Vacations Blog

San Diego Skyline from Coronado

Living in San Diego, a true coastal town, makes it an ideal place to explore marine life and all its glory. But just like those who live near the Rocky Mountains or those who live in the majestic redwood forests of Northern California, I imagine the amazing becomes a bit ordinary. We forget all that there is to offer. Sometimes it takes something a little unusual to jolt you back to reality. Like a wayward whale spending some time checking out San Diego Bay when he should be heading north with all the other whales. And while we are used to seeing whales at Sea World, whales hanging out in the bay is quite another thing altogether.  This time of year is usually the time when Gray whales are heading north from their warm Mexican vacations to back to chillier waters of Alaska and whales are not uncommon in the coastal waters. December and January are actually the best times to whale watch because you have some whales still making their way south and some whales returning north so you get double whale action to check out.

There are many boat companies that offer excursions out to see whales and dolphins. One of the most popular is Hornblower Cruises who offer whale watching tours (and excellent dinner cruises, but that’s another post). A three and a half hour tour (great, now I’ll be singing the Gilligan’s Island theme song all night) will run you $30 and is narrated by an experienced captain.

Whale in San Diego

Of course, if you happen to be here when a whale is exploring the bay then just plop down along Coronado island, looking back towards the San Diego skyline and keep an eye out for a big fin. But chances are, you’ll need to book a tour if you really expect to see anything so cool as a whale up close.

Photo Credits: Whale Tail: Tomcio77 and San Diego Skyline: Grady’s Kitchen.