Connecticut Whale Watching Guide
Connecticut was colonized by English settlers in the 1600s and has a rich maritime history of ship building. Situated on the north side of Long Island Sound, there are more than 600 miles of coastline to explore. It’s also home to Yale, the historic towns of Hartford and Mystic, New London, New Haven, Bridgeport and Stamford. There’s a lot to see and do here, but the whale watching is terrible!
Whale Watch Season
Along the northeast coast of the United States, whale watching season is typically May through October. Slight variations in climate and weather can shift the exact start and end dates by a few weeks of any given year.
Best Whale Watching Areas
Connecticut is not a good place to go whale watching, because most of the whale populations congregate farther north around the Cape Cod area. The best whale watching tours leave from Gloucester, MA. Gloucester is definitely the place you want to be for whale watching. You can also check out Boston whale watch tours which always get rave reviews.
That being said, Connecticut is still a great place to get out on the water. The top-rated private sailing trip around Fisher’s Island is a fine choice, because you’ll get to see the Thimble Islands. The Thimble Islands is an archipelago off the coast of Connecticut with every type of house imaginable, from little shacks on tiny islands to big mansions with sprawling green lawns on bigger islands. It’s quite the gem, and most visitors to Connecticut never get to see this unique sight. The price includes up to six people in your group, and tours run every day from June 21 – September 2, 2025.
Don’t Miss: Mystic, Connecticut
The village of Mystic was a thriving 18th and 19th century seaport where more than 600 ships were produced. Today, this historic village is most known for the Mystic Seaport Museum. Here, visitors can climb aboard the last wooden whaling ship in the world, the Charles W. Morgan. Built in 1841, it operated for 80 years and traveled all over the world searching for whales. At the peak of the whaling industry, the total American whaling fleet numbered more than 2,700 vessels. This one ship is the very last of its kind. The museum also houses a rotating selection of exhibits and events that showcase humans’ connection to the sea.
If you like history, don’t miss the Mystic ghost tour. While a ghost tour may seem silly, you’ll learn all about the colonial and revolutionary history of the area while walking around Stonington during this family friendly tour.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking to go on a whale watching adventure in Connecticut, your best bet is to plan a trip to Gloucester, Massachusetts instead. This is the best place to see whales on the east coast. Connecticut doesn’t have consistent whale activity, so there are no designated whale watching tours that leave from here.