RV + the coast
Whale-watching by region
Some of the best whale-watching on Earth is a short drive from a campground. Here's where to point the rig by coast — each region's typical season, the whales you might see, and an honest link to the NOAA or state source so you time it right. Sightings are never guaranteed; that's part of the magic.
Feel the coast
Coastal mornings — base near the water and let the day's sightings set the pace.
Monterey Bay, California
Year-round — gray whales in winter and spring, humpbacks spring through fall, blue whales in summer
Gray whale · Humpback whale · Blue whale
Channel Islands, California
Gray whales mid-December to mid-March
Gray whale · Blue whale · Fin whale · Humpback whale
Stellwagen Bank, Massachusetts
Early May through October
Humpback whale · Fin whale · Minke whale · North Atlantic right whale (spring)
San Juan Islands, Washington
Spring through fall
Orca (killer whale) · Gray whale · Harbor porpoise
Inside Passage, Alaska
Late May to early September, peak in July
Humpback whale · Orca (killer whale)
Oregon Coast
Southbound mid-December to mid-January
Gray whale
Coastal Georgia + NE Florida
Mid-November through mid-April
North Atlantic right whale (calving)