It’s been an incredible year so far for whale watching on the Oregon Coast and it will start to get even better. Whale & Orca sightings surge in late May and Summer in several popular spots. Before the peak seasons are over we wanted to give a few ideas on where you will be most likely to catch a glimpse of some grey whales or even Orcas that have been reported along the Oregon Coast.
Table of Contents
- When is the Best Time to go Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast?
- Where to go Whale Watching on the Oregon coast
- A Map of the Best Places to go Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast
- Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center
- Inn at Spanish Head – Lincoln City, Oregon
- Boiler Bay State Park – Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint
- Rocky Creek State Park – Rocky Creek Scenic Viewpoint
- Cape Foulweather
- Devil’s Punch Bowl State Park
- Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area-Yaquina Head Lighthouse
- Don Davis Kiosk – Don Davis Park, Newport
- Cape Perpetua Center
- Cooks Chasm & Thor’s Well
- Whale Watching Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions About Whale Watching
When is the Best Time to go Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast?
The best time to see whales on the Oregon Coast depends on the type of whale but migration-related sightings peak from December to January and from March to June.
That said, it’s possible to see them at any point in the year and there are opportunities to see local whales from June to November as they come into the shoreline to feed.
Grey Whale Watching
Grey whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal on earth. Every year of their lives they swim more than 10,000 miles roundtrip, between nursery lagoons in Mexico to feeding grounds in the Arctic.
Winter: Whale watchers typically estimate almost 20,000 gray whales migrating south to warmer waters in Baja Mexico in the winter, from December to January.
Spring: Whale watching begins in late March as gray whales migrate north with their young in tow on their trip to Alaska. The first wave arrives at the end of March, and you can see them going northbound until June.
Summer/Fall: From June to mid-November, some 200+ resident whales come near shore to feed. This time of year, Depoe Bay is a hotspot for whales hunting for food. Normally watchers can see anywhere from 5 to 15 whales!
Orca Whale Watching
The best time to see orca whales is between May and September. Killer whales generally only stay for a few weeks, but in 2006, they stayed until mid-July. They’ve been known to stay longer in other years as well. There’s an average of 30 reports of orca sightings a year so the sightings are much less common than the Grey Whales.
Want to know what an Orca Sounds like?
Orca Whale Call
Orca Whale Click
Orca Whale Whistle
Humpback Whale Watching
If you want to see humpback whales, go between September and January. These are the second most common type of whales to see off the Oregon Coast. Minke whales, Blue whales, Sperm whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Dall’s porpoise, and Harbor porpoise can all be found along the Oregon coast.
Come for Whale Watch Week!
Oregon State Parks celebrate the migrations twice per year with Whale Watch Week during late December and late March. Volunteers are stationed at Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center and more than 20 of the best whale-watching sites along the coast, ready to help visitors spot whales and offer fun facts about marine mammals.
Where to go Whale Watching on the Oregon coast
There are lots of great places to go Whale watching along the Oregon coast however most sightings are typically reported at the central coast spots. The most popular are located in Depoe Bay, Oregon, and around Newport, Oregon.
A Map of the Best Places to go Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast
1. Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center
At the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay, year-round park employees are ready to answer your inquiries and assist you in spotting Gray whales. The facility, which is located on the seawall and offers panoramic views of the ocean as well as educational displays about whales and other marine species.
Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center Information
Hours: Daily, 10am – 4pm
(call ahead for winter hours)
Address: 119 SW Hwy. 101, Depoe Bay
Information: 541-765-3304
2. Inn at Spanish Head – Lincoln City, Oregon
The Inn’s central Oregon Coast location makes it the ideal starting point for exploring and enjoying everything the area has to offer, including a world-class aquarium, museums, scenic hiking trails, whale watching, and deep-sea fishing.
- OCEANFRONT BEDROOM
- Queen Bed
- Balcony
- Rate: $259+ a night
3. Boiler Bay State Park – Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint
Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint near Lincoln City, Oregon is a great spot to see Gray whales. From Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint whales can be seen all year round and you get magnificent panoramic views.
