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Washington (WA)
San Juan Islands
Things to Do in San Juan Islands
San Juan Safaris
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San Juan Safaris

See all things to do
See all things to do
San Juan Safaris
5
717
#11 of 70 Outdoor Activities in San Juan Islands
Boat Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Private Tours
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10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
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About
The waters surrounding San Juan Island are the #1 place in North America to see wild orca whales. San Juan Safaris, located in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, is in the perfect location to provide you with the thrill of seeing orcas in their natural habitat. For over 20 years, San Juan Safaris has been offering the highest quality whale watching tours with a focus on our guests’ experiences and respectful wildlife viewing. Experience orcas, seals, sea lions, eagles, and more from the comfort of our safe, fast, and US Coast Guard approved vessels. With four vessels and multiple daily departure times, there’s sure to be a tour that’s right for you. Our seasoned Captains will keep you safe while aboard our vessels and position the boat in prime locations for whale and wildlife viewing. All of our tours are staffed by seasoned Captains and passionate Marine Naturalists who will teach you about the wildlife, ecology, and geology of the Salish Sea. We encourage you to ask questions and love to share stories about orcas and the local area. Choose from two vessel tours: M/V Sea Lion: The Sea Lion is our flagship vessel, built specifically for whale watching & wildlife viewing. 55 feet, comfortable, stable, great for passengers of all ages and mobility levels. Restroom on board, 360* viewing deck, heated inside cabin. Great for families and groups. M/V Kestrel: The Kestrel is our new high-speed adventure vessel-- perfect for anyone looking for an exciting excursion! Fast, safe, and comfortable. 360* viewing deck, all-weather exposure suits keep you warm and dry, plus on board marine bathroom. Fun and fast! This tour is great for passengers 8 years and older. Our brand new Whale Watch Headquarters is located just feet from the ferry terminal in Friday Harbor, and steps from local restaurants and shops. Stop by and say “hello” to learn more about our tours and the best spots on San Juan Island to explore. Visit our retail and gift shop for the latest in northwest guide style. Don’t forget to stop by our new Ridetide Café for coffee, sandwiches, desserts, and more!
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Tours and Tickets by San Juan Safaris
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
717 reviews
Excellent
666
Very good
30
Average
10
Poor
9
Terrible
2
Sky
1 contribution
Amazing whale watching experience!
Jun 2020
San Juan Safaris was the perfect pick for whale watching in Friday Harbor. They were so accommodating and professional. I called late in the week inquiring about their sold out tours, and was pleasantly surprised when they called back the next day asking if I could make a sunset tour they were going to run the next day, Saturday. On the tour, we saw a pod of 8 Orcas, and lots of other wildlife. Our naturalist Laura was so knowledgeable and our captain kept us right up with the Orcas even through rough waters. Thanks for a great trip everyone!
Written July 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Robin V
North Bend, OR37 contributions
My dreams came true!
Jun 2022
My dream has always been to see orcas in their natural habitat. San Juan Safaris DID NOT DISAPOINT!! I've been on many a whale watching tours and this one was by far the best. Max and Eric were great. You could hear Max's enthusiasm about the orcas and anything that belongs to the sea. He was so informative and passionate; he made the trip even better with all of his knowledge. We sat and watched the BIGG's pod frolic for about an hour and it was absolutely magical. We took the adventure whale watch & wildlife tour. I would highly recommend this boat and San Juan Safaris for your whale watching tour.
Review of: Whale Watching from Friday Harbor
Written July 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TBrady
Ann Arbor, United States12 contributions
Awe inspiring experience
Sep 2020
We have gone on 2 trips with this company and had great fun both times. The first trip was in July with my son. Saw a lot of Minke whales and other marine mammals that trip. The second trip was just my partner and I. The crew went the extra mile, literally, to find a pod of Southern Resident Killer Whales. We were about as far north as we could get without crossing into Canadian waters. (Border closed due to Covid-19). We stayed out for 4.5 hours to get the best experience possible. The naturalists do a great job explaining everything. Saw quite a few Harbor Porpoises on the trip out, too. Was just an excellent experience. Will be back for more rides in the future as I can’t see that this will ever get old for me. As a bonus, this company donates a portion of each ticket price back towards conservation efforts, which I applaud.
