Whale Watching from Friday Harbor

Overview

The best orca whale watching is from Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, just an easy day trip adventure from downtown Seattle. The San Juan Islands are considered the "jewel" of the Pacific Northwest, located in the Puget Sound.

City: San Juan Islands

Tue 29 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Tue 29 Oct

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Whale Watching Cruise

Local taxes

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
For maximum safety children under 2 should be in a harness carrier strapped to a parent and remain in the cabin
"Special Limited" tour not recommended for child aged 13 and under
Restrooms are available on board the boat
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
50% capacity on vessels

What To Expect

San Juan Island

San Juan Island is considered the best place to view orca whales because the salmon, which are their prime source of food (about 95% of what they eat), travel up and down the west coast of San Juan Island and outlying areas. Take this Whale watching tour and see orca whales which has been viewed on over 90% of the tours with the possibility of spotting minke, humpback and gray whales to be higher. What is the best time to see orca whales? Anytime. They are out and about all day. You will be guaranteed see marine mammals and come back with memories to last a lifetime! Enjoy the beauty of San Juan Island on an exclusive Whale Watch Cruise from Friday Harbor. Sail aboard the fast, new 55 foot MV Sea Lion (with windowed, heated cabin, which seats up to 24 guests). 40 or fewer guest aboard this comfortable boat with walk around deck.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (660)

shellyvandg

Sep 2017

As a native of the northwest we have been on a few different whale watching boat tours. The Sea Lion with San Juan Safari is by far the best ever! We had the chance to join them on their last sunset tour of the summer season and couldn't have asked for more. The staff was excellent, from the Captain to the naturalists Lauren and Kelsie. They were all engaging and very well versed in the local wildlife...of course we saw whales! Plan to be charmed and well taken care of from beginning to end.

Adams R

Sep 2017

On our second trip to the San Juan Islands, after having been on an unsuccessful whale watching trip with a kayaking tour the first time around, we decided to try a speedier option. Choosing this company was the right choice! Immediately after getting on the boat we realized that it was going to be our best chance at spotting some whales. The boat is fast! This is good because the captain can zoom between all the good spots around the islands in a matter of minutes. The way these whale watching companies work is a great example of teamwork - a tour boat will stay with a pod of whales until the next tour boat comes. That way the fleet can maintain contact with the whales and increase the probability of sightings. The captains also communicate frequently via radio so that everyone out in the water is aware of where the whales are. On our trip we saw a humpback whale, a pod of about 6 Transient Orcas, a couple of bald eagles, a harbor seal, and quite a few harbor porpoises in a span of 3 hours. Aside from the animal sightings, you will also get spectacular views of the area from the boat, which is a great opportunity for photographers. Our tour with San Juan Safaris turned out to be one of the most unique things we've ever done. The staff was super nice, knowledgeable, and professional. They also take conservation and abiding by wildlife protection laws seriously and make an effort to educate their guests on why these things are important, which I think is the biggest value the company brings. I highly recommend booking a tour with San Juan Safaris!

Rachel B

Sep 2017

What a great experience! We did the zodiac adventure tour and it was incredible. We got to see both resident and transient pods, as well as seals and sea lions. We were so thankful to be on a fast boat that could keep up with the whales while they were hunting. Our naturalist, Kelsey, did a super job of explaining everything we were seeing and was so enthusiastic! I would absolutely return to San Juan Safaris and recommend 100%.