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 05 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Sat 05 Jul

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

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)

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!

Matt T

Jul 2014

Great adventure. The "naturalists" Heather and Kaitlin were excellent answering many questions about what they do. They really made the trip much more interesting. Something that could have been conveyed better is the rules for the whale watching boats. Not being aware of these rules I was wondering why we didn't get closer. Why we didn't get in front of the whales and let them swim by. Bring a telephoto lens for your camera. A standard lens just doesn't do the job when you have to remain 200 yards away from the whales. A visit to the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor either before or after the boat ride is worthwhile.