I went whale watching with some friends on a TravelZoo deal. Sky was our captain and and a very informative guide. I would definitely recommend him. Granted the company and guide can't really do anything about if whales are out or not, but we happened upon an awesome experience. We saw humpbacks and killer whales a/k/a orcas. We literally watched a pod of transient orcas hunt down a sea lion and teach the young ones how to take it out. These are highly intelligent animals. It was like being an eye witness to National Geographic. We weren't close enough to see the poor sea lion meet its fate in explicit detail but it was quite the show. read more

Was one of the best things I've done in my life! The crew was super nice and fun and we got to see SOOOO many whales! And seals

Sometimes you find yourself on a great adventure, one that you will remember forever, when you finish you want to go again. When you get home you want to tell stories about your adventures, keep retelling your favorite parts. I can go on but you get the idea. I just wish all the crew could give lesson to other service providers because they go above and beyond in the best ways to make this excursion so memorable. Magical whale watching. Respectful of the whales. Knowledgeable and passionate about the entire area. Treat yourself and your family, you deserve this experience. read more

OIE was A+ in our book! Very nice, knowledgeable and experienced. The tour was amazing, we saw eagles, seals and whales so there was no disappointments! OIE is worth every penny! read more

We had a great time with Duncan and Benson on our whale watching trip and a lovely adventure with Jenna a kayaking excursion around Sucia island. These three made our adventures!!! read more

I booked the full-day Sucia Island tour. What can I say, it was fantastic. We kayaked around the beautiful island, climbed up one of the China Caves, hiked a few trails, spotted Odin and Athena the bald eagles, watched many harbor seals and their newborn pups off a reef, and explored the tidal pools. Our guide, Chris, was amazing. The only unfavorable comment I have is that the gentleman we first chatted with to get info about the tour options was unhelpful and seemed extremely disinterested. However, the genuine friendliness of the owner and our guide greatly outweighed that first impression. read more

Drew was our captain and Brook was our Naturalist....they were GREAT! Friendly, fun and knowledgeable! And.....we saw whales! Great trip!! read more

This was our third whale watching tour and this was our favorite! The crew was very informative and friendly and seemed genuinely happy. It was a great experience and was so much more than we bargained for. This is our favorite company. read more

Amazing & Easy! I can't believe how easy this was. Since it was a first time trip for my family, I wanted to keep it simple. If you leave from Anacortes, no ferries needed. I made all arrangements online (thanks Amazon Local!). We parked the car at the marina and met the staff at 12:30. By 1pm we were on the water. We returned about 5pm. Captain Matt is friendly and accommodating. One passenger was celebrating her 83rd birthday(!) Matt slowed the boat whenever she needed to move about. My son threw up over the side of the boat and Chelsea & Elycia were abundantly cheerful and discrete about cleanup! So yes, motion sickness: the boat travels at high speeds to open water & then will slow or drift silently in proximity to wildlife. I found this delightful! Me + the quiet water + whales = a dream come true. However my sensory-challenged 10 yr old found the rocking motion made him very seasick. Bring a bag/7-Up/ meds as needed. We had best luck when we could keep him upright. The bracing wind is helpful We saw humpback whales, seals, a variety of bird life, and dolphins playing in the distance. Additionally a fine show was put on by a bald eagle stealing a fish carcass from two angry crows. The crew knew the individual whales by sight and shared tons of interesting facts. In short: do it! Great boat size (about 24 passengers) sweetheart of a crew, limited snacks available for a dollar (best to bring your own). Bring sunscreen! Enjoy! read more

Excellent whale watching with Paul and Lindsey. They were great! Dress warmly and bring snacks. Totally worth the time and money. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Our boat. - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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So much fun! We rode in back, in the wind, watching the world race away behind us. These boats are fast. The best thing was seeing the double tail wave from a pair of humpbacks! read more

