Whales are truly amazing mammals, and we’re fortunate enough to have them in the Pacific Northwest. The only problem is: you rarely get to see them from shore. But spotting these stunning creatures gets a whole lot easier on a Seattle whale watching trip with Puget Sound Express.
Puget Sound Express launches its Seattle whale watching tours from Edmonds, about 18 miles north of downtown Seattle. Its half-day tours typically last four to five hours, with boats heading into the Salish Sea in search of orcas, humpbacks, gray whales, minke whales and other wildlife. Puget Sound Express guarantees you’ll see whales or you’ll receive another trip for free.
Seattle whale watching tours typically take you to the San Juan Islands or through the Strait of Juan de Fuca to find orca, gray, humpback, and/or minke whales, but if you’re extremely lucky, like we were on our tour, you can spot whales right outside of Seattle.
Our Seattle Whale Watching Trip
On our Seattle whale watching adventure in early May, we found orca whales no more than 15 minutes into our trip. We followed the transient pod for about an hour, watching them quickly travel south.
After spending time with the orcas, our boat changed direction in search of migrating gray whales, and we were lucky enough to find two of them near Everett. Again, we hung out with the gray whales for about an hour, watching them surface and spout. We even saw them spy-hop (stick their head out of the water to look around) a few times.
We also saw sea lions hanging out on a buoy on our Seattle whale watching adventure. You can also see harbor seals, bald eagles, otters, porpoises, and much more, although we weren’t lucky enough to see any on our tour. But we’re not greedy people. Seeing a “doubleheader” of orca whales and gray whales was more than enough for us!
A Seattle Adventure Worth Taking
Whether you’re local or visiting Seattle, whale watching offers a chance to see some incredible wildlife in our own backyard. There are only so many places where you can see these animals in the wild. It’s worth taking advantage of the opportunity when you can.
Ready to head out on your own whale watching adventure? Visit Puget Sound Express for current tour options, fares, departure times, and everything else you need to plan your trip.
