WEEKEND GETAWAYS | CENTRAL COAST
California whale-watching spots, no boats required
Don't have sea legs? Landlubber hot spots up and down the Southern California coast for spotting whale spouts.
Great places to whale-watch in California
Killer whales, Monterey Penninsula
Whales may be resurfacing in Chilean Patagonia
White-capped waves etch the surface of the sea and then an explosion of air and water rockets into the sky. A gray whale, one of Earth's oldest species of mammals, heaves a white, showery fountain, slips back into the water and then arches a massive tail into the air.
Whale-watching season is a prized perk of living on the West Coast, but many Californians pass up this annual ritual because spotting whales usually means spending several hours on a cold, wet, rolling boat.
Not so.
Here are 10 sites in Southern California where you can spot the annual migration without leaving shore:
* Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Monterey County
This small state park, adjacent to Big Sur in the Los Padres National Forest, borders the coast and includes towering ridges and coastal bluffs, with panoramic views of the ocean. Take the Overlook Trail, which runs along the top of the cliffs, and find a comfortable spot where you can sit with a pair of binoculars. If the whales are scarce, at least you can see the gorgeous and much-photographed 80-foot waterfall that splashes from a granite cliff into the beach.
Directions: The park is 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur on Highway 1. Look for a sign on the east side of the highway.
Hours: From 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Fee: $8 per car
Contact: (831) 667-2315or www.parks.ca.gov
* San Simeon State Park, San Luis Obispo
This park, about five miles south of Hearst Castle, has a vast, green wetland. But to see whales, head toward the southwestern end of the park, where a mile-long boardwalk borders Moonstone Beach. The wooden walkway stretches from the bluffs down to the shoreline. Benches along the path make for perfect whale-watching rest stops.
Directions: From San Luis Obispo, take Highway 1 north for 35 miles. Exit San Simeon Creek Road.
Hours: Open 24 hours a day.
Fee: Free for day use.
Contact: (805) 927-2035 or www.parks.ca.gov
* Lookout County Park, Santa Barbara
This 4-acre park on the cliffs of Summerland is a family-friendly recreation area with picnic tables, a children's playground and restrooms. On a clear day, the views of the Channel Islands and the Santa Barbara coastline are exceptional.
Direction: Take the Summerland exit off Highway 101 and turn south into Evans Avenue.
Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset.
Fee: None
Contact: (805) 969-1720 or www.santabarbaraca.gov
* Shoreline Park, Santa Barbara
Here's another well-manicured shoreline park where families can enjoy a picnic while scanning the ocean surface for whale spouts. The 15-acre park is high on a bluff, overlooking the beach and harbor, with a whale tail-shaped bench located near the cliff's edge -- a perfect spot for whale watchers.
Direction: From Highway 101, take the Garden Street exit, turn south on Garden Street, turn right on West Cabrillo Boulevard until it becomes Shoreline Drive. The park is near the intersection of Shoreline Drive and La Marina Drive.
Hours: Sunrise to 10 p.m.
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