My mother and I were first-timers to the San Juan islands and decided to top off the experience with a whale watching tour. I had found a deal through Travelzoo (1/2 offl) and booked the vouchers with no issues - note: you'll need to book a separate reservation with Outer Island after purchasing the vouchers through a third-party. We were very fortunate that a pod of 15 orcas decided to hang around the sound that particular day - where apparently eight previous expeditions before us were not so lucky. As another reviewer had mentioned, the experience revolves around not only weather and water conditions, but also on the travel patterns and behavior of the marine life. After having just seen the movie, Blackfish, it was incredibly special to be in the presence of an amazing creature in its natural habitat (and not caged in captivity against its will). The staff - Joe (captain) and Ashley (co-captain and tour guide) were incredibly knowledgeable about the geology, ecology, and biology of the surrounding area. They also showed us an island with amazing rock formations and another with gulls and sea lions basking in the sun. Great end to a weekend in the San Juans. I would highly recommend this tour! read more

Overall the trip was nice but we did not see too much whales. I guess was not a lucky day, on our way back the boat' engine got broken and it took us 1,5 hours longer to get to the shore. the trip was not 4 hours but 5,5 hours and all the kids were impatient and adults getting hungry . at the end we were happy we made it to the shore and were not late for the Ferry. The food at the island in 3 restaurants we ate was amazing but not cheap . Still a nice trip for a weekend . read more

Had a great time on our whale watch June 9th 2013. There was four of us on our trip, used a Groupon also. Didn't have any issues with our Groupon in regards to any extra fuel or fine print surcharge. Got to see bald eagles, seals, whales. Saw a few pods of whales, even the baby was hanging out. We lucked out and had a beautiful weather day also. Great captain and mate. VERY imformative, new a lot about the animals and the islands. Would loe to go on it again. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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The staff was very friendly, they got us into the action and were very knowledgeable about the area. We were free to ask questions and drink beer on board! Overall, a great day. read more

These guys took 6 of us out from Orcas Island to spot whales. This was our last day on the island and after paddling without even a glimpse of a whale, we figured we would have to leave it to the professionals! It took about 45 minutes to finally start seeing J-Pod as they made their way towards Stewart Island. Our captain did a great job tracking and staying with the pod as they slapped their tales, breached and popped out of the water. As we got a little ways away from the tip of Stewart, the second mate put the microphone in the water so we could hear them as they swam by. Well, we drifted a little close to their path of motion and the showing of whales along with their sounds was amazing! I have never experienced something so spectacular! Great day! read more

First: Sami and Andrew were awesome. Sami brought so much joy and knowledge to the trip and Andrew had the beat sense of humor. We LOVED them. We had the beat day of the season. Perfect water, perfect guides, perfect fellow whale seekers. Their education was relevant and important for conservation and interest. Sami shared her blueberries too! The whole bot had a great vibe and it was built by everyone on the guiding expedition. Grateful! Thanks! read more

We enjoyed our Whale Watching trip from East Sound in early July, and as promised, saw several whales, including "Granny". Our captain was friendly and knowledgeable, and the deck hand slash marine biologist gave us an incredible amount of information. The 45 minute trip each way to the whales was a great way for us to learn about and see some of the islands in the San Juans. I think it's important to know before you book a trip that the guide boats must stay a certain distance from the whales. Don't expect to have a whale directly next to your boat - bring your binoculars and zoom cameras and plan to enjoy them at a respectable distance. Also, plan to bring food and drinks with you on the boat. Some snacks were provided at a very reasonable price, but nothing that would constitute an entire meal. read more

It was a great trip from a convenient location. The captain and his assistant were full of knowledge and very informative

We took the whale watching tour Sunday May 7, 2017. Dillon, Lindsey and Dana gave us an excellent show of the north end of the San Juan Islands. Lindsey had an amazing depth of knowledge on marine biology and the other important aspects of the area. They knew exactly where to go to find J-pod, our local Orca group that spends most of its time in Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. The weather and J-pod were very cooperative and we saw the whales for the 3 hours that we were on site at their location. The sea lions and others were an added bonus on the 1/2 hour each out and back. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - One our J-pod Orcas looking for Lunch! - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

We took the whale watching tour last September. We were in the area visiting our son who is in the Navy stationed at NAS Whidbey Island. The crew was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We saw many orcas and sea lions and puffin. We had a wonderful experience! Well worth the cost. read more

Made some memories out here on Friday! What a precious place! We booked a kayak tour and due to the ferry leaving late we were late to our tour, the staff called us and let us know that we could just rent some kayaks there and do our own thing. We were so relieved and once we arrived our journey began. The sun was shining and we saw jelly fish, seastars, seals, and so many critters! This is a must if you live in the area or want to see a full scope of what Western Washington can offer. There is no way you won't be awestruck by the beauty here! read more

Had a great time! The tour guides were very informative and the boat was in great shape. Would do it again!

