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

Sun 27 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Sun 27 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)

JAF4

Aug 2018

My wife and I are huge nature lovers, so I'll start there, but even given that, it is hard to put into words how incredible it is to get up close to the Orcas in the San Juan Islands. We did the 10 am tour on the boat and loved every minute of it. The exposure suits (included for free) kept us warm the entire time, even my wife who is always freezing. We started the tour with an overview of the region, the ecology, the different life forms that live there and some history on human's impact on the region as well. We then sped off to see some seals and sea lions lounging around. We learned more about them and got super close which was awesome to see, even for a Californian (me) that sees them all the time. From there we took off for about a 10 minute cruise and after only a couple minutes, I could see about a dozen boats on the horizon that were obviously not fishing boats, so I started to get excited that we were going to see the Orcas. Well, they were there and we spent the next hour and a half anywhere from 50 to 500 yards away from about 15 orcas. They split up, they fished, they swam, the jumped and splashed and did normal whale stuff. We thought we might catch a fleeting glimpse of the whales on the horizon as they were cruising by or something like that. Our experience was way better than I could have ever hoped for. That said, the whales are wild and don't always cooperate, I'm sure. But when they do, it's pretty amazing. On a personal note, our naturalist and captain were super friendly, informative and overall really nice people. They let everyone crawl all over the boat to get photos and walk all to one side. The boat is more than big enough for the number of people they allow so it feels super stable the whole time. I get sea sick pretty often and had zero issues that day without taking any medication either. Highly recommend San Juan Safaris!

Response from Host

Sep 2018

Wow! Thank you for your kind words. We work very hard to provide the highest quality whale & wildlife viewing experience in the San Juan Islands. Thank you for letting us know we succeeded! Glad we were able to create a memorable tour for you and your wife. Please be sure to come visit us again the next time your find yourself in the San Juans! Sincerely, Brian Goodremont Owner & Captain San Juan Safaris

Trisha F

Aug 2018

Wow! This was awesome. My mom and I booked about 10 days in advance and got the last two seats on the Saturday afternoon booking on Sea Lion. Weather was great - bring a jacket but they also have blankets onboard. Guides were friendly, kind and really really knowledgable. Captain did a great job navigating the boat so we could get awesome photos of Rocky and Tumbo! Transient orca whales! So cool!!

Response from Host

Oct 2018

Hello Trisha! So happy to hear you enjoyed your trip out with us! We pride ourselves on having skilled captains and enthusiastic naturalists and crew that are just what you said- kind, friendly and knowledgeable! So glad you got to spend time on the water with those Transient orcas; Rocky and Tumbo are some of our favorites to see! Thanks for your kind review, Brian Captain & Owner San Juan Safaris

Shelby L

Aug 2018

This was our first time in Washington and going whale watching. Ashley called me in the morning to let us know that the ferry could run a little late and to try & catch the earlier one. Unfortunately we were far away but I called when we were getting off the ferry and they were very nice & patient. This entire trip was so wonderful. The boat ride itself was very nice, especially if you have never visited the islands or the pacific. We saw orcas, sea lions, seals, and bald eagles. This experience was one we will never forget! Thank you San Juan Safaris! Very wonderful captain and naturalists on board.

Response from Host

Oct 2018

Hello Shelby! Thank you so much for your kind words and review! Our staff and crew always aim to provide the best experience we can- and I am happy to hear that we fulfilled your expectations! The San Juan Islands is a truly special place, and we are so happy you were able to join us during your trip to Washington! Cheers, Brian Captain & Owner San Juan Safaris