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

Mon 21 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Mon 21 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)

ma6907

Jun 2014

We went whale watching with San Juan Safaris in June 2014. We booked the air package from Seattle on a seaplane to Friday harbor and then took the boat out from there. It was simply a wonderful experience from the flight out all the way to the flight back. We got to spend a few hours wandering around Friday harbor and then boarded the boat. The naturalists on board were very knowledgable. We were informed that orcas had been sighted and drove straight to them. The trip was about 4 hours and we spent probably 40 min getting to the orcas, 3 hours watching them and 30 min getting back. There were (estimated) 35-50 orcas that we parked in the middle of and watched. it seemed like hundreds the way that they kept popping up around the boats. The captains are all in contact so I suspect that any tour you take would get you to the whales, but I can see no reason to take any other boat--it was smooth and nice with plenty of room for everyone on the boat to watch from whatever viewing platform that they wish (inside, outside, standing, sitting, sitting on the roof, sitting on the back, front--whatever). The naturalists were very nice and answered all questions (sometimes with an, 'I don't know that" for some questions but always an answer.) They were able to identify each whale by name and tell stories about them. Plenty of literature on the boat to learn as you go. Evan a whole section of kids whale literature. If you are thinking about doing this, then do it. I know that finding whales is a hit or miss proposition and if you get a tour and don't see whales, then I suspect that you would have a different experience. If it is possible to see so many whales for so long that you are ready to go back--then this was our experience. At the end when it was time to go back, it was kind of like, "Oh, ok. That was fun. We have seen all the whales"

sskny

Jun 2014

I had the best time whale watching with San Juan Safaris. We had so many unique and unbelievable experiences with the Orca whales. The captain was able to find us transient Orca whales visiting the area, and we got there just in time to see them feeding. We also saw many different resident Orcas, including multiple views of them playing around, jumping, flipping, and having fun. At the same time, our naturalist was so knowledgeable, sharing different facts about the killer whales. Not only did we have an amazing time with Killer Whales, but we also saw bald eagles, otters, and great views of nearby islands. My only regret was that I didnt bring a fancy camera. We did a package with Kenmore air, which was really convenient for a day trip from Seattle. This is a must do if you're in the Seattle area.

Chad F

Jun 2014

What a great day we had with San Juan Safaris! The naturalists were bubbly and just as excites as we were to see orcas. Their knowledge of the various pods was exceptional and really helped us understand orca behavior. Our captain was great in finding the whales and getting close while respecting their space. A great orca experience, we will travel with San Juan Safaris again!