What an amazing experience!! Everyone has to try this at least once in their life. Paul and Benson were awesome! They made everyone feel right at home on their vessel and was very knowledgeable about marine life and the area. They were great tour guides. At one point, we got to experience a couple of playful humpback whales up close coming right at us. Thank you guys for making it such a memorable experience read more

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Laughably bad! I kept looking for the hidden camera. Beau changed policies from one moment to the next; constantly tried to up-sell; had a miserable attitude; and while condescending, was just plain wrong about local kayaking conditions. I'd pay double not to rent with them again. I will however say that the rest of the staff was lovely and it's too bad our experience was so soured by hopelessly bad management. read more

This was my first time going on a whale watching tour and this couldn't have been a better crew for the tour!! I just loved how informative Captain Drew and his crew was!! read more

Our experience was perfect! The staff was extremely knowledgeable and friendly especially with the kids. The boat was clean and comfortable.

I went out with a friend for the 3 hour Point Doughty State Park Kayak tour. We had a great time enjoying the serenity and seeing some wildlife (a very young harbor seal pup was quite a treat). Our guide, Marcello, was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I did get a groupon-type deal on this and was informed that I had to pay tax which is pretty much on par for anything I've gotten through this deal website in the past. No Problem, it was all worth it and I'll be back for sure. We had a great day driving up from the Seattle area, we enjoyed the adventure of sailing into a bank of fog on the ferry from Anacortes; only to break through the fog as we entered the San Juans. What a gorgeous sight. I'm sure I'll be headed back up here when family visits next. read more

I went on a tour with Outer Island Expeditions later Sept of 2017, and loved it so much that I'm willing to write up this review many months later. I purchased via Groupon, and had no trouble at all redeeming them per the instructions provided. Getting there was easy (the office is on the second floor of the building), and all the staff were lovely. I can't remember who our guides were, but they did a great job and were very knowledgeable. Thanks to their skills and flexibility that day, we saw several orcas, a minke whale, sea lions, and harbor porpoises. We stayed on the outer part of the boat for most of the trip, but it does get a little chilly, and someone next to us lost their glasses in the wind, so be mindful out there. read more

My hubby and I splurged and went on the three hour kayaking adventure. I used a Groupon and then booked our time slot via the company website. So easy. We showed up, and were directed to the beach where we met our guide, Katie. I have to say, OIE, you guys are lucky to have this girl. She's funny, incredibly knowledgeable, and made our entire trip relaxing and fun. Tip for people booking. Check the tide schedule and pick your time based on that if you can. We didn't do this, and simply got lucky with a -3 low tide that peaked right when we left the beach. Why is this a big deal? Well, on our tour we saw a pair of bald eagles feeding on the beach, a couple of seals fishing in the shallow waters, about 15 porpoise who were feeding along the tidal line, and a great view of probably 100+ Sea Stars hanging from the Pt Doughty cliffs along with other ocean flora. It was amazing! Extra props to Katie also for suggesting her favorite farmer's market munchies in Eastsound, and El Salvador food stand, and then giving us great descriptions on hikes worth taking in Moran State Park where we were camping. We did everything she suggested and more. Thanks for helping make my weekend out of the city an amazing adventure. I can't wait to do it again. Next time, we plan on doing the full day kayaking trip. It was that fun. Time to get training! read more

Sky was an awesome guide - went out of his way to show us everything he possibly could. We saw seals, porpoises, and bald eagles in addition to being unexpectedly close to the orcas. Great experience. Highly recommended. read more

I am so glad I chose these guys to show me the way to the orcas! This was the main reason I came to Orcas Island and I was lucky enough to get what I wanted to see. We actually did two voyages with them, on two consecutive days. We just had a feeling that we wouldn't get to see orcas the first day since it was raining and foggy so we booked another expedition for the next day just in case. We were right, we only saw humpbacks the first day and it wasn't the most pleasant ride since we had to go super far out right in front of Victoria, Canada. The second day, the weather cleared up it was beautifully sunny and we didn't have to go so far to get to the orcas who were actively feeding in the middle of the Haro Straight. There were so many of them in all directions, thrashing all around and making a spectacle out of it. I believe the crew said it was J-Pod, can't really remember that detail. Oh and they were super close to us, a curious one actually went under our boat so we got to see it's whole body just below the surface! That was the highlight of the entire thing for me. I caught the end of it on video. Thank you for making my childhood dreams come true OIE! read more

