North America is one of the best continents for whale watching, with humpbacks, grey whales, orcas, blue whales, belugas and more along its coasts. Timing is everything: many whales migrate thousands of kilometres between feeding and breeding grounds.
Month by month
| Months | Where | Whales |
|---|---|---|
| December to April | Baja California lagoons, Mexico | Grey whales and calves. See our Baja guide |
| December to April | Hawaii (especially Maui) | Humpback whales breeding and singing |
| December to March | Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | Humpback whales |
| February to April | Sea of Cortez (Loreto) | Blue whales and fin whales |
| March to May | Pacific coast from California to Vancouver Island | Grey whales migrating north |
| April to October | New England (Cape Cod, Stellwagen Bank) | Humpbacks, fin whales, minke whales |
| May to September | Alaska (Juneau, Icy Strait, Kenai Fjords) | Humpbacks bubble-net feeding, orcas |
| June to October | Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea | Orcas and humpbacks. See our Vancouver Island guide |
| June to October | Monterey Bay and the California coast | Humpbacks, blue whales. See our Monterey guide |
| June to October | Quebec (Tadoussac, St Lawrence) | Belugas, blue whales, fin whales, minke whales |
| July to August | Churchill, Manitoba | Belugas. See our Churchill beluga guide |
| July to September | Newfoundland | Humpbacks feeding on capelin, with icebergs |
| August to September | Bay of Fundy, Canada | North Atlantic right whales (rare), humpbacks, fin whales |
Top whale experiences
- Friendly grey whales in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja.
- Humpback song in Hawaii, heard underwater or through hydrophones.
- Bubble-net feeding humpbacks in Alaska.
- Orcas in Johnstone Strait, British Columbia.
- Belugas in Churchill and Tadoussac.
- Blue whales, the largest animals ever, off California and in the St Lawrence.
Choosing a responsible operator
- Choose operators that follow local regulations on distance and speed.
- Prefer boats with naturalists and involvement in research.
- Avoid operators that chase whales or crowd them with other boats.
- Consider land-based whale watching where possible.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time for whale watching in North America? There is no single best time: grey whales in winter, humpbacks in summer in the north and winter in the south, and orcas in summer in British Columbia.
Where can I see blue whales? Off California in summer and autumn, in the Sea of Cortez in late winter, and in Quebec’s St Lawrence.
Where can I see belugas? Churchill (Manitoba) in July and August, and Tadoussac (Quebec) from June to October.
Can I see whales from shore? Yes, especially grey whales along the Pacific coast and belugas in the St Lawrence.
Related guides
- Grey whale watching in Baja California
- Orcas and humpbacks in northern Norway
- Whale watching in Hermanus
- Animal profiles: Humpback whale, Gray whale, Orca
Cover photo: NPS / Kaitlin Thoreson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons