Cheap/affordable whale watching vacation?
Posted by effervescent_sunrise@reddit | whales | View on Reddit | 35 comments
Hi, I hope this post is allowed here... The short of it is, I'm looking for advice on planning a trip to see whales, specifically baleen whales, or sperm whales would be super cool too! I have a strong appreciation for nature and a lot of outdoors experience, but I've never seen whales (other than orcas in aquariums when I was a child, and that's not a thing I condone). My bucket list is pretty short, but this is on it.
The thing is, I'm financially pretty poor and I've been waiting for a few things in life to fall into place before pursuing this dream. I've decided that there will never be a perfect time, and I should just start planning and saving for this now. I want to experience something like seeing them swim beneath a boat or kayak, or breaching or feeding. I completely understand that there is never a guarantee to see any wild animal in nature. But if I'm not mistaken, I think there are places where the likelihood is higher.
I'm in Montana, so I'd be considering the cost of travel, lodging (can do bare bones motel, or even a campground, or sleep in my car if somehow the west coast is good place for this), and probably many other factors. I also get seasick, but I am absolutely willing to suffer through that to see whales. In the past I've even tested meds like dramamine and scopalamine on plane rides and other similar transports, and I think being on a boat will still be a rough time. But it will be worth it.
I'm looking for suggestions on where, geographically, I should most strongly consider to be planning this kind of trip. Ideally it wouldn't be somewhere so far removed or extravagant (like some seaside resort town) that it would take a lifetime for me to save up for it. Thanks so much for any insight you can offer!
Tokihome_Breach6722@reddit
If you come near Seattle check the Facebook page for the Orca Network Community Group. I’m biased because I cofounded it, but it’s the best way to find current reports of whales, especially orcas of both the fish-eating and mammal-eating types, and humpbacks who sometimes hang out in the same location for days, slapping their flukes and pec fins between foraging runs. Public viewing spots are also listed on each encounter report.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thanks so much! And thanks for creating a community group like that!
Lanzer4no1@reddit
If you keep an eye on Alaska Airlines, you could get a good deal from Seattle to Juneau. Mid summer we have humpback whales everywhere! Can book a tour on the dock for $200, or watch from shore or rent a kayak and have some cool encounters. Juneau isn't the cheapest however, so you'd have to look into lodging. I'm a whale watching captain of 10 years in Juneau so I can tell ya where to go.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you! At this point, Monterey is almost certainly where I'll go. I appreciate the information though. SO cool that you're a whale watching captain. That's some comic book level job, I imagine you love it!!
Diver_Dave@reddit
The summer is a great time for whale watching in Northern CA near Monterrey. You’ll see humpbacks and blue whales. Sperm whales are tough to see, because they are more rare, are much further away from land, and they dive deep and stay down a long, long time. They also aren’t as interesting at the surface. Humpbacks feed near the surface, and dive for much shorter times. And they jump! Start planning a trip out west! DM me if you need specific whale boat recommendations.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Hmm.. This may be a user error on my part but I don't think I can DM you. I would definitely be interested in specific whale boat/guide recommendations though!
Pristine-Sun-2626@reddit
I really liked the sanctuary cruises tour in Monterey. It’s like $100 ish for about 4 hours but they have different options if you want a shorter time. I appreciated them because they don’t try to upsell you on useless knickknacks. They really just care about the whales.
As for the seasickness thing. They have sea sickness bracelets for under $10 to rent if you want them which seemed to help some people. Also fun tip, they recommend taking a Dramamine or another over-the-counter the night before and morning of the boat trip. That way it has time to get into your system. Taking it on the dock right before you launch doesn’t give it enough time.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thanks so much, I'll definitely check these tips out!
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you, I'll DM you!
vestigialbone@reddit
You can sometimes see gray whales from shore in Depoe Bay, Oregon, during whale watching season because they feed in the area (to avoid sea sickness). If you can go out on the water, there are a number of whale watching charters there and down the road in Newport. Plenty of hotels (some cheap/crappy) and camping in the area; it just books up fast because it’s tourist country.
ArseWrenal@reddit
Yeah, I just did a whale watching boat from Depoe Bay, and it was pretty great. The boat doesn’t go out very far, because the gray whales prefer shallower water. There’s a population that winter in Oregon, as opposed to Alaska. We saw at least 8 different adults blowing and fluking on a 90 minute trip.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you! It is tempting to avoid the seasickness component, but I think I want to go out on a boat for the full experience. I've driven through Newport ages ago, and it was very charming.
Designer-Forever-735@reddit
This was also on my bucket list. It’s addicting, I went 5 years in a row to see them! Puerto Vallarta, MX December thru March. Banderas Bay is a calving ground for humpbacks. There are hundreds of mama and babies. You can watch them from shore, but the boat tours are incredible. Mexico is cheap and wonderful. We Airbnb, shop Walmart, eat in for the most part. I took this pic with my iPhone.
KillionMatriarch@reddit
Cape Cod from May to October has amazing whale activity. Three types of baleen whales feed all summer long: humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes. We also have dolphins, seals, sharks, turtles, ocean sunfish. Just an outstanding array of marine life. Boats from Barnstable and Provincetown go out multiple times daily. I volunteer on a whale watch boat and have sometime seen more than a hundred whales feeding at once.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Wow, so far Monterey, NY, and Maine are my top contenders. I guess it's hard to tell which place has the highest likelihood? I am grateful to have some options to consider!
