareness among tourists. 

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Jules

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