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

Sun 27 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Sun 27 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)

clbadventuremom

Sep 2016

We had a fantastic time! Our naturalist Alex was fun, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Our crew clearly had respect for the whales and other wildlife. My 15 year old son and I enjoyed the speed of the boat. We covered more ground and saw more wildlife than other tours. Great sightings of porpoises and whales. Loved the special suits that kept us warm and dry. Would do it again in a heartbeat!

s16davies

Sep 2016

Not having anticipated the distance this excursion was from SeaTac Airport, our day did not start well when we realised at 8am that we were four hours away from San Juan and would not be able to catch the 9am ferry from the main land to the island in time for our 1.30pm sailing. Fortunately, San Juan Safaris were in touch with us and, after rearranging our sailing time to 5.30pm (partly because of engine troubles on one of their boats but also to ensure we were able to get there), gave considerable assistance to us to make sure we were on the 2pm ferry after we hired a car from the airport. The excursion itself was amazing - both the captain and naturalist were very knowledgeable, friendly and as keen to see the whales and other wildlife as we were. The boat carried 12 passengers only, and as we were a party of six this made for a great experience. On the way out, we saw harbour seals, bald eagles and porpoises. Whilst on course to where the orcas are normally found, the captain heard on the radio that a pod had been spotted in a different direction so, after checking that a late return time would not be a problem with all passengers, the captain turned the boat around and headed full speed for the new location where we did indeed find the orcas spending a considerable time watching them in their natural environment. AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!

Nosa P

Sep 2016

"Be sure to tell us if you see any wildlife and we will be excited for you, even if it is just a floating log" - Naturalist Sarah Cutting. This was my first trip to the San Juan islands, and the whale watch trip with San Juan Safaris was for sure one of my highlights! Naturalist Sarah Cutting kept us busy as soon as we got on the boat, shouting over the loud motor of the boat, she gave us clear information of the wildlife we may encounter on the trip. Sarah clearly shows how passionate and excited she is towards the trip and the wildlife. Her knowledge and humour made the trip really fun and interactive. It was amazing to see The captain, Eric, and Sarah work together as a team to find the wildlife and ID them, while also distributing blankets to keep us warm. We saw orcas, sea lions, porpoises, bald eagles, floating logs, and other wildlife. The whales were pretty close to us, but if you were thinking of renting that 300mm+ lens, do it! you will regret not having a zoom! Also bring layers!