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)

diaz_alex09

May 2019

So as much as they say it is likely to spot a whale or orca, there is no guarantee. We were out on the water for hours and it seemed less and less likely that we would spot something. But the captain held us out there as long as we were able to. Big Tip: DO NOT plan anything for hours after the tour and bring small snacks & water. You want to be able to stay on the water as long as possible. This is the best bet. After almost FOUR hours we finally found a pod of orcas. The captain is very respectful and we stay far from the animals and only linger to observe for a short time. (The experience is very stressful for the animals). I will definitely be doing this tour again!!

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Hi diaz_alex09! It sounds like you had quite the adventure! We never know where orcas will pop up day to day, but we are so happy you got to see whales. Thank you for acknowledging our respectful operation around wildlife. Operating under federal laws and best practice guidelines developed by the leading whale biologists and acoustic scientists, whale watching has been shown to have no impact on behavior of these amazing animals. We are proud to be considered to be one of the industry leaders out on the water, and loved being able to share these amazing animals with you in a respectful manner. Thank you so much for joining us out on the water, we hope to see you again soon! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris

Dale P

May 2019

My wife, granddaughter and I reserved our spots on a whale watching adventure online two months ahead of time for Tuesday, May 14th 2019. We shared the 55 foot Sea Lion with only 5 other people. The captain and tour guide were great...and the boat was extremely nice and comfy. The really neat thing about these whale watching tours is that all whale watching boats interact with each other to let each one know about sightings. Within a very short time we were enjoying two huge pods of Orcas. I would highly recommend San Juan Safaris for your next whale watching excursion from Friday Harbor, WA.

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Hi Dale! Thank you so much for your kind words! We loved getting you out on the water on May 14th, and are so happy that we were able to share some of our amazing local wildlife with you! M/V Sea Lion is a staff favorite, and such an amazing educational platform, we are so happy that you enjoyed your time onboard. Thank you for joining us in the San Juan Islands, hope to see you again soon! Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris

LaurieP884

May 2019

I highly recommend this company for whale watching. I took the whale watching tour on May 4th. The crew members were very educated about the animals in ten area, and were super friendly too! We were so incredibly lucky to see many seals, many porpoises, and ORCAS!!! Our crew members were respectful of their space, and taught us a lot about them. They were gorgeous! I’m so glad I went out with them.

Response from Host

Jun 2019

Hi Laurie! Thank you for your glowing review! We are glad that you got to see so much wildlife including ORCAS! Thank you for noting how respectful our vessel was out on the water. We take pride in our respectful operation around wildlife, and we are so glad that left a lasting impression. We are also so glad that you felt as though you learned something aboard our boat!! We love being ecosystem ambassadors for this magical place. Come see us again if you are ever back in the San Juan Islands. Brian Goodremont Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris