Seattle Whale Watching Tour
5
Seattle Whale Watching Tour
By Puget Sound Express
Recommended by 95% of travelers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Ages 0-99
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English
- Animal identification guides
- Expert on-board naturalist
- Guaranteed whales
- Hydrophone
- Nautical charts
What's not included- Food/beverage available for purchase
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Parking fee ($6 at Port of Edmonds)
- Departure details
- Location Name: Port of Edmonds Location Address: 500 Admiral Way, Edmonds, WA 98020 Directions: Find us in parking area 9. Return Location: Returns to original departure point
- Mount Rainier National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 8567P2
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- It is recommended that you bring sensible non-slip shoes, a sweater, windbreaker, hat, gloves, sunglasses, and hopefully suntan lotion
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 8567P2
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Explore other optionsAbout the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
frankhD5387QS
00The captain tried his best.
Other than not getting to see very many whales " we saw 1 small group " it was grate. Very friendly & informative.…
moneymoo
00FUN TRIP!
Oh my gosh what a great trip! When they said 85 people on board I was sorry. The boat is big enough to not even not…
212gert
00Excellence whale trip.
Excellent tour, lovely friendly people ! Even directed me to free parking for the tour. We saw a pod of Biggs orcas…
U949HAcraigb
00Recommended
Knowledgeable crew and clean boat. We only saw one whale, the same whale coming and going. Have cruised with them b…
B9507PIkathleent
00Fantastic experience for entire family!
Best thing we did on our trip! The entire family enjoyed it, the crew was so knowledgeable, and wow the whales! You…
563lynnm
00A great experience!
This was my 2nd trip with them. They know where to go to see whales and have some kind of magic to bring out sunsh…
snoopysusan
00The best day! Beautiful Orcas
A fabulous experience and delightful day seeing the Orcas and Sea Lions. Beautiful boat and fantastic crew. Highly …
683cococ
00Fun experience
The vessel is clean and very comfortable! The staff are friendly and answered our questions with patience. We saw g…
ElrodSB
00Delicious blueberry buckle!
I loved my experience on the Puget Sound Express. In was very informative and the blueberry buckle was to die for!!
Klathwell
00Great time on the Puget Sound
This was a great time. The people that ran the boat were super nice. The boat was new and comfortable. We saw O…
337georgee
00There will whales!
the views were amazing, great staff, great boat. Also, the mentioned blueberry crumble was delicious.
S4747DEphild
00Gray Whale Watching out of Edmonds
On Saturday, April 22, 2023, I took a group of 14 seniors from the Bonney Lake Senior Center to Edmond, WA to board…
kristlc2020
00Exciting trip
Crew were very fun and very helpful, visited with everyone throughout trip. We saw 4 whales, 2 eagles.
Molly C
00My first whale watching experience
Had the best time and we saw 4 whales, 2 bald eagles and a few sea lions :) the staff was exceptional and kept eve…
O8322OJkristinas
00Amazing adventure!
Absolutely 100% amazing. The crew was so knowledgeable and kind, the Captain was very safe and took the time to wal…
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,350 reviews
Excellent
1,191
Very good
97
Average
23
Poor
17
Terrible
22
Walt R
4 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
Our group of 4 went on an 8hr Whale Watching trip out of Port Townsend, with a 2hr stop at Friday Harbor for lunch on our own. The trip was relaxing and enjoyable, including havOmg a bathroom. The seating area was comfortable, had plexiglass between each booth and wearing of masks was prevalent throughout. The crew provided commentary as we moved through the San Juan Islands, especially when various marine life was spotted. In spite of their best efforts, (for example, being in constant contact with other boats/companies none of whom were successful that day) the crew was unable to spot any whales. Because of this, passengers of this company were provided with vouchers for another trip. These vouchers do not have an expiration date, allowing us to return any time in the future. We highly recommend this company, primarily because of their their efforts to find the whales, and their policy of a “no expiration date voucher” which we plan to use next year.
Written 1 October 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.
