Where to See Orcas in WA and the Best Time of the Year to Do It

Every now and then, you'll see a news story about tourists who spotted a pack of orcas in Washington State. That is one of the coolest things about living here: we've got orcas!

I've never seen one in the ocean wild before, but I've definitely seen some videos. My name means "of the sea", so I feel a special kinship with all my marine animal homies.

There aren't any definitive scientific studies that prove my hypothesis, but I feel like when the whales flop their tails near humans in boats, they are giving them a big fair warning to go away.

Shoo, humans, shoo!

Best Time to Go:

The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau says the best time to see the an assortment of whales is between April and October.

Many locals will tell you that the best time of year to see orcas is during June, July, and August.

June and July seem to be the best times of the year to go orca whale watching. The whales love to nosh on salmon, and these two months are when the salmon prefer to spawn. I like to think of the orcas as Chinook connoisseurs. They also like to munch and crunch on harbor seals and other marine animals.

Best Region to Go:

The Salish Sea: that's where all the orca-watching action tends to happen in Washington.

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Mike Doherty on Unsplash

Here are the three best places we've noted for orca whale watching:

Place #1: Anacortes

If you're savvy, you can find some Groupon deals for whale watching tours.

Place #2: Fidalgo Island

Anacortes isn't the only space on Fidalgo Island where you can spot orcas. Here's info on how to catch the right ferry to get to the orca watching tour guide of your choosing.