Bring your binoculars since this is one of the best places in Oregon to watch seabirds (like shearwaters, jaegers, albatrosses, grebes, pelicans, loons, oystercatchers and murrelets)
4. Rocky Creek State Park – Rocky Creek Scenic Viewpoint
Whales frequently play around Whale Cove, and seals and sea lions can be seen. Rocky Creek Scenic Viewpoint is recognized for its whale watching opportunities. Rocky Creek State Wayside is a state park that is sometimes referred to as Rocky Creek State Park.
5. Cape Foulweather
Cape Foulweather is a basalt protrusion 500 feet (150 meters) above the Pacific Ocean on Oregon’s central coast, south of Depoe Bay, in Lincoln County.
6. Devil’s Punch Bowl State Park
Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area: The park is a popular whale-watching destination with fascinating geology. The punch bowl was most likely formed by the ceiling collapsing over two sea caves, which was subsequently sculpted by wave action. Atop the undulating rocky shoreline, this is a beautiful picnic place.
Don’t forget to check out the tidepools on the punch bowl’s north side!
7. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area-Yaquina Head Lighthouse
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area encompasses the lighthouse and surrounding area, and it is extremely spectacular. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse is only a short drive from Newport, Oregon, and the world-famous Oregon Coast Aquarium.
8. Don Davis Kiosk – Don Davis Park, Newport
Don Davis Park is located on a 2-acre location with magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean in Newport’s Nye Beach neighborhood. On a clear day, you can see Yaquina Head and Lighthouse to the north, and Cape Perpetua to the south! The gazebo on site boasts a 180-degree view of the ocean, making it an excellent position to see whales rain or shine.
9. Cape Perpetua Center
On a clear day, the Cape Perpetua headland can view 30 miles (48 kilometers) out to sea. The overlook, at 800 feet (244 meters), is the highest point on the Oregon Coast that may be reached by car. When you’ve had your fill of whale watching, stop by the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center to learn about other things to do in the Siuslaw National Forest.
10. Cooks Chasm & Thor’s Well
Cooks Chasm and Thor’s Well are located near Yachts, Oregon is also a great place to go whale watching. Thor’s Well, is a 20-foot-deep hole in basalt rocks in Cook’s Chasm. During high tides and storms the water spirals and drains through Thors Well back out to see. You may also see seals around this spot as they like coming up to shore.
Whale Watching Resources
If you can’t make it to the Oregon coast this year you can watch recorded live streams from previous Whale Watching Weeks on Oregon State Parks’ YouTube channel.
You can also download this Whale Watching brochure made by the Oregon State Park.
Additionally, if you want to know where people are seeing whales in real time then check out the Oregon Coast Whale Watchers Facebook group. Their members post sightings every day with the location and description.
If you need some good binoculars then you might want to check these out.
These binoculars are great because they are lightweight, come with a tripod, and work with your cell phone so you can take pictures with them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whale Watching
The best method to find a whale is to look for spouts, which can be up to 12 feet long, on the horizon (3.7 m). Once you’ve found one, use binoculars to focus on an active area.
From mid-December to mid-January, and late March to the end of May, migratory whales visit Oregon’s coastlines. The best time to watch resident gray whales is from June to mid-November. During peak seasons, the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay, Oregon, observes up to 15 whales every day.
The most popular places to go are near Depoe Bay and Newport, Oregon. Going from north to south along the Oregon coast you could check out: Inn at Spanish Head in Lincoln City, OR, Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint, The Whale Watching Center, Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint, Cape Foulweather, Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area, Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, Don Davis Park, Newport.
Depoe Bay is located 101 miles (163 kilometers) south of Portland. It takes roughly two hours and fifteen minutes to drive.
The Pacific gray whale is the most regularly sighted whale in Oregon. Bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, orcas (commonly known as killer whales), and blue whales are among the various cetaceans that can be seen off the Oregon coast.
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