The Best Orca Whale Watching Washington State Has to Offer

The pristine waters of Washington State’s coastal regions are some of the best places to see the most majestic and captivating marine mammals—the orca whale. With its distinctive black and white markings and graceful movements, the orca, or killer whale, draws nature enthusiasts from all over the world for whale sightings in their natural habitat. If you’re eager to embark on one of these life-changing experiences, Washington State offers some of the best opportunities for orca whale watching. In this guide, we delve into the breathtaking experiences that await, as we unveil the ultimate destinations for encountering these magnificent creatures amidst the picturesque landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

The Types of Whales You Can Expect to See When Whale Watching in Washington

Before you head out to see the best Orca whale watching Washington has to offer, take a look at the other types of whales you can also see while on a whale-watching tour:

• Gray Whales
• Minke Whales
• Humpback Whales
• Orca Whales
• Dall’s Porpoise
• Fin Whales
• Transient Orcas
• Bigg’s Orcas
• Southern Resident Killer Whales

Best Places to See Orca Whales in Washington State

No matter where you’re located in the PNW, chances are that there are several whale watching tours within a few hours drive. Here are some of our favorites:

Friday Harbor

Located in the San Juans, Friday Harbor is one of the major commercial centers of the San Juan Islands archipelago. It’s also one of the major jumping-off points for whale watching tours. Located three and a half hours drive away from Seattle, here are some of the top orca whale watching tours in Friday Harbor:

San Juan Safaris

San Juan Safaris has a philosophy of observing, but not interfering, with Orcas. They operate two different types of tours that embark from Friday Harbor:

Classic Whale Watching Tour

This whale watching tour is 3-4 hour long and runs daily from April to September on a U.S. Coast Guard-inspected vessel. The Classic Whale Watching Tour has 1-3 marine naturalists on board who will answer your questions about ecology, local wildlife, and the history of the San Juans. This tour is a slow-paced tour through the San Juans that will let you see beautiful scenery while catching glimpses of the wildlife local to the San Juans: orca whales, sea lions, bald eagles, seals, porpoises, and more. Since this tour is slow-paced, this is the best choice for elderly explorers and explorers with young children. 

Adventure Whale Watching Tour

This whale watching tour is 3-4 hours long and runs daily from April to September on the M/V Kestrel – a ridged inflatable zodiac style U.S. Coast Guard-inspected vessel. We hope you have a need for speed, because the M/V Kestrel can zoom around the San Juans at thirty-five knots. Passengers will be provided an exposure suit to keep warm while moving around the open-air bench seating. The Adventure Whale Watching Tour comes complete with a Marine Naturalist on board to answer your questions about ecology, local wildlife, and the history of the San Juans. This thrilling ride through the San Juans that will let you see beautiful scenery while catching glimpses of the wildlife local to the San Juans: orca whales, sea lions, bald eagles, seals, porpoises, and more.

Western Prince Whale Watching

If adventure is more your style, definitely check out the Western Prince Whale Watching Tour. This tour is 3 hours long aboard the Western Explorer II (which cruises at 35 knots) and is definitely a thrill ride. Due to the fast speed of this tour, all passengers will be given insulated “cruiser suits” to be worn over their street clothes. On this tour, you’ll be accompanied by your captain and a naturalist who will guide you through the sights as well as all the wildlife you will (likely) see: Orca whales, Humpback whales, Minke whales, Harbor seals, Harbor porpoises, Sea birds, Bald Eagles, Dall’s Porpoises, and Steller Sea Lions, and more.

Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching

Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching, located in Friday Harbor, offers both half-day and full-day tours (depending on what your stamina is):

Half-Day

This four-hour tour is limited to sixteen guests maximum, ensuring that all passengers get an intimate viewing experience when out on the water. The Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching boats have luxury seating, though passengers can move freely throughout the cabin during the entire tour. Whether passengers want to sit inside and view the whales from the large cabin windows or sit outside to view them from the stern viewing decks, all the options are there to have a whale-y good time (pun intended).

Full-Day

This six to eight hour tour is limited to sixteen guests maximum, ensuring that all passengers get an intimate viewing experience when out on the water. The Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching boats have luxury seating, though passengers can move freely throughout the cabin during the entire tour. Whether passengers want to sit inside and view the whales from the large cabin windows or sit outside to view them from the stern viewing decks, all the options are there!

