Located on the Pacific Coast of Washington State, just a short distance from Seattle, San Juan Island is a vacation hot spot for adventurers and wildlife seekers. Activities such as whale watching, kayaking, and biking are the best ways to experience the island. Discovery Sea Kayaks has been setting the bar for quality kayak tours on San Juan Island for the past 16 years.
The foundation of our San Juan kayak tours starts with our skilled staff. We are a small group of sea kayakers with a diverse background in biology, history and outdoor education. We bring modern paddling techniques and safety standards to our waters that some companies have yet to adopt. You will not find images of kayakers without a life vest on our site.
National Geographic lists the San Juan Islands as one of the 100 best American adventure trips:
On clear days, views of Mount Baker and the Olympic Mountains rise toward the east and south. On dark summer evenings, kayaks form a stream of glowing green as they ply the bioluminescent waters. Come nightfall, guides scout a campsite on a secluded island where paddlers trade stories over a driftwood campfire and fall asleep to the sound of the gentle surf.
emphasis on adventure and education
As professional sea kayak guides, we continually update our knowledge of regional wildlife to provide the most recent understanding of the Salish Sea ecosystem and the Southern Resident Killer Whale population. Small groups ensure that guides can easily communicate and share knowledge with each guest on every kayak tour.
Choose from a selection of our popular kayak tours
Our Full Day and Half Day Kayak Tour routes travel within the Orca Sanctuary along the west side of San Juan Island, providing the best opportunities for whale watching and other wildlife encounters. Sunset Kayak Tours are a great option for those seeking an evening kayak experience to witness the beautiful sunsets San Juan is famous for.
We customize each kayak tour route for exploration and wildlife encounters.
More adventurous travelers might opt for one of our Multi-Day Kayak Tours. Camp on smaller isolated islands and travel the shoreline under your own power. We customize each kayak tour route for exploration and wildlife encounters. These routes travel through some of the best whale watching territories on San Juan Island.
Kayak at night. Our Bioluminescence Kayak Tour is a unique tour we offer only certain times of the summer and in limited numbers. We select the best dates of the summer and only take 1 trip of 10 guests on these evenings. Truly an amazing San Juan Island kayak tour experience. Your guide will lead you through the dark to the best areas to see nature’s light show. We are the first company on San Juan Island to lead night time Bioluminescence Kayak Tours.