Join us on a journey to witness the magnificent migration of whales on the California coast
Discover the Wonders of the Ocean with the Latest Whale Sightings in San Diego
Get up-to-date information on the latest whale sightings in San Diego and surrounding areas with our daily blog posts. With a focus on blue whale sightings, orca sightings, and more, you’ll never miss a chance to witness the beauty of these magnificent creatures in the wild.
Every year, whales make their way to the California coast for their annual migration. As one of the best places for whale watching, San Diego offers incredible opportunities to see these magnificent creatures up close. With peak viewing season occurring from December to April, visitors can expect to see a variety of species, including blue whales, gray whales, and orcas. However, even outside of peak season, whale watching is available year-round and offers a chance to witness the beauty of these creatures in their natural habitat. Whether you’re looking for recent whale sightings, the latest whale sightings, or whale sightings today, San Diego is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the wonder of whale migration.
Stay Informed with Our Daily Updates on Recent Whale Sightings in San Diego
With whale migration season in full swing, we encourage you to follow our daily updates and get the most out of your whale watching experience. From December to April, the California coast is a prime location for whale watching, with a variety of species making their way along the coast. But even outside of peak season, there is always a chance to spot these magnificent creatures in the San Diego area.

Gray Whales
Gray whales are among the most commonly seen species during whale watching tours in San Diego. These magnificent creatures migrate annually from their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic to their winter breeding grounds just south of San Diego in Baja California.

Blue Whales
Blue whales, renowned for their size as the largest mammals on Earth, stretching up to 100 feet in length and weighing over 200 tons, embark on captivating annual migrations along the California coast, affording residents and tourists in San Diego an awe-inspiring spectacle of whale watching.

Dolphins
With its abundant population of dolphins, San Diego is a prime location for observing these playful creatures in their natural habitat. From the comfort of a boat, you can witness the dolphins swimming, jumping, and playing in the waves, making for a truly unforgettable experience.
Stay Informed with Daily Updates on Whale Sightings
Don’t miss a moment of the incredible whale migration in San Diego. Subscribe to our daily newsletter to receive updates on recent sightings and more!
May 31, 2025
A whale-y eventful day so far!! We started the day headed west and ran into a pod of about 700 long-beaked common dolphins. They were a super spunky group, breaching and riding our bow. Then we spotted a tiny blow a few hundred feet away, and found a minke whale!!...
May 30, 2025
On our afternoon trip, we had sunny skies and just a little bit of a swell and wind chop. Just a few miles outside of Mission Bay, we spotted white water on the horizon with zig-zagging Common dolphins—650– and maybe a couple thousand wheeling seabirds. We were...
May 29, 2025
We KRILLED it today! There’s nothing better than seeing a couple of big & beautiful blue whales swimming happily in our big & beautiful blue ocean! ❤ Sea conditions were pristine with warm and sunny skies all day! We found two gentle giants on both the morning...
May 28, 2025
We had a Wacky Whale Wednesday aboard the Privateer! We cruised out toward the west and searched far and wide for wildlife. We got to the drop-off and finally started to see some bird activity. Most of the birds were in travel mode headed west. We followed the...
May 27, 2025
A lovely day after the Memorial Day holiday weekend. On both trips, we spotted thousands of seabirds flying in an excited manner, indicating an “all you can eat ocean buffet” of schooling fish, in multiple “bait balls” just beyond the Mission Bay Channel entrance....
May 26, 2025
Happy Memorial Day! We had such an epic day so far! We spent the day hanging out with cetaceans on the Pacific Ocean! On the morning trip we had a massive feeding frenzy of ~200 long-beaked common dolphins, California sea lions, shearwaters, terns and one humpback...
May 25, 2025
Such a fun and beautiful day on the water! Every trip is always different and we never what we are going to see! For our morning trip we cruised out to the west and just beyond the drop-off we spotted diving birds and a big pod of ~400 short-beaked Common dolphins!...
May 24, 2025
Beautiful wildlife on our AM and PM trips today! This morning, we headed west out of Mission Bay to begin our day on the water. Just after we reached the continental shelf, we began to see splashes in the distance. We found a small group of 50 common bottlenose...
May 23, 2025
On our day trips, we were excited to have 1 fin whale and 2 humpback whales feeding on a huge baitball. We were photo-bombed by friendly, inquisitive, hungry dolphins! We saw two types of Bottlenose dolphin, the Nearshore and Offshore. We also had a super-pod of...
Explore the Wonders of Marine Life: Gray Whales, Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, and Dolphin Sightings
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Explore the ocean’s wonders and witness the magnificent migration patterns of whales and dolphins. From blue whale sightings to gray whale migrations and dolphin watching, discover the diverse marine life in San Diego with our comprehensive guides.