One incredible perk of Washington’s beautiful outdoors and proximity to vast nature and coastal land is the opportunity to enjoy whale watching. Whale watching is a beloved pastime for tourists and residents alike — and it's no secret as to why — these majestic creatures are awe-inspiring. Luckily, the northwest corner of Washington state provides some of the best opportunities in the world to view these beautiful sea mammals in their natural habitat. To give you the best chance to view these impressive creatures, Our INNSiders have assembled a guide to whale watching in Washington state year-round.
Paid Tours
Paid tours allow you to have the most intimate views of wildlife possible while respecting the space of the animals. These tours vary in length, type of vessel, group size, location and more. It may take some time to research the best option for your adventure, but here are some highly rated whale watching tours in the Pacific Northwest.
Island Adventures: Anacortes is a charming waterfront city in Skagit County, popularly known as the gateway to the San Juan Islands. Here you can find the flagship location of Island Adventures, a locally owned whale watching company. The vast experience of their team and the quality services they provide have earned them an outstanding reputation. In addition to their regular whale watching tours, they offer specialty tours characteristic of an extended-range cruise and private charters. The Anacortes location operates year-round with an experienced naturalist on board to educate you on the different types of whales, wildlife and history of the region. Additionally, Island Adventures has a location in Everett — a 30-minute drive from Seattle — with limited operations in the springtime and a focus on gray whales. Learn more about the Everett tour here.
San Juan Safaris: San Juan Safaris has provided visitors with high-quality whale watching tours for over 20 years and won a certificate of excellence from TripAdviser three years in a row. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to experience the orcas, seals, sea lions and more. Their focus is on your experience and respectful viewing of the surrounding wildlife. San Juan Safaris is located right off the ferry terminal in Friday Harbor and is close to local eateries and shops on the waterfront. Plan your excursion with San Juan Safaris here.
Maya’s Legacy Charters: Another incredible option for your whale watching tour is Maya’s Legacy Charters. Specializing in small group tours, this locally loved business delivers an intimate viewing of wildlife on the Salish Sea. They offer three types of tours from Friday Harbor and are fully equipped with a passionate and knowledgeable crew ready to help you have the experience of a lifetime.
San Juan Excursions: A short walk from the ferry landing in Friday Harbor will bring you to San Juan Excursions. Reviewers boast about their experiences with this company, raving about the comfortable ride, attentive and knowledgeable staff and of course the success of spotting whales in their natural habitat. This may be your best option for a group chartered cruise.
Puget Sound Express: Travel south of the San Juan Islands for the Puget Sound Express, which offers a variety of whale watching tours from Edmonds, Port Townsend and Port Angeles. Their tours provide a guarantee of whale sightings or you’ll receive a voucher for a cruise on a later date. Additionally, they serve an amazing blueberry buckle coffee cake baked right on the boat! Learn what each tour has to offer here.
These tours are just a few of many in the region offering spectacular views of orcas, humpback whales, gray whales and minke whales in the wild against the backdrop of the stunning PNW.
Whale Watching From Land
If you get seasick easily or want to explore more from the shore, there are many opportunities to spot whales and other marine life from land; but don’t forget a pair of binoculars. Below are locations worth checking out during your whale watching adventure. Additionally, the Orca Network provides a Google map where you can find whale sighting viewpoints along the Puget Sound.
On the west end of San Juan Island, Lime Kiln State Park sits on a bluff that looks out onto Haro Strait and the Salish Sea. Visitors have a high chance of spotting orcas, porpoises, gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales from May through September, with peak seasons depending on salmon runs. A wonderful feature of this park is the Lime Kiln Point Interpretive Center which features orca-focused interactive displays and activities for educational purposes.
Alki Beach in West Seattle is a long stretch of park along the Puget Sound. Oftentimes seals are in the area, which indicates that orca whales are not too far away. Whales are spotted year-round from here but you might have better luck in the fall and winter months.
If you’re exploring the Olympic Peninsula, Salt Creek Recreation Area is located in Port Angeles and is open year-round. Sitting on 196-acres of wilderness adjacent to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, this park is an ideal location for spotting gray whales, orcas and more.
Each of these locations are reported to have a high success rate of seeing marine wildlife from the shore, while offering an abundance of Pacific Northwest beauty to relish in. While whales are typically the stars of the show, the Pacific coast is home to over 30 species of marine animals! Keep in mind there are two species of orca whales. The residents – known as the J, K and L pods – are endangered orcas that feed on chinook salmon as their main diet. The transient orcas feed on mammals and are flourishing due to the abundance of food which includes octopus, seals, sea lions and more. If you travel by a Washington State Ferry to these destinations or others around the Puget Sound, be on the lookout for orcas and other whales. You just might be able to spot one from your ride!
Tips For Whale Watching
Without the expertise of certified naturalists on a whale watching tour, you may not know what to look for. The Whale Trail offers tips that may help you identify these majestic creatures.
- Look for stopped boats. This could sometimes mean that other people are whale watching on the water. They may have stopped because they had sightings, so it doesn’t hurt to follow the leader.
- Scan the water slowly. Look from left to right as well as close to the shore and out across the horizon, and keep your eyes peeled for anything that breaks the surface of the water.
- Look for movement. Oftentimes, driftwood or logs are mistaken for a marine mammal. If what you see is staying still for quite some time, it's probably not what you’re looking for.
It is also important to remember that like us, marine mammals need their space. Getting too close to the whales can disrupt their activities and cause stress. San Juan Island Visitors Bureau offers tips to be ‘Whale Wise’ and respect the wildlife.
- Be cautious, courteous and quiet.
- Look in all directions before approaching or departing.
- Limit your viewing time to 30 minutes or less.
The areas mentioned in this article are renowned locations for successful whale watching. Of course, you may want to dedicate more than a single day to this adventure. Consider staying for a weekend at one of the incredible inns in or near Seattle, the San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula.
