Nestled on Fidalgo Island in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll find the coastal city of Anacortes, Washington–the ideal home base for everything adventure.

Few wildlife encounters rival the experience of watching orcas in the wild. Washington State is one of the few places in the world where orca whale watching is not just possible — it's genuinely exceptional. With transient orcas hunting year-round and miles of pristine Pacific Northwest waters, orca whale watching in Washington delivers the kind of encounters that change how people think about the ocean. Bigg's (transient) Orca Pod - Photo by Captain Matt Stolmeier Why Washin

Whale watching from Seattle is one of the most exciting day trips you can take from the Pacific Northwest's biggest city. The waters of Puget Sound, the Salish Sea, and the San Juan Islands are home to orca pods, humpback whales, gray whales, minke whales, and an abundance of other marine wildlife. Whether you're a Seattle local or a visitor wanting to make the most of your trip, this guide covers everything you need to know to plan the perfect whale watching near Seattle exp

A Stellar sea lion attempting to flee from pursuing orcas on Mother's Day. Photo Credit: Naturalist Megan MacGregor Whales in Anacortes WA: Who We Saw The second week of March delivered a full house--humpbacks, orcas, grays, and minkes all made an appearance! We wrapped the week on Mother's Day, where T46B1 Tread showed her six month old calf, T46B1D Tasha, how momma kills the sea lions. Species Seen This Week Killer Whale - To

Spring in Washington State welcomes warmer weather, fresh growth, and a special group of gray whales.

Talk about a week! Spring is in full swing and the whales of the Pacific Northwest have heard that the Salish Sea is the place to be.

Orcas, humpbacks, sea lions and more! The Salish Sea, a vast inland waterway tucked between Vancouver Island and the northwest side of Washington State is a nature lover’s dream.

Across nine tours in the third week of April, guests encountered fan favorites, popular regulars, and rare whales in the San Juan Islands.

A bird's eye view of one of the marina's in Anacortes, Washington. Anacortes–the only town on Fidalgo Island–may sound Spanish, and that wasn’t by accident. Founded in 1879 by Amos Bowman, the town’s name was inspired by his wife, Anne Curtis. The Spanish twist aligned with the Hispanic naming conventions popular throughout the Puget Sound region at the time. Previously known in the 1800s as Ship Harbor, Anacortes has since grown into a beloved destination for exactly that re

Talk about an orca-tastic week! Not only did we spot orcas on every tour, the third week of April brought a wide diversity of matrilines with the highest number of individual orcas seen yet this season!

The second week of April didn't disappoint! Across nine tours, our whale watching tours encountered some Salish Sea regulars, as well as some newcomers to the area.

If you’re planning a whale watching trip in the Pacific Northwest in the summer months, you’ll need to figure out where to stay, a departure location, and what tour time to choose.

What an exciting week. Along with spotting a feeding gray whale, guests aboard our Anacortes whale watching tours were treated to quite the orca experience. The first week of April bring us the most orcas recorded in one week so far this season - and two of the orcas were newborn calves identified for the first time!

What a way to wrap up the end of the month! The last week of March brought us five species of whales, the most we’ve seen in one week, yet. Across nine tours, we encountered a whopping 51 whales!

What a week! The whale watching season is in full swing, with the third week of March bringing us the most variety of whale sightings yet. Across six tours, we encountered twenty five unique whales!

What a week! Spring whale watching has officially kicked off, with the arrival of multiple migrating species returning to the Salish Sea.

The 2026 whale watching season has officially arrived! We’ve already had some exciting encounters on our Anacortes whale watching tours.

Today was a real treat! We had a break in the storm system, and it was sunny! Hoodie weather! No gloves or ski jackets needed. And the...

Today we enjoyed the company of the T123's while they were scouting and foraging in Haro Straight. We mostly rode the border, but ended...

We had an amazing encounter out there today, with a surprise "mugging" by a pod of orcas. A harbor seal hid under the boat, unbeknownst...