Canada Whale Watching

Canada has a lot of coastline along both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, but there are a handful of locations that are prime for whale watching.

The most common Canadian whale watching destination is the southern part of British Columbia, and in particular the waters off Vancouver Island.

The whale watching season in British Columbia lasts from early March through mid-October. The most common species sighted off the coast of British Columbia are gray whales, thousands of which migrate through the area every year. Some even stick around for the entire summer to feed in the food-rich waters.

Orca whales (popularly known as killer whales) and humpback whales are also frequent visitors to the area during the summer months.

Another popular Canadian whale watching destination is Newfoundland, where no fewer than 22 different species of whales come every summer to feed. The whale watching season in Newfoundland and neighboring Labrador lasts from May through August. Humpback whales, fin whales and minke whales are the species most commonly sighted.

A third destination for whale watching in Canada is New Brunswick, along with neighboring Nova Scotia. Whale watching opportunities in these two provinces are very similar to those in Newfoundland and Labrador, with most of the same whale species making appearances during the same months.