Written September 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Brandon H
Petersburg, KY1 contribution
Can't Wait to Come Back
Jul 2020 • Solo
Had one free day on a recent work trip to Seattle and decided to spend it at Friday Harbor. Ended up booking an Adventure Whale Watching tour with San Juan Safaris to get out on the water in their zodiac. Captain Brian (who just so happens to own the company) and his Naturalist Olivia had us suited up and on the whales in no time. This duo made sure we all had a great trip, and even walked away a little more educated than we were when we arrived. We were fortunate enough to see a handful or killer whales, and the closed out the trip with a humpback sighting. Overall it was a great experience with some great people. Will for sure look to come back with my wife and hopefully enjoy this experience again!
Written July 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Alejandra G
1 contribution
Amazing experience
Sep 2020
The most valuable and important thing for me was having a knowledgeable, passionate tour guide, who made this trip more enjoyable and full of amazing information about what we were watching. She found a group of whales from an insane distance and made it look easy.

Nice, kind and knowledgeable staff, well equipped and safe boat.
Totally worth the price (140USD total) and will do it again without blinking.
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Akira
1 contribution
Most Amazing Experience with the best naturalist and captain!!! Highly recommend booking with San Juan Safaris!!
Jul 2020
Naturalist Laura and Captain Pete are the best guides to experience whale watching. We saw a pod of 5 Transient Orca Whales (Mama and Baby and 3 others). Our trip was 3-4 hours long and from the moment we found the whales till the end of the trip it was one amazing experience to follow the pod and learn about them. The rainbow at the end of the trip was like cherry on top
Written July 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Amanda
Chico, CA1 contribution
Great trip, simply amazing!
Jun 2020
I had an amazing time, I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! Our group was fortunate to see several types of wildlife (harbor seals, eagles, small porpoises). But most importantly (to me anyway), we saw several Bigg's Orcas towards the end of our tour. Personnel were friendly and enthusiastic as well as knowledgeable- I can't remember the naturalist's name, but he showed us which whales we had seen and told us a little bit about them as we made our way back to the harbor. The boat was clean and comfortable. It was a beautiful day on the water and I'm glad I made the trip. I would certainly recommend this tour to friends/ family and will likely do the tour again on my next trip!
Thank you San Juan Safaris for helping me to cross one item off of my bucket list!
Written June 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dean A
Olympia, WA6 contributions
Awesome trip! Highly recommended
Jul 2020 • Family
Everything about this trip was awesome. Reservations were easy. Communication was excellent. Trip confirmation call was a pleasant surprise and helped me avoid some mistakes that would have ruined our day. The captain and naturist were friendly and informative. Their equipment is top-notch. The captain knew where the whales were and took us to them. Not the case every time, but these guys are good and we got to see two different pods. We also saw stellar sea lions, Harbor seals and bald eagles.I would highly recommend this trip. Aside from the whale watching the scenery is spectacular.
Written July 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
LeeAnne V
55 contributions
Outstanding Three day kayaking Trip
Jun 2022 • Family
We just finished a three day kayaking trip with Brendan and Paul. It was the most memorable experience you can imagine. The views are breathtaking and we ended up seeing J Pod with all 25 whales. Food for every meal was outstanding and campsite was really nice. The guides were very accommodating and managed / adjusted the trip based on our expectations and abilities. This is a very physical trip and you need to be in shape. We chose to have a very lengthy second day and paddled around Stuart Island - about 6 hrs that day. I can’t say enough about the company, the guides, and the experience as a whole. Definitely a bucket list adventure.
Review of: Whale Watching from Friday Harbor
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Allan W
Palo Alto, CA4 contributions
Dream day on the Kestrel!
Sep 2020
We took the Kestrel Zodiac tour on September 9 and it was excellent. Both our naturalist (Erick) and our captain (Brian) were very knowledgeable and informative. It was a beautiful day out on the water, with a long trip down through Deception Pass to the Salish Sea. We observed a pod of 5 or 6 Transient Orcas hunt, play and lazily move north. We also were able to see Stellar Sea Lions and Harbor Seals as we made our way back north to Friday Harbor. Erick and Brian were knowledgeable, courteous, friendly and generally lots of fun to be with that day. I would HIGHLY recommend San Juan Safaris and our crew. We'll be back ourselves next time we're in Seattle!
Written September 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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San Juan Safaris (San Juan Islands) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go