Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
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Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching provides small group whale watching & wildlife tours from Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington, the best location to experience Orca whales in the wild. We also offer private charter whale watch & wildlife tours for small groups and larger parties. Recreational, engaging and informative, we offer memorable experiences with a passionate crew , custom-built whale watching boats, and small groups of passengers. We offer two convenient departure locations on San Juan Island. Our whale watching & wildlife tours depart year-round from downtown Friday Harbor, next to the ferry landing on San Juan Island.
Friday Harbor, Washington
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
1,814 reviews
Excellent
1,765
Very good
33
Average
13
Poor
5
Terrible
0
Hedges
San Francisco6 contributions
Jun 2020
The crew at Maya Legacy were fantastic! They were knowledgable and kind. They took COVID regulations seriously, taking our temperature and asking us health related questions before entering the boat. They also lessened the number of people on the tour so that we could maintain some degree of social distancing. The tour guide provided such interesting information, not just about all the animals we saw but also about the islands in general. They did a great job of seeking out a variety of animals. Most important to me were the Orcas which we spent quite a bit of time with (!), but we also saw a Peregrine falcon, lots of Bald Eagles, several cool bird species, and rams and deer running around one of the islands. Overall it was a fantastic tour. Highly recommended!
Written June 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KMBaker4
Lewes, DE5 contributions
Jul 2020
We had an amazing whale watching trip with Captain Jeff and Naturalist April. Before the trip started they let us know they had a good idea that there was a humpback whale in the area but that Orcas had not been seen in recent days. The plan was to go see the humpback and then head North in search of some Orcas that were likely headed South from Canada. We almost immediately saw the humpback whale which was so impressive. After spending some time there, we sped north along the border in search of the Orcas. We were not disappointed!!! We were able to spend a lot of time with the residents of L and K pod as they tail slapped, rolled on the surface, and breached on more than one occasion. We were even treated to a close swim by from one of the younger males. It was obvious that Jeff and April were as excited as we were to see these whales. They were so knowledgeable and were happy to answer any questions. They were able to identify the individual Orcas and give us their family history which was so interesting. The entire trip was very professional, from our interactions with staff while scheduling through the precautions taken while on the trip. They limited the size of the group on the trip, took temperatures before we left the dock, provided hand sanitizer, and made sure everyone wore a mask the entire time. After the trip they sent high resolution images of some of the fantastic pictures they took during the trip. I would highly recommend!!!
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brent
North Charleston, SC1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Family
We cannot express enough how incredible this experience was, and how much we highly recommend it to all. From the start, the captain, Jeff, gave a rundown on what to expect on the tour. Upon boarding the top notch vessel, my wife and I were beyond impressed at how comfortable the seats were and how accommodating it it for this type of experience. Windows that open for clear viewing/photo shots, bow seating options and an open stern that allows for unobstructed viewing. April was assisting Jeff in providing ample information on all types of wildlife that resides in the region. She was not stumped on any questions that were thrown her way. After several hours of not locating any orcas and the tour nearing conclusion, April respectfully asked each party if they had any scheduling restrictions that required they get back to Friday Harbor. Thankfully no one did, so they ran the boat to a location where they were told a pod of whales were currently active. We came upon 14 whales, most of which Jeff and April could personally name and tell you their family lineage. Four though had never been seen in those waters and Jeff and April were absolutely ecstatic to make the discover. As I told them at the conclusion of the tour, their enthusiasm is contagious and made the experience that much better. Don’t search any further and go ahead and book this tour!
Written October 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evie S
Santa Ynez, CA18 contributions
Sep 2020
I simply cannot recommend this company enough. We did LOTS of research. Maya's Legacy checked all the boxes, and delivered an experience that was truly once in a lifetime.
Here were our criteria:
– A member of the Pacific Whale Watching Association (for their code of ethics as well as their information-sharing abilities on whale sightings)
– A small operation whose crew was deeply embedded into (and passionate about) the orca industry.
– A fast boat (they have one of the fastest) to increase our chance of seeing orcas
– A boat with sheltered seating so it wasn't blisteringly cold on the open waters
The former owner of Maya's Legacy (who came on the tour with us that day) was one of the founding members of the PWWA. The co-captian and the naturalist on board crewing the boat were all actively involved in the industry and had so much to offer in the way of orca education.
