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

Thu 24 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Thu 24 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)

gregjulie

Jul 2015

Myself, husband and mother all booked for the evening trip but unfortunately missed it due to a malfunction on our boat getting to Friday Harbour. When we called to advise, we were asked if we wanted to re-schedule which we accepted immediately - to our huge surprise, this change was made with no additional fee! It became very clear that this was the level of professionalism with this company. We took the trip 2 days later, this time, an afternoon trip. The crew were outstanding, Captain Mike, Mike and Eric - all extremely knowledgable, friendly and helpful. The boat was great and not too big so everyone has the opportunity to stand on the sides to see the whales. We were so lucky to see a couple of pods but by far the best was the second sighting where we saw one of the younger whales jump twice then a much bigger Orca breach on 3 occasions!! Absolutely AMAZING!!! On top of that we also saw many seals and a number of different types of sea birds. If you could only take one trip on San Juan - this is definitely the one to do - could not recommend highly enough and can't wait to return on our next trip. Thank you so much for this incredible experience.

SundanceMountain

Jul 2015

After a lot of research, San Juan Safaris was the most affordable, and a complete breeze to work with, from beginning to end. The naturalists on board, Sarah and Rachel, were super friendly and fun, and added greatly to the experience. Note, however, that the orcas you see are some distance away, and what you'll likely see are fins and the whales breeching as they feed. But the whole experience is a complete thrill, from the float plane that flies you out to the island, to being out on the open water seeing killer whales in the wild!! Extraordinary. And these guys impressed me even more in quickly mailing me the expensive prescription sunglasses I left on the boat...in perfect condition. Two big thumbs up!!!

Matt O

Jul 2015

The San Juan Safaris crew took great care of my family - they were safe, kind, and considerate. We spent a wonderful three hours out on the water, watching an orca pod move between the San Juan islands. My six and seven year old kids bombarded their staff with questions the whole time, and everyone was happy to answer. My seven year old son told us when we got back that this tour was "the best day of his life". Highly recommended.