KillionMatriarch@reddit
Something to remember. Whales are wild animals. Humpbacks follow the feed source because it is imperative to their survival that they pack on 8-12 tons of blubber in the summer to sustain them in their breeding grounds - where there is no food. We advise our passengers that it is possible, on any given outing, that we will not encounter any whales at all. It rarely happens but it is a reminder that these magnificent creatures are doing what they must without regard to us. But if we are really fortunate, we have the opportunity to observe and experience them as they do it. You could see 5 whales or a 100 - and each encounter is an amazing gift. I wish you great good luck in your adventures.
oops_audrey@reddit
You could try somewhere in Canada or Mexico to take advantage of the currency exchange. Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada, has a ton of whale watching spots. Hotel, travel, and food can be cheap if you plan in advance and stick to small towns, it would be entirely possible to spend less than $150CAD a day. (so like $110USD)
Zodiac whale tours in Cheticamp has a ‘whales or your money back’ guarantee. The boat is low to the water and steady so there should be less chance for sickness. Tickets for most whale watching tours are around $60CAD.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you! I'll look into it, and I appreciate the tour company name as well.
literally-a-seal@reddit
Sperm whales are very very hard to see because thye need offshore deep water. The big exception to this is Kaikoura, NZ, a whale watching town because of its near-shore sperm whales. I have been and its incredible, but its not very easy to get to (I can give specific advice here if ur interested) and also probably much more expensive than in-US travel. Within the US, I know the New England aquarium has/partners with a successful, easy to access whale watching program. Highly recommend seasickness medicine for any whale watching, it really helps.
wereldatlas@reddit
Azores is a great destination to see many types of whales. Sperm whales are almost a guarantee
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thanks! That might be a bit of a reach for me, but I appreciate the info!
literally-a-seal@reddit
I'm not familiar with the Azores, that's cool! Hope OP sees this🤔
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thanks for explaining! It sounds like I have a much higher likelihood of seeing baleen whales and that in itself would be amazing.
literally-a-seal@reddit
Yes, around NA (and in most other areas tbh) humpbacks, grays and in New England, right whales, will be fairly reliably seen, sometimes depending on season.
Estania_Lane@reddit
I think you could take a road trip to Monterey Bay or Victoria, BC. Both locations you’re highly likely to see Humpbacks in the summer. Monterey Bay in the April/May timeframe you may see Orcas since they go there to hunt gray whales as they travel north along the coast. At Victoria you may see Orcas during the summer months as well. They’re fast moving.
If you’re willing to drive further north on Vancouver Island - there is Telegraph Cove area. You’ll also be very likely to Humpbacks and also have the possibility of Orcas mid to late summer (I personally have had bad luck on that front there, but it’s generally rich in aquatic life). There should definitely be some good camping options in this area. Check out “Naka Creek Recreational Site”.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you for this info and for the specific locations to check out! I've heard BC is gorgeous all around and it would be greedy of me to turn this into a hiking trip too if I go out that way...
melanieissleepy@reddit
New York is a pretty expensive place in general but the whale watching here in the summer is really amazing — the railroad goes from Jamaica (near the airport) to Montauk (where the whale watching trips are). It’s a long trip but very straightforward, and there’s camping opportunities out there if you book your spots early enough in the year. I can totally help you plan a trip if you need help! You could realistically stay in NYC, take the south Brooklyn whale watching tours and never have to leave the city, but the trips in Montauk are longer and afford a little more opportunity to see what you’re hoping to see (it’s not uncommon to have five-cetacean-species days!) but it is an expensive seaside town these days. That being said— I have been broke as a joke and had incredible weekends whale watching there ♥️
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thanks! NYC is actually not a reach for me since I have some people there. That said, how would this compare to Monterey Bay? As far as getting to Monterey vs NY, I can weigh the pros and cons of road tripping west or flying east. But if whale watching is much better in one location or the other I would probably prioritize that.
melanieissleepy@reddit
I can’t attest to how it compares to whale watching in Monterey :( I’ve never been there. But something that I find really striking about traveling to see whales is the transformative nature of the traveling itself. It’s a complete circle of experiences, almost, the anticipation throughout the travel and then the marked change in yourself after you’ve seen them. I think this could only be enhanced by seeing people you love on the trip as well. I’m biased to New York in general! But I’d say if you’ve never been here, four days is all you need to have both the quintessential urban and coastal experiences. Really beautiful. CRESLI via Viking Fleet has a 36 hour offshore whale watching trip every summer— genuinely one of the coolest and most mind blowing trips of my life. The only other place I’ve been whale watching was the San Juan Islands— another incredible place, but that’s more orca oriented and you sound like you’re looking for baleen whales which are doing really well in the New York Bight
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much for taking the time to share all this! I agree about the transformative nature of travel. I've solo-ed across the country both ways a few times, with my entire life packed with me. I am also very familiar with NYC so there would be some advantages to going all the way out east. I'll definitely look into both options, including the 36 hour whale watching trip!
My_2Cents_666@reddit
Your best bet is to save for a trip for next summer. Monterey Bay is always a hotbed of activity. Humpback whales are starting to migrate south right now, down the California coast. There also a group on facebook, called Pacifica Whalespotting, where you can see whales from shore, but once again, this happens mostly in the summer.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you! Yeah this would be something I'd have to plan out no matter what. It's good to have a timeframe in mind though, so I appreciate this info!
TesseractToo@reddit
Probably somewhere near (but not exactly at because of money) Monterey California would be your best bet but you are more likely to see greys, humpbacks or orcas than sperm whales. I saw sperm whales but it was in New Zealand (I'm going to go out on a limb and assume it's out of your budget but it was at Kaikoura if you want to look it up). You will want to time it at the peak of the migrations.
effervescent_sunrise@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much! You're right that Kaikoura is out of my budget. But another person also mentioned sperm whales here, so I'll have to keep it in mind as a reach goal. Grey whales and humpbacks would be unbelievable!
TesseractToo@reddit
When I went to NZ it was just a few years after international whaling had ended so being around whales was a super rare thing but now it's a lot easier to see them, especially humpbacks, they have rebounded so well!