The Star of India at San Diego's Maritime Museum was built in 1863 and christened the Euterpe, after the Greek goddess of music. The ship circumnavigated the world 21 times.
From late December to early April, San Diego celebrates the migration of thousands of California Gray Whales. Their annual journey takes them from the Bering Sea, past the San Diego coast, to the protected warm waters off Baja California, Sonora and Sinoloa. The longest migration route of any mammal, the gray whales travel nearly 13,000 miles roundtrip each year.
Big Bay Whale Days - January 1- 31, 2010
Click here to download special offers for Big Bay Whale Days.
Businesses along the Embarcadero invite you to the second annual Big Bay Whale Festival January 23, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. At the waterfront event you can pick up coupons, information and giveaways from participating exhibitors. Kids will love the music, face painting and giant inflated gray whale to walk through.
The celebration will feature free cruises for children with the purchase of adult tickets, free admissions for children with adult purchases aboard the USS Midway Museum, discount admissions to the Maritime Museum of San Diego and money-saving coupons to Seaport Village stores and Anthony's Fish Grotto along the Embarcadero (North Harbor Drive). For more information about the event, call 619-725-8879.
Hop on board Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to get to this year's Whale Days celebration. Kids ride at half-price and Seniors 62+ get 15% off. Click here for more information.
Coming to San Diego for Whale Days? Hotels on the Big Bay have special offers for you.
Have a bite to eat at one of the many waterfront restaurants. Visit the Restaurants section of this Web site to see wide variety of restaurants to choose from. Top off your day with a little retail therapy. Visit Seaport Village and pick up a souvenir of the second annual Big Bay Whale Days.
All whale-watching season make reservations for a whale watching excursion with one of these tour providers:
Hornblower Cruise & Events (hornblower.com) - Join San Diego Natural History whale naturalist volunteers for a 3.5-hour whale watching expedition. Museum whalers are trained by Museum staff and marine scientists to provide naturalist interpretation on the Hornblower Whale Watch cruises.
Maritime Museum of San Diego (sdmaritime.org) - This is no ordinary whale watching experience. It will be presented with an educational and historical perspective on a replica of the 139-foot yacht America that won the historic Royal Yacht Squadron's "100 Guinea Cup" race around the Isle of Wight. The trophy came to be known as the America's Cup.
San Diego Harbor Excursions (sdhe.com) - Scripps Institution of Oceanography naturalists will be on these twice-daily cruises to point out California Gray Whales migrating to Mexico's breeding grounds. Naturalists will have gray whale biofacts to show-and-tell during the cruise and facts about other sightings that may include seals, sea lions, dolphins, migrating birds and more. Listen to whale and dolphin sounds in real time with new underwater microphones.
H&M Landing (hmlanding.com) - Several trip options are available. Choose the length trip that best fits your schedule. All trips include informative narration on whales, their migration and the other marine life and sights you will see on your cruise.
Orion Sailing (orionsailing.com) - Commissioned in 1934, Orion was a racing force for more than a decade winning the coveted Bermuda and Fire Island races. Today, Orion hosts whale watching excursions in classic style. Meet the gentle giants aboard this classic 64-foot wooden sailing yawl.
Point Loma Sportfishing (pointlomasportfishing.com) - Point Loma Sportfishing operates two- to five-hour trips daily during the season to view the Gray Whale migration. For the more adventurous, extended nature expeditions depart San Diego to explore the seldom visited offshore islands and sea coasts of Baja California.
Sail San Diego (sailsandiego.com) - Sailing twice daily, Sail San Diego specializes in small and personal 3.5-hour whale-watching trips. Have a conversation with one of our naturalists about the grey whales and migration while under sail. Many changes have been made to improve our eco-friendly standards. Beer, wine, snacks and much more included.
Yacht America (stars-stripes.com) - As the whale watching season approaches get ready to board the magnificent 139ft schooner "America" for an amazing "Picnic on the Ocean" with the whales and dolphins.
From late December to early April, San Diego celebrates the migration of thousands of California Gray Whales. Their annual journey takes them from the Bering Sea, past the San Diego coast, to the protected warm waters off Baja California, Sonora and Sinoloa. The longest migration route of any mammal, the gray whales travel nearly 13,000 miles roundtrip each year.
Businesses along the Embarcadero invite you to the second annual Big Bay Whale Festival January 23, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. At the waterfront event you can pick up coupons, information and giveaways from participating exhibitors. Kids will love the music, face painting and giant inflated gray whale to walk through. 
