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)

dptedora

Aug 2017

We took a float plane from Seattle to Fridays harbor to get the boat.We were going on a Alaska cruise the next day and have never seen Orcas before. The crew were great but there was only a few Orcas that they followed. And we were told that the boats could not get any closer then 200 yards. So seeing this one group at that distance with other boats in the way was not fun. We have been on other whale watching tours and know that seeing whales is not guaranteed. But this tour was misleading about what we might see. And if we had known ahead of time about the distance that we had to try and see them we would never have booked it.

Response from Host

Aug 2017

Many thanks for taking the time to share a review of your recent tour, and for acknowledging your staff and crew. We work very hard for our guests, and we're glad to hear that it showed. We are sorry, however, to hear that some aspects of your tour did not meet your expectations. Our hope is that this response will clarify the federal laws regarding watching whales in the wild to you, and to future guests. At the heart of what we do is operate responsible wildlife viewing experiences, and we take a lot of pride in being an industry leader in this goal. We do not hid these details, and guests can learn about our mission, and regulations we are required by law to follow, on our website. The killer whales we encounter in this region are critically endangered, and are protected by state and federal government agencies including NOAA and National Marine Fisheries Services in the United States which protects killer whales with the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act of 2005, and in Canada, the Species at Risk Act through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. In addition, as members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, we voluntarily follow best practice guidelines while observing the protected killer whales in their environment. We will never "chase down" whales, or deliberately move into their path of travel. It's against the law, and irresponsible. Again, we are sorry to hear that your tour did not meet your expectations. You were never misled, however. We are very happy to hear that you encountered whales in the wild during your time on the water with us. Brian Goodremont Captain & Owner San Juan Safaris

Jean Marie B

Aug 2017

Great trip, excellent captain and guide. We saw lots of whales, seals (Rock Sausage), a sea lion and eagles too. Enjoyed the speed of the boat and the time we had available to watch the T65A swim through the waters.

Response from Host

Aug 2017

Wow, Jean Marie! Glad to hear that you had a great experience on our Adventure Whale Watch & Wildlife Tour aboard M/V Kestrel. Many thanks for your kudos of your captain and crew. We will work our hardest for our guests, and thank you for letting us know we met your expectations. Brian Goodremont Owner & Captain San Juan Safaris

Tiffany K

Aug 2017

This year was my 3rd trip on the Sea Lion. Every time I go it is more amazing. Captain Gabe was great and took us right to the whales. The Naturalist Rachel was a great source of information and facts. She was so personable and took time to greet each group of people and find out where they were from and offer some one on one time for questions. I will definitely be making this a stop on every trip to SJI !