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 26 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Sat 26 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)

631freddiez

May 2019

Saw four orcas! One humpback whale! One dozen of sea lions! Guides are amazingly professional and friendly. Highly recommended.

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Hi 631freddiez! Thank you so much for leaving a review! It sounds like you had an amazing day out on the water, and got to see a little bit of everything! Thank you for giving our crew a shout out, I will make sure your review reaches them! Thank you so much for joining us out on the water, we hope to see you again! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris

Justin10011

May 2019

We went out on an 11am "Adventure Whale Watch" tour on the Kestrel boat on a Sunday in mid May and had a really great time. Captain Gabe and naturalist Alexandria were fantastic. Although there were no orca sightings yet that day when we left Friday Harbor, we heard from the spotting network that there were transients just across the Canadian border not long after the tour started. It didn't take long at all to get there, and when we arrived there was a group of 5 or 6 very active orca having a meal (lots of birds swarming overhead for scraps). There were lots of tail slaps, some wonderful breaches, and plenty of swimming around giving us good views of saddle patches, dorsal fins, and eye patches. Alexandria did a great job narrating what we were seeing and was very informative; her passion for her work really came through. We also saw at least half a dozen bald eagles, including a couple that had a mid-air fight over a carcass on Spiden Island! We also saw some harbor seals, and it was touching to hear Alexandria tell us about her work rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing pinnipeds in Southern California. The Kestrel was excellent -- pretty smooth ride on a slightly windy day, with very good viewing from every seat. It was nice that the crew kept the number of passengers below the maximum that would fit (and there were people showing up in the office looking to join), which kept it from feeling crowded and allowed for movement to get good views. (Although there are no bad seats, we also liked how Captain Gabe and Alexandria boarded the passengers in order that they'd booked, which seems like a nice idea to reward early booking and keep people from rushing to the front of the line.) Captain Gabe was very respectful of the orca when we were observing them, and as marine mammal fans we appreciated that he and Alexandria explained why we were viewing them the way he were (i.e., from a certain distance, for the length of time that we did, etc.). Overall, a great trip. Highly recommended!

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Hi Justin! Thank you so much for your kind review. We are so happy that you had an excellent experience on our Adventure Tour, it sounds like you saw some amazing wildlife! We are so lucky to work within the Pacific Whale Watch Association and our sighting network that encompasses all of these waters surrounding the San Juan Islands. Thank you for acknowledging Alexandria's educational narration as well as Captain Gabe's respectful operation around wildlife. We take great pride in respecting this environment and providing an excellent educational and fun experience out on the water! Thank you for joining us, hope to see you again soon! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris

Matt M

May 2019

We had tons of fun on this trip! The crew is knowledgeable and friendly, we didn’t see any orcas, but we did see a humpback whale, seals, a minke whale, and dolphins. The crew told us cool stories about the islands and held happy conversations! Would recommend this to anyone!

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Hi Matt! We are so happy that you had tons of fun! Thank you for giving our crew a shout out, it sounds like you saw so much wildlife! We really appreciate your review, and hope to see you again soon out here in the San Juan Islands! Thanks again! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris