The Best US Destinations To See Migrating Whales (Other Than California)

The great state of California is pockmarked with more whale-watching locations than you can slap a colossal cetacean fin at. It just so happens that the home of Hollywood stars and the soaring Sierra Nevada is a pit stop on the long-distance migration route of the gray whales, who transit from the Pacific Northwest to the sunny climes and bath-warm seas of Baja California and back every single year.

But don't go a-thinking that Cali is the only corner of the stars and stripes where whales make an appearance. Nuh-uh. There are stacks of options — this nation has a whopping 95,000 miles of coastline on three different oceans, remember? If there ever was a place to come and seek out glimpses of gargantuan whales, this is it!

So, where's best? That all depends. From the coastal Maine escape and endless lobster of Bar Harbor to the ocean-lashed lands of Oregon's Central Coast, you've got choices both east and west. You'll also find that different whale species pop up at different times of year in various places, whether that's North Atlantic right whales in the Old Bay State during spring or massive humpbacks in Hawaii come winter.

If you like your migrating whales with a side of tropical sun (over 2,600 hours of it each year!), perfect surf, and Aloha spirit, then be sure to check out the Vitamin D-doused isle of Kauai. It's nicknamed the Garden Island for its emerald-colored backcountry and is famed for its rich biodiversity. It also happens to sit smack dab on the path of the humpback migration route through the Pacific. Nice.

The main viewing season runs roughly in tandem with the Hawaii winter months, starting in December and ending with the arrival of spring about the beginning of May. During that time, boat trips promise to get you super close to the majestic mammals, but it's even possible to spot them from the shoreline.

Head down to the golden sand park of Poipu on the far southern tip of the isle to discover some of the most lauded whale-watching vantage points going. As one Redditor put it, "One of my favorite places is Poipu Beach. It's not only beautiful, but you can often see whales from the shore, especially if you find a nice cliffside spot."

The San Juan archipelago is a speckling of hundreds of rocks and islets in the Puget Sound. They spread northwards from the city of Seattle, tucking all the way up to the US-Canada border. And these islands are downright beautiful — think sweeps of pine woods, coves of pebbles hidden under the cliffs, and rustic farmsteads dotting the inland reaches of the isles.

The largest of the San Juans belies the whale-watching prowess of this region just by its name. It's called Orcas Island. And, while apparently the moniker has nothing to do with the abundance of killer whales in the surrounding seas, it certainly seems fitting that you can spot orcas here every single darn month of the year However, April to October tends to be the best time of all. 

You don't even have to hop in a boat, either. Orcas in this part of the Puget Sound are famed for venturing within easy eyeshot of various shoreline hiking paths. The National Park Service has a fantastic on-land guide to whale watching on San Juan Island that reveals the top coves and lookout points. In addition to orcas, other whale species such as humpback and minke whales also frequent these waters.

The Oregon Coast is something very, very special. Drive US-101 from tip to toe in this state, and it can seem like there's an endless supply of rock stacks, wave-splattered bays, and sweeps of old-growth rainforest. When it comes to whales, there's one corner of the territory's shoreline that stands out from the crowd. Cue Depoe Bay, Oregon's whale-watching capital.

An estimated 20,000 gray whales pass this way from the middle of December onwards. Their route leads them south towards the considerably balmier seas around Mexico. There are two ways to see them: by boat or from the land. The boat trips here are particularly interesting since they often leave from the world's smallest navigable harbor, while the Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center is fantastic for on-land whale watching as it's got its own whale-watching terraces complete with binoculars!

Of course, Depoe certainly isn't the only place in the Beaver State where the humongous inhabitants of the Pacific can be spied. You could also head 11 miles south to the scenic cobbled beaches of the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, which has designated platforms for whale spotting. Or you can head even farther south to scale the 800-foot-high Cape Perpetua, the highest point along the Oregon coast that's accessible by car. Here, you might get lucky and see whales frolicking in the company of harbor seals.

Massachusetts isn't just for learning about early American history and watching the Red Sox. The state also happens to be one of the best places on the East Coast to catch a glimpse of whales. It all goes down during the annual migration months between April and October, when a hodgepodge of different species move into the surrounding waters.

Remember the name of this place: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. It's an underwater plateau in the North Atlantic that's famed around the globe for its whale-watching potential. It's even been named in the tip-top spot on USA Today's ranking of the very best places to see aquatic life in the country, in large part because of the humpbacks that drift by in summer. Besides humpbacks, you might also see fin whales, minke whales, and other species here, too. 

Stellwagen Bank is situated nicely between the very pinnacle of Cape Cod and the town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The upshot? Tours are available from a whole host of providers in a whole host of areas along this run of coast. You can even launch a whale-watching expedition from the city of Boston, with sightings of humpbacks by afternoon and a walk along The Freedom Trail by evening, perhaps.

Salt-washed, shanty-echoing Bar Harbor is the setting for some prime seasonal whale watching in Maine. That's all thanks to the marine life-friendly Gulf of Maine, which gapes open to the south of the port town, covering a whopping 36,000 square miles and hosting thousands of individual sea species, among them, fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, North Atlantic right whales, sei whales — the list goes on and on.

What's great is that the peak time to spot the giants of the ocean in these parts is also the time with the finest weather. Yep, whale watching season runs roughly from spring to early fall in Bar Harbor, meaning less chance of rain and more comfortable temperatures all round.

That's actually doubly fantastic because Bar Harbor isn't only about boat tripping. You can also head a mile or so inland into the wilds of Acadia National Park, where it's possible to hike great granite peaks through evergreen forests while spotting whales breaching and blowing in the distant sea.

Last but most certainly not least on this list of the finest U.S. destinations for whale watching is the fabled Last Frontier. Nature hits some pretty sweet superlatives in this corner of the country. This is the largest state of all, home to the highest mountain, the coldest location, and, perhaps a little strangely, America's ugliest state capitol building, according to travel influencer Rick Steves.

Forgetting that last one just a moment, it only seems right that wild, wild Alaska boasts some world-class whale viewing to boot. There are lots of spots you can go to, from the straits of the 1,000-mile-long Inside Passage to the uber-remote Aleutian Islands. But for sheer variety of cetacean species, Kenai Fjords National Park often comes at the top of the bill.

Carving into the Kenai Peninsula in a symphony of 40 glacier tongues, this icy wonderland is quite possibly Alaska's most breathtaking national park. Boat tours typically depart from the nearby gateway town of Seward, going west from there into the fjords to spot everything from humpbacks to orcas. Sea lions, puffins, and porpoises will add to the excitement on these Alaskan marine safaris.