The Trinidad Head trail is a scenic hike with spectacular views and is simply superb for whale watching. Noyo Harbor is located in Fort Bragg, CA which is about half way between San Francisco, CA and Eureka, CA and about on hour West of Highway 101. Several species of dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, harbor seals, California Sea Lions, Killer Whales, Mola molas (giant ocean sunfish) and jellies are a handful of the mind boggling array of sea life that you'll encounter in the waters of the Monterey Bay apart from whales. Garrapata State park and beach: This state park has two miles of beach with coastal hiking and a 50-foot climb to a beautiful view of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, plus the coastal headlands at Soberanes Point. Taste beer like you've never tasted it before. Whale Festivals in Mendocino County. You can hike, bike, or go horseback riding along Haul Road, a 10-mile trail that runs from Fort Bragg to Ten Mile River. Beside gray whales, you will also see elephant seal pups snoozing on the rocks near the coast since this is their mating and breeding season. Check our availability and book your retreat to Mendo today! Home to the Noyo Center for Marine Sciences, Fort Bragg is also the prime destination in Mendocino County for whale watching, especially in the months of November-April. Gross, I know but I have to tell you this: if you must puke your brains out, do so on one side of the boat and not inside the restrooms (cruise boats/trailers have one) out of courtesy to co-passengers.
Getty Images Monterey Bay There may be no better spot to catch a whale sighting than Monterey Bay, California. Call 707-964-8898 for the schedule. Though we do have different species of cetaceans that come into the area during certain times of the year, " said Wesley Turner, a marine science educator with Newport Landing Whale Watching in Newport Beach, California. Each year, November through April, California gray whales make their annual migration from feeding grounds in Alaska south to mate and have babies in the warm coastal lagoons of Baja, Mexico. Because of large numbers of whales traveling past Dana Point, this town has been designated as the " Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World®" and has been recognized by the World Cetacean Alliance as a Certified Whale Heritage Site, the very first location and the only in America to get this distinction. Colorful art covers the walls, and you can view many tattoo artifacts here: it is one of only a few collections of tattoo artifacts on the planet. If you want to book on a whale watching boat trip, then read our account of a whale watching cruise with Condor Express in Santa Barbara. So, what are you waiting for? North of Fort Bragg, the platform overlooking the harbor seal site at MacKerricher State Park can also be a great place to spot whales (and don't forget to stop by Glass Beach while you are there). Telephoto lens: If you want to capture the whales in their full glory, i. doing their very own thing as they go their merry way and want to capture those blink and you'll miss it moments of back flipping and tail lobbing, then you gotta get a telephoto lens, and that too in the 70-300 or 200 mm focal length range. From guided whale walks, to the maintenance of the gray whale skeleton at MacKerricher State Park, to whale displays and educational talks, they have celebrated the gray whale migration and enhanced the visitor experience through free educational activities at State Parks along the Mendocino Coast. Rumblefish~ 707-964-3000 Fishing the North Coast and Shelter Cove area.
But this route is so scenic that it is definitely worthwhile adding an extra day to your trip and taking it on your way up, making your trip about the journey as well as the destination! You can bring a picnic lunch to enjoy and hike some of the trails through the redwoods before taking the next train back. I highly recommend going on a grey whale watching trip when visiting California in December to make your winter vacation even more memorable!
Come spring, when the water warms, the whales travel back north again. The scenery is beautiful, with canyons and clusters of old-growth redwoods. There is a gift shop if you want to buy a souvenir. MacKerricher State Park: walk out on the boardwalk to the platform overlooking the harbor seal pupping site, and you're in a great spot to see them. We support and promote the arts throughout Mendocino County, and we advocate for artists and arts organizations with government, business, and tourism leaders. Downtown Fort Bragg offers something for everyone. The high vantage point makes it ideal for spotting a pod swimming through.
Mendocino Adventures & Activites. Northcoast Artists Gallery, Art Explorers, and Glass Fire Art are some must-visit galleries if you enjoy browsing and shopping for fine art. Yuroks were the original inhabitants of this part of the coast and the word "Sue-meg" was coined by them to describe this land. Some great places to see whales from the shore are: - Mendocino Headlands: I've seen whales within a hundred yards of the cliff.
Just $5 buys you a glass. Tickets for the chowder, wine, and beer tastings are available from Brown Paper Tickets or the day of the event. We pride ourselves in our excellent customer service. The Noyo Headlands Coastal Trail at Fort Bragg is part of the California Coastal Trail, which is eventually slated to run along the entire California coast, from Mexico in the south to Oregon in the north. Clicking on them may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you for the product. Visit the Sea Glass Museum.