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

New York City Tours

Unique Activities (21) Transfers & Transportation (103) Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises (113) Entry Tickets (47) Sporting Events (1) Good for Small Groups (6) Seasonal & Holiday Tours (41) Walking Tours (697) Outdoor Activities (20) Limitied Availability Tours (6) LGBT Friendly Tours (4) Family-friendly Activities (7) Solo Travelers' Tours (147) Food & Drinks (27) Travelers recommend (73) Good for Groups (8) Top Activities (18) Guided Audio Tours (3) Art, Culture & History (135) Attractions to explore (38)

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)

N9302QPnancy

Aug 2021

Amazing trip - we are so thankful for this extraordinary day not only in terms of the beautiful weather, but because of the whale sightings. We know they were no guarantees that whales would be about while we were out, so WOW what a delight to find a pod of 5 orcas within the first 20-30 minutes of leaving the harbor. We got some really good looks at all of them, and I even got some good footage on my cell phone of the whales swimming in close proximity to some lucky kayakers. We spent a fair amount of time with this pod (I wasn't watching the clock but we definitely had plenty of time with these whales). Then we were told that the pilot was informed of another pod in a different location, so we headed out aways and located that pod of 4 orcas. I'm pretty sure that it's not typical to find more than one pod on an outing, and we saw two pods with a total of 9 whales. WOW!!! Also, the naturalist onboard was really good about talking to everyone about what we were seeing - making a trip to all parts of the boat to make sure we all had the latest information and had a chance to ask her questions. This was the first whale watching trip for my 5-year-old granddaughter, who was delighted with the sightings and shadowed Abby (the naturalist) all over the boat , listening intently to all she had to say. Of course the whales were the biggest excitement for us, but we also saw a bald eagle, plenty of harbor seals, and a porpoise - not to mention the phenomenal scenery of the islands and the pleasure of being on the water. I opted for this particular trip because of it's departure point and am thrilled with the decision. Thumbs up to Abby and Pete!!!

trip1234wr

Aug 2021

Not worth $465 for our family. Saw about 10 dorsal fins from a distance. Never got close enough to truly see anything without binoculars. We saw 4 bald eagles and a few seals. We saw more wildlife from our $30 ferry ride into Friday Harbor.

megangI8505FM

Aug 2021

This experience blew my mind! We saw a three-family whale reunion and sat in the boat surrounded by whales for about an hour. One came within feet of our boat. Our naturalist was so fun and knowledgable (Maxx!) and I cannot recommend this experience enough!