Lastly, when we were coming up on our first pod of orcas, I distinctly heard the co-captain tell one of the other crew members, "There is a pod over there, but I don't want to go where all the other boats are. Let's go over here instead."
It was the decision of a lifetime. He put our boat in an optimal position that we were, at one point, surrounded by small groups of orcas on all four sides of our boat. Obviously that doesn't happen every time – in fact, it rarely happens, which is why it was so unforgettable. But to know you have someone who has that ability when the opportunity presents itself is priceless. I can't recommend them enough.
Here were our criteria:
– A member of the Pacific Whale Watching Association (for their code of ethics as well as their information-sharing abilities on whale sightings)
– A small operation whose crew was deeply embedded into (and passionate about) the orca industry.
– A fast boat (they have one of the fastest) to increase our chance of seeing orcas
– A boat with sheltered seating so it wasn't blisteringly cold on the open waters
The former owner of Maya's Legacy (who came on the tour with us that day) was one of the founding members of the PWWA. The co-captian and the naturalist on board crewing the boat were all actively involved in the industry and had so much to offer in the way of orca education.
Lastly, when we were coming up on our first pod of orcas, I distinctly heard the co-captain tell one of the other crew members, "There is a pod over there, but I don't want to go where all the other boats are. Let's go over here instead."
It was the decision of a lifetime. He put our boat in an optimal position that we were, at one point, surrounded by small groups of orcas on all four sides of our boat. Obviously that doesn't happen every time – in fact, it rarely happens, which is why it was so unforgettable. But to know you have someone who has that ability when the opportunity presents itself is priceless. I can't recommend them enough.
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda R
Cary, North Carolina, United States59 contributions
Jul 2021
Our captain Jeff and naturalist Zoey were engaged and enthusiastic. The boat is awesome. Small number of people, protection from the wind and cold, and ample viewing room for all to view the wildlife. We went on a 3-hour morning tour. We found humpback whales, a mother and her calf, which we followed for about an hour. We saw them spout, surface many times, saw the calf breach multiple times, and many whale tail sightings. Truly amazing. After that, we went by a known spot where seals hang out but saw no other whales. So it's really sort of a lottery. If you are able to find whales during your outing, it's money well spent. Zoey took pictures with her high-powered camera, that eclipsed the ones you could take with an iphone, and provided us with pictures through email within days after the event was over.
Also want to give a special nod to the general office. We were supposed to take an afternoon tour on the day we arrived but the ferry was late which caused us to miss it. I emailed about 4 hours before the tour that day that we would miss it and they worked with me to reschedule it for another day.
Also want to give a special nod to the general office. We were supposed to take an afternoon tour on the day we arrived but the ferry was late which caused us to miss it. I emailed about 4 hours before the tour that day that we would miss it and they worked with me to reschedule it for another day.
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jess
Ferndale, MI309 contributions
Aug 2021
My wife, my best friend, and I took the evening Maya's Legacy Whale Watching tour on Sunday Evening, 8/1. It was a beautiful night and we had a good time on the boat. We did not see any Orcas or whales of any kind (this was my first whale watching trip that came up zip), but that isn't the fault of the crew at all. What I didn't realize until the day of is that because the border to Canada is closed, we couldn't cross into international waters and that impacted the size of our search area. The sighting of the Orcas was 8 miles into Canada and we couldn't make it over and that was a huge bummer. We did get to see a lot of other marine and bird life though and it was enjoyable. Lots of bald eagle sightings, seals with their pups, and a river otter. Just the sights of all the other islands is beautiful.
I do want to mention something that did annoy me though. We stopped for a photo opp at Turn Point Light, where the crew made a big deal about it being the most North Western Point in the continental US. I thought that was so cute until I googled it the next day and that information was not correct. I think they were trying to really make up for the fact we didn't see any whales on the trip, but that doesn't mean you should make up facts.
We did have fun overall though!
I do want to mention something that did annoy me though. We stopped for a photo opp at Turn Point Light, where the crew made a big deal about it being the most North Western Point in the continental US. I thought that was so cute until I googled it the next day and that information was not correct. I think they were trying to really make up for the fact we didn't see any whales on the trip, but that doesn't mean you should make up facts.
We did have fun overall though!
