If you've walked along the cliffs of Fort Bragg -- or down to the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse -- the past few days, you've no doubt seen whale spouts.

Believe it or not, it's Gray Whale migration time (December - April).

Some 20,000 Grays will be heading south from their Artic Ocean feeding grounds to the warm nursery lagoons of Mexico.

After giving birth, they head home with their babies, staying close to shore for protection against roving orcas. This brings them in close to shore for great viewing during the weekend of March 17-18 for the Fort Bragg Whale Festival. The roundtrip journey is 10,000 miles with the whale swimming about 100 miles per day.

Of course, you can view the Grays close up and personal on whale watching cruises out of Fort Bragg's Noyo Harbor, see them from horseback on Ten Mile Beach on rides from Lari Shea's Ricochet Ranch or participate in docent-led whale watching walks at Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park, MacKerricher State Park or the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.

Book that room now or miss out on a great Whale Festival coastal getaway!