Half day San Juan Island Kayak Tours: Kayaking with Killer Whales

Sunset & Morning Half Day (3 hour) San Juan Island Kayak Tours

Half day morning and sunset kayak tours are the perfect choice for those who have very limited time but really want to experience sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands. Half day kayak trips also work well for people who aren’t sure if they will enjoy sea kayaking and want to get a brief first taste of the sport.

We have two choices of half day tour routes from San Juan Island. You can explore either the east side of the island or the west side. The east side is conveniently just a few minutes from Friday Harbor and is best for groups that have the most limited time and /or prefer a very sheltered route. Features include a visit to a National Wildlife Refuge that is home to many dozens of harbor seals, nesting bald eagles and numerous other marine birds.

The west side route takes you the best orca whale watching waters in the United States. The launch site is about a half hour drive from Friday Harbor so it does add a bit of time to the tour length. Of course, you won’t mind this if you manage to find and kayak with killer whales!

Note: If your main goal is to see orca whales, we recommend the afternoon kayaking tour as it spends twice the time in the whale's habitat and this statistically increases your chances for a killer whale watching experience.

Quick Trip Facts
Morning Kayak Tours scheduled daily; Sunset Kayak Tours only available from spring equinox to fall equinox - trip fee for both is $79 per person (except Saturdays in July & August $89)
Meeting Place: San Juan Island. Look for our dark van with kayak trailer next to the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal in the traffic circle.
Meeting Time: Half day San Juan Island kayak trips begin at 7:45am for morning tours and 5:45pm for sunset trips. Ask about earlier or later meeting times if these don't work for you!
Itinerary: A kayak lesson on the beach takes up the first hour as everyone needs to familiarized with the basic skills before we launch the sea kayaks. We then explore for about 1½ to 2 hours, covering 2 to 4 miles during the kayak adventure. We will take several floating rest breaks in scenic locations to stay energized, take pictures and enjoy the wildlife.
Finish Time & Place: Friday Harbor at either 11:15am or 9:15pm depending on morning or sunset kayak tour.
Total Time: Approximately 3 and a half hours from meeting your guides to finish.

Sea Quest Kayak Expeditions Provides:
Sea kayak and all related sea kayaking tour gear, lesson and expert guides.

You Will Provide:
Suitable clothing and footwear for the beach, water bottle, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Click here for some tips on how to prepare for a San Juan Islands kayak tour.

Half Day Morning & Sunset San Juan Island Kayak Tour Map: The green zone is the primary orca whale watching area. Our half-day tour (available on demand) visits the west side of San Juan Island in the best killer whale waters found in the US. The east side route is for private kayaking charter trips with different goals.

Click on this map to open a full-size map in PDF format that you can save, zoom, or print!

Kayak with Orca Whales on a Half Day San Juan Island Kayak Trip