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

Thu 24 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Thu 24 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)

Monica D

Sep 2019

These people are great. I made a mistake booking and booked it for the same day. They called me within minutes to confirm if that was correct, and when I told them it wasn't they fixed it right away!!! This was an incredible experience. The weather was great and I was shocked how calm the waters were, no seasickness at all. They gave us blankets if we were cold. The naturalists were super knowledgeable and friendly. We got to see a couple orcas and they told us all about them. It was an excellent deal and it was just amazing.

Response from Host

Sep 2019

Hi Monica D, Thank you so much for your kind review of your experience whale watching with us. We are so happy that we met your expectations from the moment you booked to the moment you disembarked our vessel. It sounds like you got to see some great wildlife, and I'm so happy that you enjoyed your crew members. We work had to employ passionate and professional educators on our boats. We hope that you had fun and feel as though you learned something about this magical place too! We hope to see you again! Brian Goodremont and the crew at San Juan Safaris Owner/Operator

ohhidaniel

Sep 2019

My wife, daughter and I went on the afternoon Adventure Whale Watch & Wildlife tour a few weeks ago in mid-August and it was an absolutely fantastic experience. Our captain, Gabe, and naturalist, Laura, were friendly, informative, and completely invested in everyone having a great time. Though it was a warm day on the island, we quickly realized why we needed our suits as soon as the boat got up to full speed. It's chilly out on the water, even on a warm summer day! As far as wildlife spotting goes, our tour did not disappoint, as we saw humpbacks (playfully slapping the water and showing off), orcas (who killed a porpoise basically right in front of us), harbor seals, sea lions, eagles and deer. Watching the humpbacks in particular was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Laura mentioned that it was one of the best tours that she had ever led, so we considered ourselves lucky. We realized towards the end of the tour that we would be running very short on time to catch our ferry boat back to Anacortes. We let the crew know, and they did a fabulous job of getting us back to the dock just in time to catch the ferry. It took a full sprint to get on the boat, but the San Juan Safari crew really saved us from being stuck on the island all night! (So just a bonus tip for you: if you have a ferry to catch after, let the crew know early so you don't cut it as close as we did!) We look forward to doing this trip again one day. It was incredible!

Response from Host

Sep 2019

Hi ohhidaniel, Thank you so much for your review of your experience on your Adventure Whale and Wildlife tour. We are so happy that your expectations were totally met by your experience and that you got to see so much wildlife! It sounds like you had a once-in-a-lifetime type of trip. Laura and Gabe are such gems, we are so lucky to have such caring and passionate outdoor professionals on our staff and we are so glad that you had a great time with them. Thank you again for your review, we'll plan on seeing you again soon! Brian Goodremont and the crew at San Juan Safaris Owner/Operator

oreoandkitkat

Sep 2019

We recently visited our son in the Seattle area and decided to take a whale watching tour. We chose San Juan safaris classic whale watch. The staff was very friendly and there were 2 whale experts on board, Erin and Piper who were so knowledgeable and passionate about their work. Coming from Seattle, you must drive to Anacortes and catch the ferry to Friday Harbor. It is a scenic 1 hour ride. Friday harbor is a quaint town of little shops and eateries and that is where you catch your whale watching boat. We not only got to see 3 separate pods of orcas, but we got an extra treat when the captain spotted a humpback whale on the return to Friday Harbor. Amazing to watch them in open waters. Would love to take my grandchildren some day on our next visit out west.

Response from Host

Sep 2019

Hi oreoandkitkat, Thank you so much for your kind review of your experience on your whale and wildlife tour. We are so happy that you got to see so much wildlife and that you enjoyed your crew! We can't wait to host you and your grandchildren on your next visit! See you soon, Brian Goodremont and the crew at San Juan Safaris Owner/Operator