ArcaMax

It is thrilling to see a 40-foot whale surface inches from your boat; scores of alligators sunning on logs; hundreds of eagles, wings outstretched, diving for salmon; and thousands of elk roaming in a snowy valley. Take advantage of the winter months to go on a wildlife safari to Mexico, Georgia, Idaho or Wyoming. Whether you prefer temperate or cold weather, camping or staying in a hotel, these wildlife experiences add fun to your family trip.

For decades, Pacific gray whales have made the 5,000-mile winter journey from Alaska to Baja California, where the protected lagoons provide safe havens for birthing and nursing. Within seconds of spotting the whale's heart-shaped spray less than 30 feet from our panga, we saw the 40-foot-long behemoth break the surface, then disappear.

Soon she crested the water, her barnacled head within a few feet of us. While we marveled at the mother, her curious calf rolled so close to the bow of our boat that we heard the rhythmic whistle of its inhale. Then both cow and calf gracefully dove under our boat, only to circle back to our port side.

During prime whale season, February through mid-March, some 13,000 whales inhabit the region. Many come to San Ignacio Lagoon and Magdalena Bay. Humpbacks, fins and blue whales can also be seen in the Sea of Cortez. On our camping whale trip, when my daughter and I weren't yelling "Thar she blows!" we swam, sea-kayaked through a mangrove estuary and admired the night's starry, starry skies.

Another great winter wildlife adventure is paddling through Georgia's Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. In these headwaters of the Suwannee River, cypress trees rise in thickets that float almost magically on dense beds of peat, called "houses." Walk on them and the land "quivers," a phenomenon that led the Indigenous peoples to call this place "Okefenokee," or "the land of the trembling earth." The largest national wildlife refuge in the eastern United States, the Okefenokee occupies about 400,000 acres.

To explore the refuge, my daughter and I shared a canoe. She operated the rudder while I paddled. As we glided past gnarled tree branches draped with Spanish moss in Billy's Lake, we suddenly saw two half-submerged snouts that seemed to be covered in bark and four bulging eyes peering at us from the reeds. The alligators intrigued us. Several bony ones perched on logs, basking in the sun.

In Minnie's Lake, as we paddled through dense stands of cypress, we caught sight of river otters "fishing" and slider turtles splashing from logs into the water. You can join a refuge boat trip, bring your own kayak or canoe, or go on a guided tour with Okefenokee Adventures. Winter bonus: daytime temperatures in the low 60s and fewer insects than in the hot summer.

It's no wonder that eagles appear on the U.S. national emblem. The sight of a few of these majestic birds native to North America effortlessly gliding on thermals, their wings spread 72 to 90 inches, elicits admiration. The spectacle of more than 100 of them soaring, then dive-bombing into Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to catch salmon was awe-inspiring.

From November through February the eagles arrive to feast on the sockeye salmon that spawn and die on the lake's shores. Some 200 to 400 eagles have been counted in a season with peak sightings often in late December and January. For prime views, walk the 3.3-mile Mineral Ridge Scenic Area and National Recreation Trail, particularly along Wolf Lodge Bay, or board Lake Coeur d'Alene Cruises' two-hour boat trip to Wolf Lodge Bay. The lakeside Coeur d'Alene Resort offers upmarket accommodations and dining.

A horse-drawn sleigh ride on the National Elk Refuge near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, enriched our ski trip. From mid-December through March, 5,000 to 7,000 elk migrate from Grand Teton National Park and surrounding forests to the lower-elevation 25,000-acre refuge. Two mighty Percherons pulled our red sleigh into the snow-covered valley edged by the majestic Teton Mountains. Herds of elk grazed in the distance as well as nearby. Bulls, impressive with their large, branched antlers, as well as cows eyed us calmly. We felt as if we had been dropped into a classic holiday card.

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WHEN YOU GO

OARS: oars.com/adventures/baja-sea-kayaking-whale-watching

Oceanic Society: oceanicsociety.org/expedition/baja-san-ignacio-lagoon-and-sea-of-cortez

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: fws.gov/refuge/okefenokee/visit-us

Okefenokee Adventures, okeswamp.org/okefenokee-adventures

Bureau of Land Management Mineral Ridge Scenic Area and National Recreation Trail: blm.gov/visit/mineral-ridge-scenic-area-and-national-recreation-trail

Lake Coeur d'Alene Eagle Watch: blm.gov/programs/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife/about/idaho/lake-coeurdalene-eagle-watch

Lake Coeur D'Alene Cruises: cdacruises.com/eagle-watching

Coeur d'Alene Golf & Spa Resort: cdaresort.com

National Elk Refuge: fws.gov/refuge/national-elk/visit-us

National Elk Refuge Sleigh Rides: nersleighrides.com

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Candyce H. Stapen is a writer at www.greatfamilyvacations.com.

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