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

Tue 22 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Tue 22 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)

SipAndBiteSeattle

Jul 2014

I've gone whale watching with San Juan Safaris a handful of times and have always had an incredible experience. The naturalists are top notch and do an outstanding job at explaining what guests are seeing. (I've seen orcas every time I've gone out with SJS.) I try to escape to the San Juan Islands whenever possible and especially enjoy San Juan Safaris' whale plane tour with Kenmore Air. If you need a nature/marine fix, Kenmore Air will zip you from South Lake Union (Seattle) to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, then you head out on a whale watching trip, spend a few hours exploring Friday Harbor, then fly back to the city. When I need a day of Zen and killer whales, it's my fave thing to do. I highly recommend San Juan Safaris.

aliceverena

Jul 2014

We went on San Juan Safaris Whale Watching on July 3rd leaving Friday's Harbor. We were on a large boat, I believe the Sea Lion. There was plenty of room on board even though the boat was full. They offered rain coats and blankets to anyone who wanted them. The two girls who worked as the crew were so amazing. They explained a lot of things to us about whales, and the area. They attended to all passengers continuously. They really worked hard. The boat does get choppy because you are on open sea. At one point, I felt a little sea sickness coming on. One of the girls offered me ginger root, and was so concerned. It didn't ever really get sick. On the trip, they had reports that there were two pods of Orcas in the area, but that they were moving quickly and possible on the way out of the area. They instructed us that they would try to catch them, but if they were too far out, we would eventually have to turn back. We traveled about 2 1/2 to 3 hours but found the whales. It was an amazing site! What a thrill. There were two pods, and they figure about 48 whales in the area. We also had the rare experience of seeing a humpback whale, which we were told is unusual. This is a once-in-a lifetime experience, and well worth the money. It was definately one of the highlights of our trip. Please be aware that it gets cold on the boat so dress warm. You can also take food and drinks because they don't provide any with the tour. One more thing, be careful you don't park in limited-time parking in Friday Harbor. We had a parking ticket on our vehicle when we got back to the town.

Mary R

Jul 2014

My sisters and I went for the whale trip on JUly 10, 2014. We had a fantastic time. Pete, Heather, and Caitlin (the crew) were all wonderful to us, fun to be with, and knowledgable and informative. And I think they enjoyed the orcas as much as we did ;) It was clear that they were doing their best to make sure we saw whales and luckily the orcas cooperated! We saw anout 25 different whales and watched them for about 1.5 hours! It was a highlight of my life. Also the boat was clean and comfortable and all in all it was a terrific experience!