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

Fri 25 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Fri 25 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)

Surisa L

Jul 2019

My daughters (7 & 4 years old) and I went on an excursion and got to see 7 individual orcas. Olivia was our Naturalist and simply incredible! Her passion and knowledge about Orcas and marine life was refreshing and really inspired my children. In fact, my older daughter said that she wished Olivia was her cousin so she could visit her. The entire experience was wonderful and all the small details were taken care of. They had warm blankets and raincoats for us. I would highly recommended using them. We already plan to return next year!

Response from Host

Jul 2019

Hi Surisa L! Wow! It sounds like you had an amazing once in a lifetime experience on your whale watch and wildlife tour! We're so happy that you had a good time with Olivia, we feel so lucky to have her as a part of our team. We can't wait to see you next year! Brian Goodremont and the crew at San Juan Safaris Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris

Jennifer M

Jul 2019

Jordan was our Naturalist and was very knowledgeable and personable. Erick was our Captain and both were exceptional. We weren't sure if we would see any Orcas at all but were blessed to see a pod of about 5 including a baby. Erick anchored the boat and let us just sit and watch while the pod played and swam around. Definitely the highlight of our trip the PNC and would highly recommend San Juan Safaris. They did their best to try and find Orcas and then gave us ample time to watch and learn about them in their natural habitat.

Response from Host

Jul 2019

Hi Jennifer M! Thank you so much for your kind review. I am so happy that you and your party enjoyed your time out on the water with Captain Erick and Jordan. It sounds like you had exceptional sightings while visiting us in the San Juan Islands. Thank you for joining us, we hope to see you again! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris

Nick P

Jul 2019

We went on the rib trip with San Juan. The boat is really comfortable but fast so can travel the distance to wherever the whales were spotted really quickly. On board we had a really knowledgeable naturalist who gave us information about the wildlìfe. We managed to find the whale group off Vancouver island, which was quite a distance but well worth it. A great trip and going by rib is a great way to get the best view. Highly recommended

Response from Host

Jul 2019

Hi Nick P! Thank you for taking the time to review your experience out on the water! It sounds like you had a great day out on our Adventure Whale Watch aboard M/V Kestrel. It's true, that boat can cover quite a bit of distance in its three to four hour tours and oftentimes it is the best option for reaching wildlife on the very edge of our range. We are so happy that we got to share some whales with you! Come see us again soon! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris