The annual migration of California gray whales takes them from their feeding grounds in the cold waters of the Bering Sea near Alaska to the warm waters off Baja California, Mexico, and back. Their young, called calves, are born in the protected lagoons of western Baja, and do not begin their trek northwards until they are about a month old. Unlike other whale species, California grays stay fairly close to the coast, often within a few hundred yards of shore. This means that twice a year (from November to February going south, and from February to June going north), visitors can observe whales from atop the Mendocino headlands.

To celebrate this happy occurrence, three festivals in honor of the confluence of whales and all things Mendocino have sprung up, typically on successive weekends in March: the Mendocino Whale Festival, the Little River Whale Festival and the Fort Bragg Whale Festival. This year, due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the March festivals have been cancelled. The Ft. Bragg festival has been tentatively rescheduled for Fall. Activities include food, beer and wine-tasting, art exhibits, whale-related educational programs, nature walks, and whale-watching from the headlands, from chartered boats and from kayaks, plus lots more. Don’t miss the fun!

MORE INFO: Mendocino Whale Festivals, 707-961-6300 | 707-937-4700