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

Wed 30 Apr

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Wed 30 Apr

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (175) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (252) Entry Tickets (96) Sporting Events (4) Good for Small Groups (27) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (113) Walking Tours (705) Outdoor Activities (48) Limitied Availability Tours (29) LGBT Friendly Tours (9) Family-friendly Activities (8) Wildlife Activities (6) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (96) Travelers recommend (174) Good for Groups (32) Top Activities (75) Guided Audio Tours (10) Art, Culture & History (406) Attractions to explore (43) Sustainable Tours (1) Limousine Transfers (5) Donut Walking Tour (2) Virtual Experiences (1) Additional fees (7) DSA non-compliant (17)

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)

Wokameter

Apr 2016

The people at San Juan safaris were absolutely great from the booking of the trip to the actual trip itself. Sarah, Emily, and Brittany were absolutely fantastic to deal with while booking the trip. Eric and Kevin along with Capt. Mike were great on the tour. While late March is not the ideal time to see killer whales, we saw a transitory pod of 4 killer whales on our sunset excursion. Not only did we get to see the killer whales within the first hour, we also got treated to them feeding on seals and even a spyhop from one of the whales where they came up out of the water nose fist for a look around. It was really fun and the crew were about as excited as we all were. We also saw 2 types of seals on the excursion and a variety of birds too. Quite the day. I would recommend staying on San Juan Island for a least a day as well to take in the local food and culture. It can also be less stress getting to and from the excursion in a single day.

Greyling2015

Mar 2016

Even though we knew we were a bit early in the season (March) for the whales, we took the chance as we didn't know if we will ever be in this part of the USA again. As South Africans this was our chance of a life time to see Orca whales. We were so fortunate to see whales ten minutes into our trip and followed them for the greater part of our tour. We have the greatest memories of our trip that will stay with us for ever. The staff is very friendly and shared a lot of facts on the whales and the surroundings.

Izzy S

Mar 2016

I wrote a review of my first whale watching experience last October, and I decided to come back for a spring adventure. I was told in advance that spring whale sightings are not guaranteed and understood that going into it. The weather was a perfect early spring day, and I spent the entire time on the bow (front) of the boat. We saw more stellar sea lions than i thought possible and an eagle grab a sea gull mid-flight!! Naturalists Sarah and Kevin kept us informed of all wildlife and even the geologic history of the islands. Even though we did not see whales, I learned a tremendous amount of knowledge about the Salish Sea and its creatures. Captain Mike brought us to locations the average person never sees, which helped demonstrate the uniqueness of the San Juan islands and the variation that exists among them. It's also wonderful to meet new people from all over the world, young and old, sharing a common interest. I look forward to a future trip again soon.