There are many tours to choose from, and we have the right fit for you.
At Island Adventures, we pride ourselves on being the most experienced and dedicated whale watching company in Washington state. It's no fluke that our tour has been voted the best in the Northwest for years. Island Adventures holds the industry's highest success rate and was the first company to guarantee whale sightings on every tour. Our team of highly qualified crew set us apart from the competition. We boast more than 100 years of combined experience in the islands and have led excursions for hundreds of thousands of satisfied guests over 25 years of business. Experience counts!
Anacortes
One of the best opportunities to see wild orcas is right here in the San Juan Islands, March through October. The Salish Sea is home to one of the richest varieties of marine life on the planet. There's no better place to view the booming population of Bigg's, or mammal-eating killer whales. In addition to orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, and gray whales are also frequently seen throughout the year.
We're serious about finding whales.
Did you know that orcas, humpbacks, gray whales, and minke whales can travel more than 100 miles in a 24 hour period? To increase our chances of seeing whales each day, Island Adventures uses a variety of tools. Over the past 20 years, our spotting network has evolved into the most sophisticated sightings network on the entire west coast. We work with other whale watch vessels, land-based spotters, researchers, dive boats, early morning fishermen, water taxis, tug boats, and ferry boats to help locate whales in the area. If the whales are here, we know it. We understand our guests’ passion to see whales in the wild and it is our mission to fulfill the goal of seeing whales.
On each and every tour, we guarantee that you'll see at least one type of whale (orca, minke, humpback, or gray) or your next tour is 50% off! Many of our guests are passionate about orcas and travel to the Pacific Northwest specifically to see this iconic species. If there are orcas in the region, we make it a priority to view them whenever possible.
Please remember that we cannot control what the whales do or where the whales go each day. What we can give you is the highest possible chance of seeing whales due to our quick vessel speed and convenient departure locations. No company sees whales more than Island Adventures — the proof is in our whale report.
Whale Sighting Records
Our 97% success rate since 2002 speaks for itself. Check out what we've been seeing lately with our daily Whale Report.
- 2022: 282 of 285 tours - 99.4%
- 2021: 311 of 333 tours - 94.3%
- 2020: 206 of 224 tours - 92.0%**
- 2019: 532 of 540 tours - 98.5%
- 2018: 587 of 600 tours - 98.4%
- 2017: 571 of 603 tours - 94.7%
- 2016: 515 of 525 tours - 98.1%
- 2015: 429 of 433 tours - 99.1%
- 2014: 363 of 375 tours - 96.8%
- 2013: 260 of 266 tours - 97.7%
- 2002-2012: 3059 of 3164 tours - 97%
Online Reservations
Make a reservation online with our secure system and receive an immediate email confirmation.
Whale Report
See what we've seen on the water. There's a detailed account from every tour since 2003!
Prepare for your tour
It’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. See our tips, suggestions, and frequently asked questions.
Our Guarantee
We guarantee whales on every tour!