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim Murray
5 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
My total goal on my trip to Friday Harbor was to see Orcas! It was so important that I booked 3 different companies. Trip one, a bust. Trip 2 I saw “binocular” Orcas. Trip 3 on Maya Legacy’s J1 with Capt. Allen, April and Jim, got us to “camera, I can smell their breath” Killer Whales!!!
Their boat was extremely fast, drove us almost directly to the Orca family, we hung with them for an hour or so, LOTS of clear pictures and videos with great commentary by the whole crew.
Then off to get pictures of dear and sheep then on to home.
GREAT late day trip, try them!
Jim Murray
Their boat was extremely fast, drove us almost directly to the Orca family, we hung with them for an hour or so, LOTS of clear pictures and videos with great commentary by the whole crew.
Then off to get pictures of dear and sheep then on to home.
GREAT late day trip, try them!
Jim Murray
Written August 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
La_D0lce_Vita
United States112 contributions
Aug 2019
There is no other place I would ever go to see whales while on Friday Harbor. Yes, it was that amazing!
On the afternoon of our departure, the owner who was also our captain openly shared no whales had been spotted that day. Captain Jeff kindly said we can cancel our trip as he knew some of us wanted only to see the whales. He did not have to do that; it was both honest, ethical and highly respectable. For that reason alone; I would give them my business.
However, it was the next thing he and his crew did that wowed all of us. They were notified of a transient orca pod spotting about 30-40 miles away. He said if everyone on board was game for a long distance trip; we would go. Thankfully everyone was up for the adventure and what a memorable life moment it was!
We were fortunate enough to see a family of four alone without any other boats around for a little over an hour. They were so close and their magnitude left me speechless. Others on board said to view the orcas like this without anyone else around was a rarity and Captain Jeff made that possible. Honestly, I still get goosebumps thinking about seeing these mighty orcas all thanks to Maya's Legacy, the captain and crew.
Thank you to the Captain making our spectacular orca experience possible. Thank you to the crew members Julie and April for sharing all your knowledge and research about orcas.
On the afternoon of our departure, the owner who was also our captain openly shared no whales had been spotted that day. Captain Jeff kindly said we can cancel our trip as he knew some of us wanted only to see the whales. He did not have to do that; it was both honest, ethical and highly respectable. For that reason alone; I would give them my business.
However, it was the next thing he and his crew did that wowed all of us. They were notified of a transient orca pod spotting about 30-40 miles away. He said if everyone on board was game for a long distance trip; we would go. Thankfully everyone was up for the adventure and what a memorable life moment it was!
We were fortunate enough to see a family of four alone without any other boats around for a little over an hour. They were so close and their magnitude left me speechless. Others on board said to view the orcas like this without anyone else around was a rarity and Captain Jeff made that possible. Honestly, I still get goosebumps thinking about seeing these mighty orcas all thanks to Maya's Legacy, the captain and crew.
Thank you to the Captain making our spectacular orca experience possible. Thank you to the crew members Julie and April for sharing all your knowledge and research about orcas.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan
2 contributions
May 2021
My wife and I had an anniversary trip with them 5 years ago and were lucky enough to see some amazing humpback whales. Somehow, for our 10 year anniversary, Captain Alan and Sara helped us top that experience by following an orca pod as they hunted, jumped, splashed and even went into Friday Harbor itself. On a Friday no less. It was a very memorable trip. Both times we have gone the captains and naturalists on board have been very professional and conversationalists. They take great care to give the whales adequate space, they even flag down speed boats that are going too fast and don't see the whales. We feel like they have gone the extra mile each time and have a relaxed family atmosphere about them that we enjoy. Sara was great showing us on a map where we went that day, sharing names and information about this particular Orca Pod and the individuals. The group tours are smaller and more personable which we appreciate and prefer. Thanks again for another amazing experience, even if we didn't see whales I'm sure it would have still been enjoyable being out on the water with this company.
Written May 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adam C
4 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
My wife and I came to San Juan Island specifically to see incredible wildlife, especially orcas. Captain Jeff and April did not disappoint! Before we even left the dock, they made it a point to remember our names and make us feel like we were a part of the crew. The boat was very comfortable with plenty of space to move about. They spoke with us the entire outing making sure to educate us about the wildlife we saw and the animal behaviors we witnessed. They worked tirelessly to find orcas and we ended up seeing around 22 in total. April was able to identify many of the whales we saw as familiar residents of the island. No matter how many times I’m sure they have seen these magnificent creatures, it was especially fun sharing in their visible excitement over the more playful nature we observed with a few of the pods.