Roche Harbor

Located just 15 minutes away from Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor faces the Canada-United States border and is one of the best anchorages in the San Juan Islands. In terms of available orca whale watching tours, San Juan Safaris has you covered:

San Juan Safaris

Classic Whale Watching Tour

This whale watching tour is 3-4 hour long and runs daily from April to September on a U.S. Coast Guard-inspected vessel. The Classic Whale Watching Tour has 1-3 marine naturalists on board who will answer your questions about ecology, local wildlife, and the history of the San Juans. This tour is a slow-paced tour through the San Juans that will let you see beautiful scenery while catching glimpses of the wildlife local to the San Juans: orca whales, sea lions, bald eagles, seals, porpoises, and more. Since this tour is slow-paced, this is the best choice for elderly explorers and explorers with young children. 

Port Townsend

Port Townsend is a quick two-and-a-half hour drive from Seattle. Located on the Quimper Peninsula, Port Townsend is a great place to see orca whales. Here are two of the top orca whale watching tours in Port Townsend, Washington:

Puget Sound Express

Puget Sound Express is a family-operated whale watching touring company that operates whale watching tours all over Washington State. In Port Townsend, they offer two separate tours from late April to early October:

Half Day Whale Watching Tour

If you’re looking to dip your toes into whale watching, the Half Day Whale Watching Tour might be a great fit for you and your fellow Orca whale watching Washington enthusiasts. Spanning 3-4 hours, this whale watching tour is guided by a trained naturalist who will explain and answer questions about the history, wildlife, geography, and scenery. 

The Puget Sound Express is kind of a luxury experience if we ever saw one: a heated inside cabin, two restrooms, a snack bar serving up both snacks and beverages, and an outdoor viewing deck. There’s also several TV monitors where passengers can view the map tracking of where they are journeying, as well as the presentations made by the naturalists. 

One surprising thing the Puget Sound Express is known for is its homemade “blueberry buckle” that is given to all passengers once aboard the vessel. Trust us: you don’t want to miss this!

Daylong Whale Watching Tour

If you have a bit more time to spare, or are especially enthusiastic about the Orca whale watching Washington State has to offer, we highly recommend you take the Daylong Whale Watching Tour. The Daylong Whale Watching Tour lasts eight hours, including a two-hour stop for lunch in Friday Harbor.

Similar to the Puget Sound Express’s Half Day Whale Watching Tour, the Daylong Whale Watching Tour is kind of a luxury experience if we ever saw one: a heated inside cabin, two restrooms, a snack bar serving up both snacks and beverages, and an outdoor viewing deck. There’s also several TV monitors where passengers can view the map tracking of where they are journeying, as well as the presentations made by the naturalists. 

Oh, and don’t worry…the Daylong Whale Watching Tour also comes with that legendary blueberry buckle that the Puget Sound Express is known for. Hooray

Orcas Island

Located three and a half hours away from Downtown Seattle, Orcas Island is a lovely place to visit and an even better place to go whale watching. 

Outer Island Excursions

From March to October, Outer Island Excursions offers daily whale watching tours departing from Orcas Island. An Outer Island Excursions whale watching trip lasts three to four hours and boasts a proud 95% whale spotting rate per trip taken. Passengers can expect to see any sort of wildlife ranging from humpback whales, orcas, gray whales, minke whales, eagles, sea birds, sea lions, porpoises, seals, and otters.

Outer Island Excursion’s boats are some of the fastest in the Pacific Northwest, featuring both outdoor and indoor viewing. Your trip will be accompanied by one or more naturalists, who will answer all your questions about the geographic area, wildlife, and any other questions your heart desires to know the answers to.

Port Angeles

Port Angeles is a charming coastal city located on the northern coast of Washington state, USA. Nestled between the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, this picturesque town offers a unique blend of natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and a welcoming community. It’s also an excellent place to go whale watching:

Puget Sound Express

Remember those famous blueberry buckles we mentioned above? Well, you’re in luck…you can catch one of the Puget Sound Express orca whale watching tours in Port Angeles. Running from May to October, this whale watching tour is guided by a trained naturalist who will explain and answer questions about the history, wildlife, geography, and scenery. 

The Puget Sound Express is kind of a luxury experience if we ever saw one: a heated inside cabin, two restrooms, a snack bar serving up both snacks and beverages, and an outdoor viewing deck. There’s also several TV monitors where passengers can view the map tracking of where they are journeying, as well as the presentations made by the naturalists. 

