Friday Harbor Kayak Tours

East Side Kayaking Tours (Friday Harbor | Jackson Beach)

Our East Side Kayak Tours depart from either Friday Harbor or Jackson Beach. Both locations offer amazing paddling for new paddlers or those traveling with younger paddles. The required time is only 3 hours (Door to Door) with little time needed for transportation. We depart from our dock in the Port of Friday Harbor or beachside at Jackson Beach. We have several route options on this kayak tour, both providing excellent wildlife encounters and scenery. With more and more Transient Killer Whales traveling the east side of San Juan Island, this tour offers great whale watching potential.

Friday Harbor Kayak Tour and Jackson Beach Tour Highlights

Best Price on San Juan Island
Small Groups and Family Friendly
Wildlife Kayaking Routes
Quality Equipment and Naturalist Guide

We Provide

Kayaking Instruction and Professional Guide
Waterproof Pants and Jacket
Kayaking Gear
Dry Bag

You Provide

Water bottle
Sunglasses and Hat
Sunscreen
Extra Layers
Sandals or Water Shoes that can get wet
Gratuity for Guides (greatly appreciated)

Learn More About Tour Prep

Book The Tour

Price:	$99/Person
Style:	Family Friendly \| Calm Seas
Location:	Port of Friday Harbor or Jackson Beach
Duration:	3 Hours
Depart:	9:00am 1:00pm Our Shop
Activity:	Beginner Level
Restriction:	250 Pounds Max / Children 50 Pounds Minimum

Terms & Conditions

Friday Harbor Kayak Tours Testimonial

Most comfortable Kayaks we had used! We went on a 3-hour tour with a couple of very experienced kayakers and a couple of newbies and we felt we were in the middle. 3 doubles with Chad as our guide. Chad was calm, helpful, personable, fun, and informative. He kept us all together, but let us be independent to a point as well. He was the best and we would go on another trip with him anytime. We loved our trip and the price was great, and the gear was great as well. Making reservations, and answers to all my questions were all easy! This was a highlight of our weekend for sure!!

Judy (Google Reviews)

Route & Itinerary

We use several routes: port of Friday harbor and Jackson beach.

Both the Friday Harbor half-day tour and Jackson Beach routes are designed to travel in calm waters, an area known for Transient (Bigg’s) Killer Whale encounters. As marine mammal-eaters, these groups of Orcas have been seen in the San Juans with increasing frequency over the past several years. Other potential wildlife encounters include porpoise, harbor seals, sea lions, humpback whales, minke whales, bald eagles, and more!

Check-in: 15 minutes before reserved departure time at our shop, 260 Spring St.
Walk to the Harbor with your guide.
Kayak Instruction, Restroom Break, Launch Kayaks

Wildlife & Weather

Wildlife

San Juan Island is home to a wide variety of amazing wildlife:

Southern Resident Killer Whales: Salmon eating whales commonly seen June through mid-October.
Transient Killer Whales: Marine mammal-eating whales may be seen throughout the year.
Baleen Whales: Humpback Whales and Minke Whales.
Porpoise: Harbor and Dalls porpoise are encounter year round.
Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions, and Stellar Sea Lions: Fairly Common in these areas.
River Otters: More elusive but seen any time of year. Most sightings are early morning or late afternoon.
Bald Eagles: San Juan hosts a healthy population of Bald Eagles with many nesting sites.

Every day is different and we can encounter other species of whales, seals, porpoise, and birds not listed above.

Weather

Early Season: Spring weather on San Juan is typically cool with daytime temperatures ranging from the low 50’s F to the mid 60’s F. Expect partly cloudy skies with light breezes to windy conditions.

Summer Season: San Juan Island can have some of the most pleasant summer weather. With half the annual rainfall of the Seattle area, San Juan is typically dry all summer. Temperatures range from upper 60’s F to the mid 80’s F. Skies are usually blue and clear, great for evening star gazing.

Late Season: Fall can be one of the best times to visit San Juan Island. The days become cooler, ranging from the low 50’s F to the mid 60’s F. Winds can be light to moderate depending on the current weather systems.

Discovery Sea Kayaks Blog