Twice a year, some 20,000 gray whales travel along the California coast, south to the lagoons of Baja California in winter and north to the Bering Sea in spring. The Sonoma Coast is one of the easiest places to watch them from land, and its best-known lookout, Bodega Head, is under an hour's drive from downtown Santa Rosa. Here is when to go, where to stand and how to turn it into a day trip.
When to see gray whales on the Sonoma Coast
According to the Marine Mammal Center, gray whales pass California heading south in December and January, and heading north from mid-February to early May, with most of the northbound whales seen in March and April. Mothers and calves usually travel last, so they are often seen through April and into early May. Sonoma County Regional Parks notes that mothers with first-year calves tend to swim closer to shore than the adults ahead of them.
Sonoma County Tourism puts the peak whale-watching months at January through May. Humpback whales also show up off the coast in spring, summer and fall.
Bodega Head
Bodega Head, part of Sonoma Coast State Park, is a headland about four miles long and a mile wide that juts out into the Pacific just west of Bodega Bay. Its high bluffs give long views over the water, and California State Parks lists it for excellent views of migrating whales.
- Hours: day use from 8 a.m. to sunset.
- Trail: the Bodega Head Trail runs 1.89 miles along the bluffs.
- Fees: State Parks lists a $10 per vehicle day-use fee at its campground parking areas only.
- Whale Watch volunteers: on weekends from January through Mother's Day, trained volunteers are on the headland, generally from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to answer questions about the whales and the migration.
The bluffs and rocks are unstable, so stay on the trails and respect the fences and warning signs.
More places to watch from shore
Highway 1 north of Bodega Bay passes a string of headlands. Sonoma County Tourism and Sonoma County Regional Parks recommend these:
- Goat Rock Beach, Jenner: at the mouth of the Russian River, with gray whales offshore and harbor seals on the beach.
- Fort Ross State Historic Park: watch from the cliffs around the historic fort.
- Stillwater Cove Regional Park: the Stillwater Bluff Trail leads to a vista point.
- Salt Point State Park: several trails end at cliff-top viewpoints.
- Gualala Point Regional Park: Whale Watch Point, on the bluff above the beach, is the park's main viewing spot. Go early and you may see the first whale of the day.
The county regional parks charge a parking fee, and members park free.
Seeing them from the water
For a closer look, whale-watching trips leave from Bodega Bay. Sonoma County Tourism points to operators including Bodega Bay Sport Fishing Center, Miss Vic Sportfishing and North Bay Charters. Trips depend on sea conditions, so check schedules and book directly with the operator.
How to spot a gray whale
The Marine Mammal Center's tips for watching from shore:
- Go in the morning, when the sun is in the east and behind you.
- Bring binoculars and sweep the horizon slowly from left to right and back.
- Look for spouts. A gray whale's breath makes a puffy, often heart-shaped spout. If you see one, keep watching the same spot, as the whale is likely to surface again.
- Gray whales have no dorsal fin. Look for a low hump and a row of six to twelve small bumps along the back, and mottled gray-and-white skin.
A whale-watching day from Santa Rosa
- Morning: drive west to Bodega Head and arrive with the sun behind you. On a weekend from January on, find the volunteers on the headland.
- Midday: lunch in Bodega Bay, then follow Highway 1 north to Goat Rock Beach and Jenner.
- Afternoon: one more bluff-top stop at Fort Ross or Salt Point if the light holds, or head back inland along the Russian River.
- Evening: dinner downtown. Our downtown food guide has ideas, and our Santa Rosa itinerary covers more coast and redwood days.
Good to know
- Southbound gray whales pass in December and January; northbound whales from mid-February to early May.
- Whale Watch volunteers are at Bodega Head on weekends from January through Mother's Day.
- Bodega Head is open for day use from 8 a.m. to sunset.
- Bring binoculars and a warm layer, and stay back from bluff edges.
Stay in Santa Rosa, watch on the coast
Santa Rosa puts the coast and wine country within an easy drive, with a real downtown to come back to. Hotel E sits in a historic building on Old Courthouse Square, with continental breakfast for an early start, an evening happy hour and valet parking. Art House Santa Rosa is a few blocks away on 7th Street. Either one makes a comfortable base for a morning on the bluffs and an evening downtown.
Plan your stay downtown
Browse hotels, restaurants, wineries and attractions, all in one place.
Open the directory
