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)

Ashley H

Jul 2017

Lauren and Kelsey were great! They were super friendly and were a wealth of information on the islands and everything we got to see! We had an amazing site of a group of oracs and mike the captain did an excellent job chartering us around and giving us the best views! Could not have asked for a better day out on the water and whale watching views! Definitely will do it again!

Response from Host

Jul 2017

Many thanks for your review, Ashley, and especially for acknowledging your captain and crew. We work very hard for our guests, and strive to provide a high quality whale watch & wildlife viewing experience here in the San Juan Islands. Thank you for letting us know that we succeeded. Please be sure to look us up again when you find yourselves in the San Juan Islands! Brian Goodermont Owner & Captain San Juan Safaris

Kaceyef

Jul 2017

After about an hour or so, we spotted a humpback whale doing his thing. We had hoped to see orcas, but they were apparently too far north. We were offered blankets and binoculars and had access to informative employees who offered explanations and were open to answering any questions the group had. Very pleasant experience.

malymurphy17

Jul 2017

My husband and I went on the Kestrel open boat to see the whales. It was his first time out west and he'd never seen an Orca before, so it was a must do on our honeymoon list while on San Juan Island. The Kestrel open boat is set up so that people (up to 23 seated) can view wildlife all around the boat without truly having to get up and move spots- this had pros and cons. CONS: While every person on the boat is geared up in weathered attire for the trip (it's very cold on the Salish Sea) the rolls on the water in an open boat caused several to regret their choice of seating in the front, thus having us to stop and swap seats to give those in the front a break; there are swells on the open sea that cause the boat to hit the water very hard (like a bad rollercoaster) and after about 25 minutes of rolling and being "beaten up" a lot of people including myself were regretting taking the open boat tour. It was an instant throbbing headache, neck pain, and felt as though you were suffering from repeated whip lash. We chose this boat for the "better adventure", it even cost $20 more per person to take the open boat tour (which baffles me personally considering the accommodations)- and, we only got 15-20 minutes with the whales to take photos upon seeing them because the traveling time to the location was 1.25hrs! It cost us as a couple including tax $262 for this short trip of roughly 20 minutes with the orcas. PROS: The trip was a success and we did see the whales, there was a bathroom on board the boat, the tour guide Kelsey was very nice, and not one person got sea sick *** Being that this was the second time I'd taken a whale tour (completely different company bookings), I would personally NOT recommend an open boat tour to any person who has the following issues (as it's not mentioned on any of the tour program brochures or by staff members as fair warning): neck injuries, if you're pregnant, become easily sea sick, suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, have internal injuries, have recently had surgery, have any broken bones, don't like frigid water climate (even in July), don't like to get wet, don't like rollercoasters, have young children (trust me, take the Odyssey boat if you have kids), have a fear of tight spaces or sitting next to strangers. Other than the notes above, bring your gloves, hats, mittens, sweatshirts, and long pants, it's cold out there!! Get ready to see some whales and possibly other marine wildlife, don't forget your camera, some snacks, and your motion sickness medicine LOL.

Response from Host

Jul 2017

Thank you for joining us, Malymurphy, and thank you for sharing a review of your tour experience. You bring up some very valid points in regards to our Adventure Whale Watch & Wildlife Tour in that is not an experience for every guest! This tour is ideal for guests seeking a high-speed adventure tour on an open air vessel. We encourage guests who are seeking a relaxing cruise style tour experience to join us on our Classic Whale Watch & Wildlife Tour. To readers: We invite you to contact our office directly with questions about your ability to join us for a whale watch & wildlife tour aboard the Adventure Tour. Our reservations staff would be more than happy to help steer you to your ideal tour experience. Brian Goodremont Owner & Captain San Juan Safaris