We went on the half-day adventure and couldn’t imagine doing anything less. This gave us so much more time to explore and find other pods of orcas around the island. Also, we couldn’t imagine doing this with any other company than Maya’s! They kept us informed about how to prepare for the trip, addressed all questions and even sent a follow-up email with details about what we saw and some photos they took.
We will definitely come back to Friday Harbor and Maya’s will be the first ones we call when we do!
Thank you for the outing of a lifetime!
We went on the half-day adventure and couldn’t imagine doing anything less. This gave us so much more time to explore and find other pods of orcas around the island. Also, we couldn’t imagine doing this with any other company than Maya’s! They kept us informed about how to prepare for the trip, addressed all questions and even sent a follow-up email with details about what we saw and some photos they took.
We will definitely come back to Friday Harbor and Maya’s will be the first ones we call when we do!
Thank you for the outing of a lifetime!
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I’m looking for a boat ride to get a picture of The Lighthouse Turn point on Stuart Island. Do not need to gat off the boat a picture from the water will be good.
Written September 4, 2022
I would reach out Maya. They were very accommodating. I bet they would meet your needs.
Written September 5, 2022
Bonjour à toutes et tous, j'ai une telle passion pour les Orques, que je suis ravie de voir les commentaires laisés.
Je souhaitais savoir quelle est la meilleur période pour voir "les Orques", et si les guides parlent Français ?
Quelqu'un a un lieu/ hotel/ circuit à me suggérez pour profiter du voyage, de la région ?(ma priorité est d'approcher les Orques, évidemment).
Merci et à bientôt pour vous lire !!
A.B
Written December 1, 2019
Hallo,
Ich plane schon länger bzw. Es ist ein Traum von mir Orcas in freier Natur zusehen. Haben Sie sich alles selbst organisiert oder gibt es Reiseveranstalter die das alles anbieten.
Danke für ihre Rückmeldung.
Gruß
Harald
Written September 6, 2019
Hi! Do children pay the full ticket? TIA for your reply
Written July 17, 2019
We had a total fee for the boat as it was a private tour. Always works out good value by the time we’ve paid for 6 tickets for our family!
Written July 21, 2019
Hi! I’m going to Washington in sept and I really want to go whale watching. I was looking into maya legacy as they had really great ratings and I’ve learned I would have to take a ferry from Port Townsend to Coupeville drive 45 minutes or so to Ana Cortes then another ferry to Friday harbor. I’m not sure if to go with maya legacy is a lengthy travel or that’s typical.
Any recommendations or advise would be greatly appreciated.
Written June 20, 2019
Friday Harbor is easy to access by passenger ferry from Seattle or Port Townsend or car/pass ferry from Anacortes. Or via air from Lake Union to Lake Washington directly into Friday Harbor via Kenmore Air. Or to the Friday Harbor airport from Seattle.
Written August 7, 2019
Whales and other wildlife in our area do not pattern their geographic location or behavior based on time of day. Their location and behavior are dynamic, changing throughout the day, so each tour is a new adventure, unique from the tour before and the tour after. Any time of day is a great time to be on the water looking for whales. Choose the tour time that works best for you!
Written May 28, 2019
hlcpeanut
Nancy, Kentucky
Hi! Do you all allow emotional support animals on this trip? Thank you!
Written April 29, 2018
Hi. Our tours are all small group tours on smaller vessels and unfortunately we are not able to accommodate animals onboard.
Written April 30, 2018
The Salish Sea surrounding San Juan Island is full of wildlife year-round. There is a lot of diverse wildlife we typically see in the area during the winter months; porpoise, seals, sea lions, migratory sea birds, eagles, and there is a chance of seeing whales as well.
Although we do see whales every month of the year, we do not see them as frequently in the winter as we do in the peak season summer months. There is always a chance of seeing whales every time we leave the dock, and we've been seeing whales often this fall. When we do not see them, we have beens seeing lots of great wildlife.
It is truly different every day, but we are so fortunate in that there is always a variety of interesting things to see.
Written December 17, 2017
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