With an exquisite blend of urban attractions and rich culture, Seattle has endless spots you must visit if you are around Washington. No trip here would be complete without checking out the whale-watching Seattle tours.
What’s more, Seattle has a beautiful mountaintop called Mount Si if you want to go for a quick hiking trip. They also have some elegant and informative museums like the Museum of Flight. Some of the popular and must-visit places in Seattle are:
- Pike Place Market
- Space Needle
- Discovery park
- Olympic Sculpture Park
Best Time for Whale Watching Seattle Tours
The best whale-watching season is the winter season since you can enjoy it throughout without getting all sweaty. November to May is the time when most tourists visit. However, to avoid crowds, visit in November or December since there are two major holidays during this time – Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Whale watching in Seattle is a total heart-pumping experience. Not only is it informative, but it also gives you an adrenaline rush. You can see Humpback whales, grey whales, and minke whales. Apart from whales, you even get to admire dolphins and many other beautiful aquatic creatures.
List of 7 Can’t-Miss Whale-Watching Tours in Seattle
1. Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching Seattle
This San Juan Island, Washington, offers fancy whale watching and wildlife tours from Friday Harbor. It’s one of the best tours for the activity around this region due to its exquisite Orca whale sightings in their natural wild habitat. They also have private whale watch charter sessions and tours for small private groups like a family. They occasionally offer San Juan Safaris.
A quick fact: Orca whales are very clever, ferocious, and curious. Humans are their only known predators.
The guide explains to you everything you need to know about the tour. They have two departure points to make it easier for guests to get about the island. You may also see Humpback whales up close from here.
2. Western Prince Whale Watching Seattle & Wildlife Tours
This owner-operated whale-watching tour takes you 90 miles away to the north side of Seattle. They have 2 great boats to choose from according to your requirements. One has accommodation for 32 passengers and the other for 41. Regardless of their seating capacity, they’re both luxurious and comfortable.
You can easily spot Humpback and Orcas breaching here. They take their visitors to Friday Harbor, a charming place to start this one-of-a-kind tour. You’ll not regret choosing their whale-watching tour and services.
Not only this, but they also give 30 minutes of satisfactory time for visitors to tour and often offer complimentary services as a generous gesture.
3. Puget Sound Express
This Port Towns end-based whale-watching tour guarantees you whale sightings in the San Juan Islands. They also have services for small group tours or educational trips for students. They are 3 generations old in this family business and own some of the fastest and cleanest boats around Washington for whale-watching Seattle tours.
You get to encounter Humpback whales, Orcas, gray whales, and many other aquatic creatures. The best part is that they guarantee your next trip on them if you didn’t catch a sight of whales while on tour. Their whale-watching tour is scheduled around the region, famously called ‘The American Serengeti.’
With a wide diversity of sea life and species from all over the world, visitors can expect nothing less than a spectacular whale-watching experience. Their knowledge of the industry is certainly charming.
Quick Fact: Two types of Orcas are found in these waters. Of this, the salmon-eating orcas are now endangered due to the lack of supply of their food source (salmon).
4. All Aboard Sailing
This whale-watching tour is truly a unique experience. They charter a traditional-style wooden boat to go for the tour and witness the world’s largest and most extraordinary mammals.
Their touring consists of spotting whales and keenly listening to their sounds, which is truly music to your ears. The tranquility of the ocean mixed with the whale talks is a soul-soothing experience.
Not just the whales, but you also get to see Orcas, Sealions, Minke Whales, Seals, Diving Seabirds, and whatnot! This Seattle tour sails across the coastline of the islands. You can either take the helm or sit back and enjoy this exquisite whale-watching experience. They also offer Barbequed Salmon with a side of healthy veggies as a quick snack.
5. Crystal Seas Kayaking – Day tours
This specialized guide for whale watching has been available in the San Juan Islands since 1993. They offer 3-hour guided tours, multi-sport trips, kayaking, and much more. Not only is the scenery pleasing around here, but their guides will also make your experience just as amazing.
Their staff is fully trained and highly specialized. Hence, they have an in-depth knowledge of everything related to the activity. In addition to half-day, they offer full-day packages too.
6. Suan Juan Excursions
They guarantee whale sightings here in their Whale Watching Seattle tour; if not, your next San Juan tour is free. Their Odyssey is just as spectacular as their location. It’s quite enormous but comfortable at the same time. It’s a local-owned whale-watching tour in Seattle with experts who are local naturalist guides.
7. Island Adventures
This tour is well known for its experience and dedication to whale watching in Washington. They were the first and only company that guaranteed successful whale sightings initially before being followed by other companies. Anacortes is the place where they first established this business way back in 1996. It’s just 90 miles away from Downtown Seattle.
Closing Thoughts
All in all, Seattle is an exquisite place to visit, and the whale watching here is simply the cherry on top of your touring experience. The oceanic life and all the beautiful whale encounters will leave you in absolute awe.
