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

Sat 26 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Sat 26 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)

gricha00

Dec 2015

So we(me, wife and two children under 12) took this trip in late november, which is not in prime whale spotting season, hoping for the best but trying to check our expectations in check. Well I must admit I was pleasantly surprised when Capt. Brian and our naturalist Sarah stripped from their cold weather gear and donned snorkels and scuba gear and personally dove into the frigid waters of the pacific to search the depths for whales for us to spot.......ok i exaggerate a tad, but i believe if i had asked they would have. Simply put...THESE GUYS ARE AMAZING!!!! Although wildlife is of course 'wild' and certainly unpredictable, Capt.Brian's knowledge put us in the best area for spotting and as luck would have it we spotted a duo of humpback whales. Capt. Brian expertly guided the boat along with the whales allowing for plenty of photo ops. Following plenty of time with the whales we moved on and Capt. Brian put us on some stellar sea lions, bald eagles, a seal or two and other local wildlife. Our naturalist Sarah was amazing! Very friendly, very upbeat (despite the cold) and a fountain of knowledge. She's a walking talking wikipedia of whales!! odontocetes vs mysticetes? baleen vs toothed? flukes, blowholes, lengths, weights, how long they gonna stay under? sarah knows this! penniped?..seals vs sea lions? she's got that too! The heres and theres of the san juan islands and the surrounding landscape?..on it! What makes the trip is having a captain like Brian who performs and knows his job as expertly as he does and a naturalist like Sarah who can inform you with every piece of information you want to know about what you are seeing. Booking is easy and they are very informative and honest up front about you may and may not see on your trip. The boat itself is top notch and is basically yours to roam about and use during the trip. Small things like providing blankets and extra jackets on a cold day and even Sarah sharing the photos she personally took show they are more about it being a good experience for you rather than just running you out to the water and back and collecting a check. If you're in Seattle go to San Juan Island. if you're on San Juan Island take a tour with San Juan Safaris. Get outside. Get some fresh air. See some wildlife These guys are AWESOME.

bdcrowd

Dec 2015

My wife and I got to enjoy a great whale watching tour with Captain Brian and Naturalist Sarah. The scenery viewed during the boat ride was amazing and we were lucky enough to see 2 humpback whales, a mother and calf. All in all, I would highly recommend this tour to anyone in the area. We plan to do this again in the summer so we can see the resident Orca whales.

Charles M

Dec 2015

Smooth booking process and the tour company delivered on whale watching! I would recommend to a friend. Thank you!