Gray whales winter off the coast of Baja California, Mexico and by February start making their way north to Alaska, reaching the Bering Sea of Alaska in April. April and May are best times to spot them from Ketchikan, Seward, Sitka and Kodiak.
Beluga whales live in the Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait year round. From spring through fall they can be seen in bays near Anchorage. In spring and summer they are common to shallow tidal flats and large river mouths near Kasilof. During fall and winter, they go south to Kachemak Bay.
Blue whales also spend their winters off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, which is also their breeding grounds. In July and August, they can be found in the eastern and northern Gulf of Alaska, however they are seldom seen in near-shore Alaska waters, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
During the spring, summer and fall months, Humpback whales can be seen in the Bering Sea, Prince William Sound and Glacier Bay, as well as other areas of Alaska. There are approximately 500 humpbacks that live in Southeast Alaska's Inside Passage during the summer months, making the chances of seeing them quite good.
One thousand resident orcas have been documented in Alaska. The best time to see orcas in Alaska is during the months of June through September. From the coast off Seward, Alaska, the best time to see these killer whales is from May 5 to June 5.
