Best Time to See Green Sea Turtles in the US
March, June and May is the best time to see green sea turtles in the United States. This is a national picture built from 14,696 verified iNaturalist observations across 19 states, showing when and where green sea turtles are most active.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself.
14,696 verified observations of green sea turtles in the US, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When green sea turtles are recorded in the US
Peak month
March
1,581 records (10.8% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1,238 | 8.4% |
| February | 1,059 | 7.2% |
| Marchpeak | 1,581 | 10.8% |
| April | 1,225 | 8.3% |
| Maypeak | 1,412 | 9.6% |
| Junepeak | 1,462 | 9.9% |
| July | 1,283 | 8.7% |
| August | 1,204 | 8.2% |
| September | 1,014 | 6.9% |
| October | 888 | 6% |
| November | 1,056 | 7.2% |
| December | 1,274 | 8.7% |
Green Sea Turtles you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Green Sea Turtle | 14,696 |
Across the country, green sea turtles sightings peak in March, when 1,581 of the 14,696 annual observations are logged, about 10.8% of the national total. Nationwide activity stays high through March, June and May.
The best states to see green sea turtles by recorded sightings are Hawaii (10,897), Florida (1,620), Texas (1,331), California (528) and North Carolina (118). Each state page below breaks the year down month by month for that state.
The green sea turtles you are most likely to encounter nationwide are Green Sea Turtle, the most-recorded species across all states combined.
Best states to see green sea turtles
- green sea turtles in Hawaii10,897 sightings, peak March
- green sea turtles in Florida1,620 sightings, peak June
- green sea turtles in Texas1,331 sightings, peak March
- green sea turtles in California528 sightings, peak August
- green sea turtles in North Carolina118 sightings, peak October
- green sea turtles in South Carolina54 sightings, peak July
- green sea turtles in Virginia25 sightings, peak November
- green sea turtles in Louisiana24 sightings, peak December
- green sea turtles in Alabama23 sightings, peak June
- green sea turtles in Georgia22 sightings, peak March
- green sea turtles in New York19 sightings, peak December
- green sea turtles in New Jersey11 sightings, peak October
- green sea turtles in Massachusetts10 sightings, peak October
- green sea turtles in Mississippi5 sightings, peak May
- green sea turtles in Delaware3 sightings, peak August
Most-recorded green sea turtles species nationwide
- Green Sea Turtle14,696 records
Go see them · Hawaii
Waikiki Green Sea Turtle Snorkeling Tour - Boat Excursion
Waikiki Turtle Canyon Snorkeling is an amazing way to experience Hawaii’s incredible marine life on Oahu’s south shore right in front of the Waikiki...
3 hours
From
From $130
Staying over? Compare places to stay near Hawaii
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see green sea turtles in the US?+
March is the single best month nationwide, with the broader peak running through March, June and May, based on 14,696 verified observations across 19 states.
Which states are best for seeing green sea turtles?+
By recorded sightings, the top states are Hawaii, Florida and Texas. Hawaii leads with 10,897 verified observations.
How many green sea turtles sightings are recorded in the US each year?+
About 14,696 verified green sea turtles observations are logged on iNaturalist across 19 states with enough data to chart a seasonal pattern.
What kinds of green sea turtles live in the US?+
The most-recorded species nationwide are Green Sea Turtle, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.