The whale watching season runs from May to October, with June through August the peak months for both whale sightings and visitor numbers. Humpbacks are most reliably present from June onwards when the bay is teeming with the small fish they feed on. The long summer days — Húsavík is just south of the Arctic Circle — mean late evening light that turns the harbour and church into something extraordinary, and you can be out on a whale watching boat at 10pm with the sun still up.
Winter visits are quiet and cold, but Húsavík is a working town that stays lively year-round. The northern lights are visible from September through March on clear nights, and the town offers geothermal bathing at the Geosea sea baths on the cliff above the harbour — hot pots overlooking the bay where humpbacks surfaced in summer. If you want the full whale watching experience, May to August is your window; if you want the northern lights, dramatic winter light, and no crowds, January through March works well.