Oregon's coast witnesses annual migrations of gray whales twice a year, as they travel between northern waters and their breeding grounds off Mexico. Some pods of whales are residents, and remain near the coast throughout the year.
The best season to see whales along the coast is March (spring migration with calmer oceans and whales swimming average of 1 - 3 miles offshore) through October (July - Oct see the annual "summer resident feeders" within a 7-mile radius of Newport; best ocean conditions of the whole year; whales feeding and swimming 1/2 - 2 miles offshore!)
Winter migration, traditionally, has very unpredictable ocean conditions, choppier surf which force whales to look for a longer swell to swim comfortably, as much as 6 miles offshore.
Oregon's coast witnesses annual migrations of gray whales twice a year, as they travel between northern waters and their breeding grounds off Mexico. Some pods of whales are residents, and remain near the coast throughout the year.