Jessica
Washington3 contributions
Aug 2021
I booked the all day whale watching tour from Port Townsend to Friday Harbor and back. The check in location was very easy to find and very walkable from all the downtown historical district hotels. Check-in process was simple inside the gift shop. Captain Colleen and her crew were fabulous (sorry I am forgetting your names crew!). The lady quickly noticed I was getting sea sick and supplied to me tools and tickets & tricks to help calm it down. I am immensely grateful for that.
The two hours on Friday Harbor was the perfect amount of time. However, do plan for about 90 minute to be taken up by getting lunch at a sit-down restaurant because it does get busy and quick.
We ended the trip by seeing about 3 pods of whales for about 1 hour roughly 10 minutes from Port Townsend. Puget Sound Express worked hard to locate the whales and they definitely delivered on the viewing experience. I will always recommend this company to friends, family, and followers on social media
The two hours on Friday Harbor was the perfect amount of time. However, do plan for about 90 minute to be taken up by getting lunch at a sit-down restaurant because it does get busy and quick.
We ended the trip by seeing about 3 pods of whales for about 1 hour roughly 10 minutes from Port Townsend. Puget Sound Express worked hard to locate the whales and they definitely delivered on the viewing experience. I will always recommend this company to friends, family, and followers on social media
Written 18 August 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.
Meghan
4 contributions
Oct 2020
We loved these tours! This is the second whale watching tour we have been on with Puget Sound Express. We left out of Port Townsend both times.
The first trip we saw gray and orca whales and so much more. The second trip we didn't see any wildlife because the weather was choppy, but the crew gave us great service despite not seeing whales and kept us informed about what was happening every step of the way.
At the end of the second tour, they gave us a voucher to use at any time, either out of the Port Townsend charter or the Edmonds charter. It was nice to know that they care about our experiences and that they want us to get what we paid for.... to see whales!
We also bought the Puget Sound Express coffee mug on our first trip and brought it back for our second trip and got free drinks during the entire trip.
Overall, great tour! Lovely people, great boats, and some of the best views of Washington. Thank you for a great experience from start to finish!
The first trip we saw gray and orca whales and so much more. The second trip we didn't see any wildlife because the weather was choppy, but the crew gave us great service despite not seeing whales and kept us informed about what was happening every step of the way.
At the end of the second tour, they gave us a voucher to use at any time, either out of the Port Townsend charter or the Edmonds charter. It was nice to know that they care about our experiences and that they want us to get what we paid for.... to see whales!
We also bought the Puget Sound Express coffee mug on our first trip and brought it back for our second trip and got free drinks during the entire trip.
Overall, great tour! Lovely people, great boats, and some of the best views of Washington. Thank you for a great experience from start to finish!
Written 25 October 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.
Christina
1 contribution
Sep 2021
I have done an excursion with PSE before, but this time was rather disappointing. We did the 8 hour San Juan Island tour and quickly realized at our first stop that the outdoor speakers on the boat were not working. We reported it to the staff right away as you literally could not hear anything when they were supposedly telling us where to look and what we were looking at. No one did anything to fix this issue even after our 2-hour stop at Friday harbor. This proved to be even more disappointing when my husband and I spent a reasonable amount of time outside on the deck, actively looking for whales, but because we weren’t inside and couldn’t hear the announcement of a sighting, everyone else rushed over to the correct side before we even knew what was going on. It didn’t really seem fair that the people who had been outside freezing on the deck got the worst viewing spot just because of the boat’s broken equipment. Any information our guide provided was pretty much worthless unless you were inside the cabin to hear it. It’s frustrating to have paid $500+ for 4 people to enjoy what was pretty much a glorified boat ride. If I just wanted to see whales from a distance with no info/guidance, I could’ve stuck around closer to home. That being said, we do not plan on going back to PSE again.
Written 5 September 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.
