Whale Spotting Near Wrightsville Beach

Wrightsville Beach is a haven for water activities. Surfing, fishing, and water sports come as no surprise for a beach destination, but spotting whales off the North Carolina coast will truly be a monumental event during your trip.

Whale spotting near Wrightsville Beach isn’t common—in fact, it typically only happens in a few months out of the year. However, that’s more than enough opportunity to give dedicated whale spotters a chance to see one of the ocean’s largest inhabitants.

You’ll be ready to include a whale tale in your Wrightsville Beach travel story with these tips.

Best Time to See Whales near Wrightsville Beach

Whales have a natural instinct to swim to warm waters to give birth to calves. You can take advantage of this ingrained behavior to get the best chance at whale spotting near Wrightsville Beach during winter.

In Wrightsville Beach, it’s common to spot several types of whales—North Atlantic Whales (also called right whales), Humpbacks, Gray Whales, and Sperm Whales. These whales migrate from the north to warmer Caribbean waters. This migration happens annually between December and early March.

If you’re visiting Wrightsville Beach during these months, you might get lucky to see one!

In addition to the time of year, the time of day is also important for increasing your chances of spotting whales. Early mornings are preferred when the waters are calmer, have less boat traffic, and when whales are more active.

How to See Whales

Whale encounters near the North Carolina coast happen by chance. But seeking out these enormous marine creatures during winter gives the best opportunity.

Wrightsville Beach is a popular location for whale spotting on the East Coast because whales get relatively close to the shore. So, whether you want to stare out into the ocean horizon to spot a whale tail breaching the surface or prefer a boat charter for a close encounter, there are multiple options to see whales.

1. Whale spotting from a boat charter

A simple scroll through TikTok or YouTube will show you the excitement of encountering a whale while out on the water. Since it’s not a major whale-spotting destination like along the Pacific Coast, it makes for quite the surprise when seeing these massive creatures swimming nearby—and they look even bigger in person!

Wrightsville Beach has several boat charters, including with our partner, Yacht Source. Take a sightseeing cruise to explore the waters near the shore or venture further into the Atlantic Ocean on a fishing charter. Carolina Runner Boat Tours offers dolphin tours that always have a chance to see whales during the winter. These tours give you access to expert seafarers who know the waters and the best spots to see marine life.

Remember that right whales and humpbacks are endangered species, and you must always keep your distance from them.

1. Whale spotting at the beach

The North Carolina coast consists of barrier islands and waterways affecting water depths and proximity to the whale migration route. Wrightsville Beach and Topsail Island are two of the best locations in the coastal area.

1. Whale spotting from your Oceanview vacation rental

“Right whales” are one of the common types spotted near Wrightsville Beach. The name comes from a history of whalers who nicknamed species this term because they were the easiest to hunt—they swim slower and typically closer to shore. These traits not only made them preferred by hunters, but also excellent to spot even from shore.

Check out our collection of oceanfront vacation homes where you’ll have expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean to see any whales swimming within a few miles of the shore.

Learning About Whales in Local Aquariums

If you’re curious to learn more about the whales you’ll spot near Wrightsville Beach, then you can dive into a depth of information at the aquarium. If your wild whale encounter doesn’t happen as planned, there are still ways to see them.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher in Kure Beach has several resources available to get you involved with whale conservation. It has a long-running campaign dedicated to protecting endangered North Atlantic Right Whales. Just a few hundred remain and it tracks sightings of them for research. These experts can even tell the same right whale when spotted years later.

This aquarium formerly hosted an exhibition about a right whale named “Calvin.” The exhibit included a whale animatronic and general information about right whales. Look for temporary whale exhibits during your stay. Museum members can also participate in the Whale Wonders: Beautiful Baja trip. This cross-country excursion takes members to Baja, California, in Mexico, to spot whales in the more popular Pacific migration route.

The most famous whale to arrive in Wrightsville Beach happened back in 1928. A dead sperm whale, later named ‘Trouble,’ washed onshore at the beach and captivated the attention of locals, the media, and visitors who came just to see it. Today, the whale’s legacy lives on at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh (approximately two hours from Wrightsville Beach) where the 54-foot-long skeleton hangs as a permanent exhibit.

Book your accommodation in our coastal North Carolina vacation homes during the whale migration season!