Where to whale watch in the US
 

Where are some of the best places to see whales? Who are the tour guides that service those places?

Monterey Bay Whale Watch, Monterey, California. http://www.montereybaywhalewatch.com/trips.htm

Orca Enterprises, Juneau, Alaska. http://www.orcaenterprises.com/

There are many tour companies out of PRovincetown, Cape Cod!

We had a wonderful whale watch tour out of Bar Harbor, Maine. I don't remember which company it was. But I'm not sure it matters as they all seem to be aware if one company has had good luck in a particular area.

The Dolphin Fleet out of Provincetown, MA is excellent.

Great whale watching from Montauk on Long Island - but only when the whales are migrating north or south.

We've gone a couple of times and always see whales (the boat captains radio back and forth on finds) and once had a juvenile playing with the boat - while mama watched from further away.

Thanks for the responses

Boston. Great cruises from downtown with the New England Aquarium .

Keith

San Juan islands, off the coast of Washington state.

Great whale watching off the coast of Maine.

I have been on two whale watches, one in Maui watching the humpback whales and the other in Bar Harbor, Maine (Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co), watching the fin whales and puffin birds. There is nothing like Maui from Dec to April to see the humpbacks, often getting close to shore, breaching the water with their babies close beside them. The weather is warm and you can literally sit on the beach and see them with the naked eye.

The whale watch in Bar Harbor in June was incredibly cold. We did see fin whales, but because of its size, you generally see only the dorsal fine and the back. You could see humpbacks in that area, but I think they would be in southern Maine.

For Maui, I would highly recommend Pacific Whale Foundation out of Ma'alaea Bay. I don't recommend Trilogy as their catamarans are very uncomfortable.

My desk, Santa Monica, CA. Well, porpoises. They migrate up the coast and I see pods all the time.

Lots of whale tours operate out of various marinas and harbors up and down our coast, like out of Marina del Rey, Long Beach, San Pedro, etc.

I heard Homer, AK is very good for humpbacks

Another vote for Stellwagen Bank (e.g., off Plymouth, Massachussetts) link: <font color="blue">www.whalewatchingplymouth.com</font>
:S-
Can only recommend <b>against</b> whalewatching from Montauk, N.Y.
-Been ((W))skunked((W)) too many times from Montauk.

The Yankee Fleet out of Gloucester, MA is very good - they also go out to Stellwagon Bank. I've been out with them several times, and always seen whales.

Bar Harbor Whale Watch in Maine is definitely top notch. June is a bit early to see Humpbacks and the weather can be VERY cold as SoonerOrLater found. July and August are better. We have seen Humpbacks lunge feeding, breeching, and even had a baby right up next to the boat.

In Alaska, taking a trip out of Seward to Kenai Fjord National Park is a great way to see Orcas, especially if you take the longer trip as it goes a bit more off shore to find the whales. We also saw Stellar Sea Lions, a coupld of Humpbacks and even a Dahl's porpoise (very quickly - but I managed to get a picture of it).