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Whale Watching from Friday Harbor
San Juan Islands, USA
From $135.00
Select Date and Travelers
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
- 4 hours
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get up close with the orca whales off the San Juan Islands near Seattle on this 4-hour whale-watching cruise. San Juan Island is where the southern resident killer whales live about six months out of the year, from mid-April to October. It’s also considered the best place to view orca whales.
- Seattle whale watching
- Experience the best killer whale watching area, off San Juan Island, near Seattle
- Whales have been viewed on over 90% of the tours
- You will be guaranteed see marine mammals
What's Included
- Whale Watching Cruise
- Local taxes
- Transport to/from Friday Harbor from Seattle
- Gratuities
- Port Fee (USD1.00 per person)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Friday Harbor, WA 98250, USA
San Juan Safaris' office is located on Front Street, to the right, in the lower level of the 2 story gray building. Downriggers Restaurant is on the top floor.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
For the best whale-watching in Seattle, enjoy the beauty of San Juan Island on a whale-watching cruise from Friday Harbor, a quaint town on the island. San Juan Island is considered the best place to view orca whales because of the large salmon population, which is their primary food source. Salmon travel up and down the west coast of the island and some of the outlying areas, so it makes it a perfect place to see orca whale activity.
Climb on board the fast, new 55-foot MV Sea Lion, complete with a heated cabin, with windows, that seats up to 24 travelers. Add the walk-around deck and 40 or fewer guests can fit comfortably on this vessel.
While it’s not guaranteed that killer whales will be seen on this tour, there is more than a 90 percent chance. Plus, there is an even greater chance of seeing minke, humpback and gray whales. Seeing marine mammals, well, that’s a sure thing.
Want a more intimate tour? Join the special small-group tour, with a maximum capacity of 12 people.
Note: The schedule for the ferry to San Juan Island changes seasonally and has specific departure times. Please ask about the latest Washington State Ferry schedule to ensure you arrive with enough time to make your way to the tour departure point.
Climb on board the fast, new 55-foot MV Sea Lion, complete with a heated cabin, with windows, that seats up to 24 travelers. Add the walk-around deck and 40 or fewer guests can fit comfortably on this vessel.
While it’s not guaranteed that killer whales will be seen on this tour, there is more than a 90 percent chance. Plus, there is an even greater chance of seeing minke, humpback and gray whales. Seeing marine mammals, well, that’s a sure thing.
Want a more intimate tour? Join the special small-group tour, with a maximum capacity of 12 people.
Note: The schedule for the ferry to San Juan Island changes seasonally and has specific departure times. Please ask about the latest Washington State Ferry schedule to ensure you arrive with enough time to make your way to the tour departure point.
San Juan Island
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 3 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- For maximum safety children under 2 should be in a harness carrier strapped to a parent and remain in the cabin
- Service animals allowed
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
Patrick_B
Sunny backdrop of Mount Baker made the view postcard perfect! The informative guide gave us a lot of great insights into these amazing creatures. Also we saw bald eagles and Stellar sea lions.
Reviews
5.0
697 reviews
Tammy_O, May 2024
We saw many Orcas on the trip along with a variety of wildlife. The naturalist/guide was excellent, very knowledgeable.
William_B, Apr 2024
The guide was very knowledgeable of whales and the local waters. She and the captain worked very hard to find a whale for us. We found a humpback names ZIGZAG and it was incredible.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thanks for the great review William, we're glad you had a great time out on the water with us!
Brenda_L, Apr 2024
Kelly is a terrific tour guide and teacher. We learned so much about whales and other mammals in the region. Thanks for a great day!
Eileen_A, Sep 2023
EVERYTHING!! Even if we had not gotten to see TWO different pods, the experience was out of this world! From the moment we ran onto the boat (island time ferry schedule) we were greeted with smiles. Everyone was so accommodating and helpful. We learned so much from all the information that was given to us.
The most important thing to us, was the care that has been taken, in protecting the whales in their environment. From the way they drive the boat, to the partnering with the UW. We were so impressed!! We highly recommend this company for ANY excursions.
As I says earlier, you are not guaranteed to see any whales, but we were lucky enough to see two.
They are the most beautiful and majestic creatures. The time we spent on the water in their habitat, was worth every penny!!!
Thank you for everything!!!
Crystal & Eileen Adams
Laurie_W, Sep 2023
Elle & Gabe did a great job. Elle so friendly - knowledgeable. Learned so much about the area and whales!
Deborah_M, Sep 2023
Well run tour. Enjoyed all the information provided by the guide, who was a marine biologist intimately familiar with all the wildlife we saw. Safe, exciting and we saw Orcas, a humpback whale, harbor seals, sea lions, and porpoises. Highly recommend!
Joseph_W, Sep 2023
We had a wonderful experience in the classic whale watching tour from Friday Harbor. We got to see 3 orcas and 1 humpback whale. The ride was smooth on a comfortable boat that did not feel overly crowded, which gave us space to move around for pictures and videos. The staff was also very informative. Highly recommend!
Rob_S, Aug 2023
The staff were friendly, the boat was comfortable and well maintained. We got to see sea lions and a bald eagle in addition to an elusive Minke Whale. I was hoping for a more complete whale watching experience (blowholes, breaching and the like) but you can’t always get what you want.
Donna_G, Jul 2023
Our captain got word of a couple of whales north of us he got us to the whale pretty quickly. This whale actually turned south and we were able to spend some significant time. It was an amazing experience. We also saw sea lions, Harbor seals, bald eagles, and Harbor porpoise.
The crew and the boat were great.
Susan_K, Jun 2023
Boat tour was on time and staff was very informative. We followed some humpback whales and got some good views. The boat ride was comfortable and not over-crowded. Weather was sunny with clear skies. I was very impressed with all aspects of this beautiful tour. A highlight of our family visit.
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Whale Watching from Friday Harbor
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