The Central Oregon Coast is an excellent place to go whale watching. There is an abundance of whale species that can be seen here, however the gray whales are by far the most frequently seen. Grey whales migrate from the warm waters of Baja to the rich feeding grounds of the Bering Sea. Our coastline directly intersects with their migration highway. You also may see a hump back whale but they are rarely spotted.

We also sometimes see transient killer whales along the Oregon coast. They are spotted  around Depoe Bay and all along the Oregon coast and even venture into larger bays and up the rivers in search of seal pups.

Although you may see gray whales anywhere along the Oregon coastline, there are 2 specific spots we would recommend for whale watching. The first is Boiler Bay State Park. This is a specifically good area for feeding. The rugged shoreline has deep drop offs that allow the whales to come in close to shore. It’s exciting to pull up and see several spouts, and huge whales right next to the shoreline!

The second is the seawall at Depoe Bay. This is another area where the whales are able to come incredibly close to shore. There are “resident whales” who spend the summer months foraging and frolicking in this area. While the other whales (they estimate about 17,000) continue their migration, there are about 40 who stay behind until it’s time to head North again. No binoculars needed here. There’s a reason they call it the whale watching capitol of the world.

We also recommend checking out the whale watching center located at the sea wall in Depoe Bay.

If you choose to get an even closer look, you can always charter a whale watching tour out of Depoe Bay. However, they are plentiful and easy to see from shore during the months of December thru January when they are headed south to calf and breed, and March thru June (and normally through the summer months) when they are headed north to feed.