Meritage Explore Issue 1 | Page 16

Whale Trail

On The

From the coasts of California to Hawaii , take advantage of many opportunities to experience whale watching

Whether your vacation takes you to La Jolla , Newport Beach , Huntington Beach , Santa Barbara or Kauai , you can witness some of the Pacific Ocean ’ s greatest marvels through whale watching . “ My pick , year round , is kayaking off La Jolla Shores ,” says Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa Chef Concierge Brett Hamblen . “ Located just 2.5 miles from the hotel , we have several partners that offer kayak tours and rentals , such as San Diego Bike & Kayak . The La Jolla Underwater Ecological Reserve sits off the coast of La Jolla Shores and is teeming with ocean life . Often kayakers are able to spot whales , but additionally it is prime viewing for seals , sea lions , garibaldi , dolphins and leopard sharks .” Hamblen says guests also enjoy gray whale migration season , which runs late December through April . Excursions also take place out of migration season , but the duration of the tours are generally longer in order to take guests further off shore .

“ There are several options for whale watching ocean excursions during this season , including large ferry-like services such as Hornblower San Diego or Flagship San Diego ,” Hamblen says . “ In addition , there are smaller private or semi-private sail boat excursions with companies such as Fun Cat Sailing and Sail San Diego .” Guests can also try to catch a glimpse from afar while hiking cliff-top trails at nearby Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve .
Meanwhile , guests at Ko ’ a Kea Hotel & Resort can literally see whales from the shoreline of the resort during whale watching season , which generally starts in November and goes through April . “ The humpback whales migrate here to birth their calves ,” says Front Office Manager Mahealani Miles . “ Once they give birth and we are further into the season , we see more activity such as fin flapping , breaching and tail flaps as they are starting to mate again . Guests enjoy just being able to see them from the shore .”
The resort also has telescopes available upon request for guests staying in the oceanfront suites . Visitors who want a closer look can pay a visit to the resort ’ s concierge staff to help them select the appropriate tour with one of the many reputable boat charters that operate throughout the year along the Na Pali Coast .
For Orange County guests interested in whale watching , the Pavilion / Fun Zone area of Balboa Peninsula is of interest . “ This is the main hub for harbor and ocean boating activities . In particular , Davey ’ s Locker offers whale-watching trips a few times a day and is just 4 miles from our resort in a popular area for beach and dining activities ,” says Balboa Bay Resort Concierge Emily Ripley . “ Davey ’ s Locker has been a part of Newport Harbor for many years and has a great reputation . They provide excursions for all group sizes , year round .”
What ’ s more , Ripley says that if guests book at the concierge desk , they can arrange for half off the regular adult ticket .
“ We have had an amazing year with migrating gray , blue and killer whales all spotted off our coast on a regular basis ,” she says .
Elsewhere in Southern California , the Bacara Resort & Spa concierge team in Goleta books guest tours through Condor Express , where tours depart from the Santa Barbara Harbor located just 13 miles south of the resort . Once again , California gray whale migration season runs from December through April and is the best time to view these whales , while May through November features warmer ocean temperatures , which bring blue whales , finback whales and humpback whales , along with killer whales , pods of dolphins , seals , sea lions , sea otters and many other marine mammals . In fact , the Santa Barbara Channel is home to more than 30 species of whales , dolphins , seals , sea otters , sea birds and sea lions .
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