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“Whale season” is a virtually year-round phenomenon in California, but gray whales are the most frequent visitors during the winter and spring, making the longest migration of any mammal.
From December to February, 15,000 gray whales travel from the Arctic down the California coast to the warm lagoons in Mexico. In mid-February, they return north, providing another opportunity to see them migrating through May.
While you can witness the gray whale migration from numerous points along the coast, the Channel Islands are widely regarded as one of the best whale-watching areas in California — keep reading for a closer look.
Winter whale watching in the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands sit right on a whale migration “highway” through the Santa Barbara Channel, with thousands of gray whales migrating through this area every winter.
Whale watching companies offer nearly daily excursions in the winter, weather permitting, for guests to witness the migration against the dramatic backdrop of California’s famous island chain.
Island Packers: As an authorized concessioner for the NPS, Ventura-based Island Packers offers a range of trips to the Channel Islands, including gray whale trips from Dec. 26th through mid-April. Channel Islands Whale Watching: This Oxnard-based operator runs winter whale watching tours from Dec. 26th through April 30th each year. Condor Express: This Santa Barbara-based company hosts high-speed catamaran tours starting at the end of November. 
Photo by Josh Withers on Unsplash The ‘Galápagos of North America’
Did you know that the Channel Islands are known as the “Galápagos of North America?” You’ve likely seen the islands when driving down the coast of California, but they are incidentally the least-visited national park in the state. Due to the islands’ isolation and lack of human development, they’re also teeming with 150+ endemic species found nowhere else in the world.
Above water, visitors can explore ample hiking and camping spots and learn about 13,000 years of human history. But below the surface, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary protects 1,470 square miles of ocean waters with 33 species of marine mammals.
In addition to the gray whales, more notable residents include blue whales, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, and even endangered white abalone and leatherback sea turtles.