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Travel Costa Mesa Blog

Now is the Time for Whale Watching at Newport Landing

Posted on February 27, 2012 | 6:00am | Travel Costa Mesa

December through April is the primary grey whale migration period along the Laguna Beach coastline. During their migration, hundreds of grey whales surface within minutes of Newport Harbor! With daily whale-watching tours all year round, Newport Landing Whale Watching has three whale-watching vessels to carry passengers out to sea where they get the chance to see blue whales, finback whales, pods of dolphin that number in the thousands, seals, killer whales, sharks and many other marine creatures.

Newport Landing Whale Watching has been offering whale-watching cruises for over 20 years from Newport Bay. The Ocean Explorer is the company’s primary whale-watching vessel. At 70 feet long, this vessel has two full walk around decks designed specifically for whale watching. The Nautilus is their secondary whale-watching vessel, at 75 feet long with two decks and ample seating. The Western Pride is an auxiliary whale-watching vessel and is 85 feet long with a full walk around main deck and an elevated seating platform.

In 2011, Newport Landing Whale Watching groups saw 1,017 blue whales, 19 humpback whales, 6,358 bottle nose dolphins and 263,618 common dolphins, to name a few species of marine life spotted. 2012 seafarers have already spotted 12 killer whales during their trips!

Newport Landing offers individual ticket prices as well as group package prices, and trips are offered two times daily October-May and three times daily June-September. Companies can privately reserve a whale-watching trip for a company event or company team-building activity.

Click here to book your whale watching adventure from Newport Landing Whale Watching!

Newport Landing also offers sportfishing in half-day, ¾-day or overnight fishing trips. If you’re interested in going on a saltwater fishing trip of a lifetime, the Aggressor fishing boat will take anglers to Catalina Island, San Clemente Island, offshore banks such as the Cortez bank or Tanner banks and offshore waters. You’ll have the opportunity to catch yellowtail and white sea bass (weighing 50+ pounds!), tuna, sheepshead and red snapper.  A recent half-day trip yielded 40 perch, 28 sand bass and 10 sculpin for 28 anglers!

Click here to request a sport fishing reservation from Newport Landing!

Newport Landing is a just a few short miles from many Costa Mesa hotels. Be sure to check it out on your next stay in Costa Mesa.