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)

anneb1229

Jul 2018

So happy that we booked our whale watching excursion with San Juan Safaris! It was our last day on the island and we hadn’t seen any whales. Thank you Ashley for booking us on the 5:30pm tour. We hit the jackpot! Your crew, Captain Mike and Erick, were great and knowledgeable. We were so lucky and were in complete awe to be up close & personal with these beautiful orcas. Thank you again for this once in a lifetime experience!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Many thanks for your review, Anne! We really enjoyed having you on the water. Glad to hear that we met our goal of creating the best whale watch & wildlife tour experience on San Juan Island. Your videos from your sunset tour are incredible, and we shared them on our Facebook page. Thank you for sharing! Visit us again in the future! Brian G. Owner & Operator San Juan Safaris San Juan Island, WA

09876

Jul 2018

This was a wonderful sunset trip. We started at 5.30 and were back just before 9 p.m.The scenery was simply gorgeous, and the weather cooperated, giving us brilliant skies. It was hot at first, and then turned chilly on the water. The crew handed out blankets to anyone who needed them. We'd come prepared, with multiple layers of clothing in a backpack. I started with a t-shirt, added an overshirt, added a travel vest, added a windcheater coat and a knit cap and a scarf. (Others did a lot less.) We had a couple of small kids aboard, including one in our own party. The boat had toys and books to keep them entertained. The inside cabin made a safe space for them to play out of the wind, though of course with adult supervision. On the deck, they needed to wear the provided life vests. The MV Sealion was small enough to be fast, but large enough to be stable. The two naturalists on board, Jordan and Rachel, were knowledgeable and friendly and good with answering questions. I learned about the transient and resident orca populations, and why they don't interbreed despite overlapping ranges. We saw harbor seals, bald eagles, and best of all, a pod of 4 adult and one baby orca, from the transient population. (Rachel afterward showed us precisely which ones they were, from a whale identifier.) All in all, as near perfect a trip as I can imagine.

paige62018

Jul 2018

Fantastic, well organized, and a great overall trip. Though seeing wildlife is never a given, we were able to view bald eagles, harbor seals, harbor porpoises, a humpback whale, and several families of orcas! We so appreciated San Juan Safaris' emphasis on respectful ecotourism, conservation, and educating the public. Shout-out to the two Naturalists on board, Sarah and Jordan, who were not only incredibly knowledgeable about whales, ecology, and the islands, but also so welcoming to every single person on board the boat. 10/10 would go back again!!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Hi Paige! Thank you for sharing a testimonial of your San Juan Safaris experience. At the heart of what we do is emphasis respectful wildlife viewing! We'll be sure to pass on your kudos to naturalists/hosts, Sarah and Jordan. Visit us again when you find yourself back in the PNW. Thanks again! Brian Goodremont Captain & Owner San Juan Safaris