Anacortes

Located under two hours’ drive from Downtown Seattle, Anacortes is a great place to knock out some orca whale watching.

Island Adventures

Island Adventures has over one hundred years of combined tour experience and has led thousands of small groups on orca whale watching tours in Washington. Each trip is led by one or more professional marine naturalists aboard their state-of-the-art vessels (The Island Explorer 5). All of the vessels have onboard hydrophones, so passengers can hear any of the underwater whale sounds that they come across.

Outer Island Excursions

From March to October, Outer Island Excursions offers daily whale watching tours departing from Anacortes. An Outer Island Excursions whale watching trip lasts three to four hours and boasts a proud 95% whale spotting rate per trip taken. Passengers can expect to see any sort of wildlife ranging from humpback whales, orcas, gray whales, minke whales, eagles, sea birds, sea lions, porpoises, seals, and otters.

Outer Island Excursion’s boats are some of the fastest in the Pacific Northwest, featuring both outdoor and indoor viewing. Your trip will be accompanied by one or more naturalists, who will answer all your questions about the geographic area, wildlife, and any other questions your heart desires to know the answers to.

Alki Beach

For orca lovers who don’t yet have their sea legs, we recommend checking out Alki Beach in West Seattle. The absolute best time to spot orcas from land is during winter and fall, though you may see transient orcas at any other time during the year (such as late spring or summer months).

The key is going to be looking for one of the many Whale Trail signs located in Alki Beach. When viewing out towards the ocean, Orca seekers are going to want to look either north (towards Discovery Point), or Northwest (towards Bainbridge Island). 

In addition to seeing Orcas, viewers may also find gray whales as they are known for coming close to the shore. 

Strait of Juan de Fuca

Word’s still out whether British Columbia is part of the Pacific Northwest or not. But, for the purposes of the best Orca whale watching Washington has to offer, we’ll include it. You see, the Strait of Juan de Fuca is located smack-dab in the middle of Canada and Washington. But, incidentally, the Strait of Juan de Fuca is one of the best places to see orca whale watching. Here are the top two orca whale watching tours to be on the look-out for:

Sooke Whale Watching

Sooke Whale Watching operates tours from June through November, and they boast a 97% sighting success rate during their peak months. This specific tour runs for three hours, and includes sightings of all types of wildlife (not just Orcas) such as: humpback whales, Minke Whales, Fin Whales, Fin Whales, and Transient Killer Whales.

Orca Spirit Adventures Whale Watching

Orca Spirit Adventures Whale Watching runs three-hour whale watching tours every day from April through the month of October. All of these tours are spearheaded by a certified naturalist who specialize in Vancouver Island’s marine wildlife. Boasting a 95% sighting success rate, passengers can expect to see various wildlife such as Bigg’s Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Dall’s Porpoises, Steller Sea Lions, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, Elephant Seals, Transient Killer Whales, Bigg’s Killer Whales, and Humpback Whales. 

Downtown Seattle

There is only one official orca whale watching tour that departs from Downtown Seattle, but if you read further, we’ll tell you about one incredible unofficial orca whale watching tour that also departs from the downtown Seattle area.

FRS Clipper

This is the only official orca whale watching tour that departs from Downtown Seattle. With a Pier 69 departure location, this 3-5 hour long tour sails across the Salish Sea and has a 100% whale sighting guarantee (woah!) and is led by an expert naturalist tour guide. The FRS Clipper features comfortable seats as well as a locally-sourced food and drink menu. Passengers can expect to see orca whales, minke whales, gray whales, humpback whales, and other small and large mammals.

Washington State Ferry

There is a Washington State Ferry that runs from Downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island, and it just so happens to be on the Whale Trail. When you board the Washington State Ferry, you’ll see Whale Trail signs on both the ferry and the ferry terminals. 

While it’s not guaranteed that you will see orcas, chances are higher depending on the time of year you travel. From October to February, for example, you are more likely to see resident orcas on your ferry ride. Transient orcas have a less predictable travel pattern, so they may be seen at any time of the year.

If you happen to see an orca whale on your ride, let the ferry staff know, as the captain will likely make an announcement. The best thing about the Washington State Ferry is that it’s only $9.45 roundtrip! Read more about our guide to riding the Washington State Ferries here.

If none of these above options appeal to you, you could always try hiring one of the many private charters that Washington State offers. But we suspect that one of the above tours will do 🙂