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Captain Jon, Brooks, and Amy were fantastic and created a wonderful experience for all! We had a great time exploring the waters, seeing the sea lions, and watching killer whales. I learned a lot, and would recommend this crew to anyone visiting the Seattle area! You won't be disappointed! When I return, I will be coming back to Outer Island Expeditions in Anacortes read more

What a fantastic tour! Highly recommend it! The crew is very knowledgeable and shares information for most of the tour (unless the boat is at full speed at which it would be hard to hear) about the area and the wildlife we were seeing. They happily answered all the questions they received and were really just so engaging. I was nervous we wouldn't see much since these are wild animals doing their on thing but the crew knew just where to go so we never had to just be boating around looking for anything. They also had communication with other boats on the water to help with sightings. We saw transient and southern resident orcas, a humpback whale and went to a little rocky island that had many sea lions on and around it! It was really more than I even expected. The crew never rushed us while we observed each animal and that was really considerate thing. It told me they were enjoying the sights just as much as the people who paid to be on the boat. Speaking of the boat it seems like a newer boat and was clean and comfortable. I like that they had both inside and outside seating to choose from. To see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat is wonderful. I would absolutely go on this tour again and most likely will when I return to the PNW for another visit next year. A few things I would recommend - dress for the weather and then add a layer. It was pretty cold mid-September. If you can bring a zoom lens then do so because the boat will try to keep a 200ft distance between it and the whale for safety. And lastly bring some binoculars. There were times I really wished I had remembered mine. read more

Such a magical vacation in the San Juans thanks to Outer Island Expeditions! Beau set us up with kayaks for a 3 day adventure on Sucia. Kayaks seemed brand new and easy to maneuver/use, even for those of us who were new to paddling. Beau was super friendly and helpful and knowledgable about the area. All staff seemed very conscious of the pandemic, was wearing masks, and made us feel comfortable and safe in getting all set up. Would highly recommend! Such a special way to experience such a gorgeous place. read more

Another great experience. My in-laws we're visiting the PNW for the first time, although we did not see any Orca's this time out, we did see a Humpback and her calf. Our tour guide Captain Andrew and Alex were not only polite and informative but also comedians this trip was the best so far. This is why we always come back!! I will always recommend Outer Island Excursion... read more

The tour with Outer Island definitely lived up to all our expectations. While we did not see orca whales we did see humpback (I believe) - a mother and child swimming and playing together. We were able to follow them for a while and take video and photos. The boat was comfortable and a good size for the tour - it allowed for a lot of viewing opportunities. The outfitter provided everyone with a heavy coat (much needed and appreciated!) as it got pretty windy on the water. The best part of the experience was by far the guide. She was so incredibly knowledgeable and friendly and truly made the tour feel worth our time and money. The sunset at the end was a beautiful ending and on our way back we got to spy seals and a porpoise. It was a really lovely day and highly recommended! read more

Wow. This was a highlight of our trip. Ran a bit longer than advertised, but that was because we went a LONG way out to find the killer whales, and ended up seeing an unexpected second pod, then another small detour to see the humpback whales as well. Also saw some massive stellar sealions, and harbor porpoises. Our naturalist was very knowledgeable and helpful. Boat was fast and a lot of fun, and although not under their control the weather was as good as it gets and we enjoyed our trip to no end. read more

So worth it! Although it was freezing cold on the top of the boat, we saw a couple pods of Orca whales. Our tour guide was amazing and very informative. We saw several Orcas breaching and jumping out of the water with such grace! Just when we were about to return to shore, a pod of Orcas including a baby swam right toward our boat and went under and out the other side. What a show! We have some amazing photos to document this adventure. We will definitely do this again on our next trip to Seattle! read more

The crew was great. Knowledgeable and friendly and we saw Orcas best day ever!