Brian O
38 contributions
Aug 2020
Recommend reservations for the ALL DAY Port Townsend<-->Friday Harbor Trip. Family ran business, keeping it going during the pandemic. Tables for six are now divided by plexiglass, and they will not seat you with others. We had 24 people on a boat that can easily take 60+ people. If you are a couple (or a single) you will currently have a table for yourself. Crew in the office and on board wore masks all the time, and customer did also ($4) at least when they were away from their tables. Blueberry Buckle out of the oven was excellent. Staff give you a bill at the end of the trip - very reasonable, and you can bring drinks/food on board also. We had a foggy morning, beautiful afternoon. On the way up we went by Smith Island to see two puffins, and then into Friday Harbor as the fog was clearing. Two hours for Friday Harbor, walking and having lunch. We spent the four hours in the afternoon looking at sea lions that just came down for mating season from Alaska. Then the captain took us to see the T065 family of whales that were spotted off the coast between Sequim and Port Angeles. If your trip does not see whales, they will give you a second trip free, with no expiration date. Be sure to tip the crew on the way off the boat if they deserve it...
Written 29 August 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.
WolverineLover
2 contributions
Jul 2021
From making our reservation to disembarking this is one classy operation that is committed to making the customer feel special. Captain Colleen and Crew Wendy were superb and attentive and informative and clearly happy to be sharing a day on the water with 40 passengers on an all-day whale watching cruise. Not only did we stare in amazement at a pod of Orca for an hour or so, but viewed bald eagles, sea lion and seals, and one (wish there would have been more) puffin.
Be sure to make your reservations well in advance. Highly recommended.
Be sure to make your reservations well in advance. Highly recommended.
Written 10 July 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.
JEG305
Long Beach, CA14 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
My husband and I had a great experience on the 4 hour whale watching tour out of Port Townsend. The staff was very friendly and our naturalist on board, Jordan, was knowledgeable and entertaining. The boat was comfortable and went fast. As such, we were not allowed outside on the front viewing deck while the boat was going at its high speed, so a lot of the time we were indoors. I guess we could have gone outside on the back of the boat, but we did not. When it was time to view the whales, it always seemed like a mad dash to get outside to the viewing area. Luckily we were seated in the very front and could easily get outside and claim a spot. However, it did get quite full and sometimes hard to see if you were on the wrong side of the action. With that being said, we were still able to get lots of views of the orcas. We saw so many! We were a very lucky tour and could not be happier with all the orca sightings. Bring a camera with a good zoom or binoculars for the best view!
Written 23 August 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.
jomarprop
Franklin, NC3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
It was terrific! We saw 2 pods of Orca and watched them for quite a while as they merged from 2 separate pods to one and then hunted. Wonderful experience. PSE was very respectful of the whales by keeping the proper distancing and cutting the engines when the whales got close to us (on their own). We also saw Minke whales, Puffin, seals and a whole lot of beauty. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Our one and only complaint was the viewing deck of the boat. The boat was the Chilkat Express and the viewing is from the bow only. The captain kept the bow facing the activity all the time but the bow isn't big enough to have all viewers up there at once. Although it worked fine for us, I can't speak for anyone who didn't have as quick access to the bow as we did.
All that being said, we would go out with PSE again and again. They were great!
All that being said, we would go out with PSE again and again. They were great!
Written 30 July 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.
Tashina W
2 contributions
Apr 2021
My husband and I took our family of four, with two young girls! They had an amazing time! We made sure to bundle up as suggested in the itinerary, although it was needed, the Captain did an amazing job of maneuvering the vessel away from the wind while we watched. We did spot several Grey Whales which were amazing and breathtaking, we also had a special surprise of feeding Orcas and a preying Eagle! The Crew was amazing with cleanliness and knowledge. They were very polite and we EXTREMELY recommend the Blueberry Buckle and Signature Coffee Mug as we will definitely be back!
Written 12 April 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.
Maggie C
22 contributions
Mar 2021
Grey whale watch was fabulous! We saw a female grey whale, and later a pod of three male grey whales. Later we saw a group of transient orcas. The cabin of the boat was heated so warm and cozy! The deck had plenty of viewing room. The guide works in research and was very informative. I learned so much! What a joy to see these magnificent creatures, and then to hear knowledgeable experts explain the habits and behavior by name. One of the whales came to the Saratoga passage early this year and was alone for a month, then the others joined him and he was playing with them this day. This was a great day and I will definitely recommend to friends and family.
Written 23 March 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.
