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 13 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Sun 13 Jul

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

What To Expect

San Juan Island

San Juan Island is considered one of the best place to view wild orca whales because the surrounding nutrient rich water of the Salish Sea. These nutrients draw all types of marine animals, including large marine mammals like orcas. Take this Whale watching tour and see orca whales, during peak season we have a 90-95% success rate of spotting orca, minke, humpback and gray whales. What is the best time to see orca whales? Anytime. They are out and about all day. Aside from whales, many other marine mammals like harbor seals and stellar sea lions, as well as various sea birds, bald eagles and some unique terrestrial mammals are all common sightings! You'll definitely 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 (728)

Joseph_W

Sep 2023

We had a wonderful experience in the classic whale watching tour from Friday Harbor. We got to see 3 orcas and 1 humpback whale. The ride was smooth on a comfortable boat that did not feel overly crowded, which gave us space to move around for pictures and videos. The staff was also very informative. Highly recommend!

ThePackedBag

Aug 2023

I'm not a good sailor, but I'm glad I went today. The water was calm and we found a family of orcas. The experts on board (Olivia and Becca) gave us informative and interesting talks. They told us what to look for (rock sausages, anyone?) and when we found the killer whales they kept us informed of what was going on. Even if we hadn't seen anything it was still a nice cruise around the islands. I liked the fact that the captain kept us at a safe distance and respected the wildlife's space. After all the whales don't know we're there to look at them and it's not their job to entertain us. A good learning experience.

904mich

Aug 2023

We took the 12:30 Whale and nature tour out of Friday Harbor. It was a glorious day to be out on the water! The guides worked with other guides out on the water to find the whales. Our captain took us off the coast of Vancouver where he (and the other captains/guides) found 2 matriarchal families of whales along with a lone giant male whale. We watched them for about 30 minutes. What a thrill! I would highly recommend San Juan Safaris.