It's time to start thinking about whales along the Oregon coast!

Twice each year, California gray whales make the grand migration between their breeding grounds off Baja California and their winter feeding grounds in the Bering Sea.

The Oregon Coast is the perfect spot to catch a glimpse of these giant marine mammals as they travel on their northward and southward migrations.

Whale Watch Weeks are timed to coincide with spring and Christmas breaks. Sponsored by the Oregon State Parks Division, trained volunteers are stationed at 29 sites along the Oregon coast during Whale Watch Weeks to help visitors spot these majestic mammals as they pass by our coast line.

Whale watching can be a chilly business. When you're ready for a break, stop by the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center to learn a bit more about the grays and other marine mammals through special programs, talks and activities. We're open every day during Spring and Winter Whale Watch Weeks, from 10am to 5pm.

The HMSC bookstore is a wonderful resource for marine related books, posters and gifts. Known statewide for its outstanding selection the bookstore has become a favorite stop for teachers, students, birders and ocean visitors. Stop by and see, we have something for everyone.

Bring your family and friends and join us in Newport for this very special time.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department coordinates Whale Watch Weeks and hosts Whale Watching Spoken Here, a Web site that includes beaches, parks and lookouts where you can join other whale watchers, and information about the number of whales spotted.

Lucky whale watchers may be treated to the spectacle of a gray whale breaching, or leaping clear out of the water.

Learn and Share

Would you like to volunteer? The Hatfield Marine Science center helps train volunteers for Whale Watch Week activities. Visit Whale Watching Spoken Here for a current list of scheduled trainings (usually held in the fall) along the Oregon coast.

See our Current Events calendar for public activities during Whale Watch Week.

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