When most people think of Los Angeles they think of urban activities, but Los Angeles also offers some of the best whale watching in the world.  Gray whales travel along the coastline as they migrate to their winter breeding grounds in Baja.  Thousands of gray whales make this journey and their abundance can make for some very active viewing opportunities.  The gray whales migrate from late December through April and it is not uncommon so see half dozen whales or more in a single cruise.

A handful of whale watching providers also offer year round whale watching and with a huge influx of blue whales during the fall months (these giants of the sea make for amazing viewing).  The giant blue whales are over 80 feet in length and are the largest whale in the world.  Along with blue whales, humpback whales, minke whales, finback whales, and even killer whales are sometimes viewed.  Dolphin are very numerous and pods of a thousand or more are frequently encountered.  These playful creatures will almost come within arms reach and put on a wonderful show. Sea lions and their pups are always present and many species of birds and other marine creatures make for a very exciting experience.

There are several whale watching providers serving Los Angeles including Newport Landing Whale Watching, Dolphin Dave’s Dolphin Sarfari, Condor Cruises, and Harbor Breeze Cruises. 

Newport Landing Whale Watching departs from Newport Harbor in Newport Beach and is about 30 minutes from downtown Los Angeles .  Dolphin Dave is located in Dana Point Harbor which is located about 1 hour from downtown. Condor Cruises is located in Santa Barbara about 1 20 minutes north of downtown. And Harbor Breezes is located in Long Beach about 20 minutes from downtown. 

Newport Landing, Condor Cruises, and Dolphin Dave are located in harbors that a relatively quick to travel though(10 minutes on average) which means more time looking for whales and dolphin.  Harbor Breezes has the long beach breakwall which is a manmade wall and takes about 25 minutes to get out past into productive waters.

If you're more of a landlubber, you can also view the whales from shore though this is primarily during the grey whale migration. Click here for an article with some vantage points.