Whale and dolphin watching are two of the most popular activities in the Channel Islands, and for good reason: The area is rich with resident marine mammals—18 species in all—including bottlenose dolphins, porpoises, gray whales, blue

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Whale and dolphin watching are two of the most popular activities in the Channel Islands, and for good reason: The area is rich with resident marine mammals—18 species in all—including bottlenose dolphins, porpoises, gray whales, blue whales, and the endangered humpback whale.

Island Packers is a well-respected outfitter and National Park Service authorized concessionaire offering whale watching tours from late December through early April and during the summer months. Which animals you'll likely see depends on the time of year: The annual ray whale migration is best viewed from December through March, with other large whales, like the humpback and blue whale, appearing mainly between July and September.

The gray whale trips are 3 to 3.5 hours long, while summertime blue and humpback whale trips are all-day adventures, lasting from 9:00 AM until about 4:00 or 5:00 PM and offer the opportunity to see Painted Cave, one of the Channel Islands' geological wonders. Reservations are recommended for all trips.

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