Winter always offers a wonderful time for wildlife watching. Deer are often seen while skiing, and a hike through Yellowstone will give you some good views of moose congregating by steaming pools.
And February is prime whale-watching time.
You can head to Hawaii to see the humpback whale, but you don’t have to travel so far for a whale experience. You can enjoy spotting the migrating California gray whale from both Northern California and Southern California points.
As the National Park Service explains: “Engaging in the longest migration of any mammal, the California gray whale swims 10,000 miles each year, spending about one third of its life migrating from the cold, nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California.
One of the best spots for seeing these incredible animals is from the shores of Point Reyes, California. Located just a half-hour drive from San Francisco, the Point Reyes National Seashore is maintained by the National Park Service.
Jutting 10 miles into the Pacific Ocean, the headlands of the Point Reyes Peninsula offer one of the finest spots to view the gray whale.
Take a quick look at what it’s like to spot a whale at Point Reyes:
From mid-December through the last of April the main road from Drake’s Beach is closed to traffic and shuttles are used to accommodate the large numbers of tourists who come to watch winter wildlife here. Besides the whales, other wildlife at Point Reyes includes small herds of elephant seals, and spawning salmon.
The rich, lush environment of Point Reyes depends heavily on the fog, for which the San Francisco Bay Area has always been known. But recent studies have indicated that, with the world warming up there has been a 30% reduction in fog during the past century in coastal California.
The National Park Service is putting innovative energy technologies to use at Point Reyes, to reduce the carbon “footprint.” For example, it has obtained four hybred and six electric vehicles, installed phohtovoltaic solar panels, instituted a “No Idling” program, and is using green technology in new construction.
Enjoy your whale-watching experience by staying in a relaxing San Francisco timeshare rental. A timeshare rental in the heart of downtown is just $117/night at the Wyndham Vacation Resorts San Francisco.
Photo Credit: latimes.com