Cabrillowildlife
Gray whales pass Point Loma on their migration south, per the National Park Service: usually Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March. Its usual window for this year has passed.
Your guide to the area
Where to watch
- Kelp Forest (Whale Watch) OverlookThe park's prime spot for migrating gray whales, particularly December to March; look west, toward the ocean
- Old Point Loma Lighthouse overlookThe heights by the old lighthouse have a glassed-in whale-watching observatory with telescopes
Nearby
- Tijuana Slough Refuge10 mi3 separate phases, from from mid-March to mid-September
- Channel Islands160 mi3 separate phases, from begins at the end of December and lasts until April
- Padre Island National Seashore1244 mimid-June through August
- Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge1255 milate February through early April
- Sequoyah Refuge1286 miMarch – SeptemberSatChance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Loess Bluffs Refuge1322 miJune - August are good timesSatPartly Sunny
The year at Cabrillo
- Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Festival, late January or early FebruaryJan–Feb
- Jan: Gray whale migration peak: mid-JanuaryJan
- Wildflower peak bloom, typically between late March and early AprilMar–Apr
- Park closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas DayNov–Dec
- Gray whale watching season, late December to mid-MarchDec–Mar
Questions people ask
When is the best time to see wildlife at Cabrillo National Monument?
Gray whales pass Point Loma on their migration south, per the National Park Service: Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March. That's the usual peak in the source's own words, not a forecast.
Is it the season at Cabrillo National Monument right now?
Not now: its usual wildlife window for this year has passed. Next time: Mid-January is the peak time for migration, but whales are visible from mid- to late December through March, usually.
When are my chances best?
In good weather in January and February, on calm days or mornings before the wind whips up waves. Overcast skies cut the glare and make spouts and flukes easier to spot.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where should I look?
West, out to sea. Most whales swim between the kelp beds, about three-quarters of a mile out, and the horizon, heading south, which is to your left.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I see them heading north in spring?
Usually not: on the way back north the whales are generally too far out to see from the park, even with binoculars.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is there a whale festival?
Yes: the park holds a Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Festival every year in late January or early February; check the park calendar for the dates.Source: National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Can I visit the tidepools on the same trip?
Often, yes: fall and winter are the best tidepool months, when low tides come during park hours. On busy low-tide days the tidepool road may close for 30 to 45 minutes until parking frees up, and there's no cell service down there.Sources: National Park Service, Cabrillo: The Rocky Intertidal Zone ↗ (opens in a new tab), National Park Service, Cabrillo: Basic Information ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in Cabrillo National Monument?
Kelp Forest (Whale Watch) Overlook: the park's prime spot for migrating gray whales, particularly December to March; look west, toward the ocean; Old Point Loma Lighthouse overlook: the heights by the old lighthouse have a glassed-in whale-watching observatory with telescopes.
When is the festival in Cabrillo National Monument?
Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Festival, late January or early February, usually in Jan–Feb.
Are there closures or permits to know about in Cabrillo National Monument?
Park closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day (Nov–Dec).
What is Cabrillo National Monument like through the year?
Wildflower peak bloom, typically between late March and early April (Mar–Apr), Gray whale watching season, late December to mid-March (Dec–Mar), Gray whale migration peak: mid-January (Jan), Whale Watch Weekend and Intertidal Festival, late January or early February (Jan–Feb) and Park closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day (Nov–Dec).
How we know · Sources (7)
How we know
National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (nature) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Park Service, Cabrillo: The Rocky Intertidal Zone (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Park Service, Cabrillo: Basic Information (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Park Service, Cabrillo: Things To Do (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Park Service, Field Season Beginning for Mediterranean Coast Plant Monitoring Teams (March 15, 2017) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Park Service, Cabrillo: Whale Watching (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) · National Park Service, Cabrillo: Operating Hours & Seasons (opens in a new tab) (Sep 30) National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.