Addie was our guide and we had a fun 1.5 kayak tour of Bowman bay and surrounding area. As our first time in sea kayaks we were excited to head out. Addie gave us tons of educational info that was cool and interesting. Although we didn't sea orcas breaching over our kayaks like we'd dreamed of, we did see plant life, fish, crab, seals on rocks, and "Ellie Mae" the female elephant seal on shore. 1.5 tour was the perfect amount of time for our day. We even got to taste bull keep leaves- tasty but also very salty lol! Thanks for a great tour Addie!! read more

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We did the bioluminescence tour in late June. Our guide was very friendly and helpful. He pushed our kayaks into the water so we didn't get wet. He knew where to go to find the bioluminescence and the tour was plenty long. The equipment was nice. The launch point was easy to get to. read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Bowman Bay - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

They were highly recommended on Yelp along with several other companies. Most of the tour companies had the same price. The time availability, Golden Hour Tour discount, and Anacortes departure allowed us to narrow our decision. We were very pleased with our three our tour. However, it did not seem like it would work well for beginners as basic skills were needed to paddle and navigate. I never quite got comfortable with the peddles for turning and would have had them a little lower as my feet slipped off a couple times. I could not bend my knees enough to reconnect the peddles for turning on my own. Our guide assisted me which held up the tour though. We were in a tandem which worked well for us as my husband was recovering from surgery. We were covered with a skirt to keep us dry for the most part. Some water did leech in to wet our bathing suit bottoms so we were glad we brought a dry change of clothes at the end. We saw eagles, seals, jumping fish, and other birds. Whales do not come in this close to the main land so we had no expectation. The water was like glass in parts, slightly turbulent in others, and the island shores simply serene. If you stuck close to the guide, he was very knowledgeable. read more

I enjoyed and excellent 3 hour tour with Lara at AKT. The weather was great. I saw lots of local wildlife. Enjoyed seeing the lighthouse and learning about some local geology, wildlife and plant life. This region is beautiful and seeing it by kayak was amazing. Thank you. read more

We had a fantastic tour with Ryan! Saw so many things, including bald eagles (and many other birds) and harbor seals. Water was calm and pristine. we couldn't have asked for a better trip around the islands or a better guide. read more

We took the night bioluminescence tour with Anacortes Kayaks. These tours are promoted as "no kayaking experience is necessary." We were a group of 11 women with an average age of 70 and everyone had been in a kayak before, but most of us would be considered novices. There were a total of 26 customers on our tour with only 3 guides. As the staff rushed to get 26 people into kayaks and out on the water, one of our group did not have the spray skirt attached all the way around and once we launched she was quickly soaked. She was also given a paddle with no drip rings, which made it worse. These are equipment issues that the staff should have caught and corrected. The lead guide was giving safety instructions when we were all already out on the water and most of us could not hear him; we had to ask a guide who was nearer "what did he say?" Once we set out, the group quickly split, with the lead setting a pace that many of us found impossible to keep up with. I am not sure why we were rushing to get to a point where we would just float and watch the sunset waiting for it to get dark. We could have taken a slower pace and accomplished the same thing while also keeping the group together. We did not have a problem with the distance, it was the pace that was being set that was an issue. In addition, three of our group were put into a 3-seat kayak and we have since read "using a triple kayak in the sea as a novice requires extreme caution." We had never been in a kayak with that sort of rudder system or in a kayak with 3 seats; paddling and maneuvering it was difficult. The bioluminescence was amazing, but the guides offered very little in terms of a narrative about the area or what we were seeing.....or if they did, we could not hear it. On the way back to the marina in the dark, we all had glow sticks around our necks and were told to follow the lead guide who had a blue one. Fairly quickly, the front group had gotten so far ahead that we could no longer see them at all. We had been told to stay close to shore, but we started hitting rocks and the guide that was behind our group bringing up the rear called out for us to move away from shore. We called back "we have no one to follow!" Imagine paddling in the dark and trying to set your own course. Finally the guide who was still with us moved to the front and paddled slowly so the group could follow her, but I am fairly sure that meant there was no guide behind us to monitor the group from the back. It was hard to tell where the guides were since there was so little communication. What could have been a pleasant paddling experience felt like a struggle and detracted from the whole tour. There should have been at least 4 guides so the group could have been split in two, with a guide in front and in back of each group, or an effort should have been made to keep everyone together. As it was, we did not feel safe, particularly trying to make it back to the marina in the dark. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this tour unless you are a very experienced kayaker. EDIT: We were part of a GROUP of slower kayaks. We were not a lone kayak unable to keep up "with the rest of the group" as the company response implies. We were not the last to arrive back at the marina nor were we the last kayak for most of the evening. WE were not "the main problem." read more

Saw other great reviews so I made reservations for my mom and I. Shelem was our tour guide. I am writing this review not even an hour after we finished because I want to share our experience. Shelem did his regular speech of information but he is very personable and so full of knowledge. Being on the ocean in a kayak was a first for me and my mom, who is 70. Yes, get out and try new things. The beauty and awe of being such a small thing in the ocean is humbling. As we went along the tour, Shelem provided an abundance of information on wildlife both land and aquatic, fauna, and environmental workings. He made the tour interesting and fun. We saw seals, porpoises and bald eagles. Please keep in mind, wildlife have their own minds and may not always show up. The paddling is tranquil but can also be exciting going into some of the areas as you traverse through some of the choppier waters. Shelem stayed on top of everything, giving excellent instructions and navigation tips. I cannot recommend this tour enough. I also got some great locations to get photos of wildlife from Shelem. Thanks for the memories with my mom. Great tour! read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - One of the stops where we discussed high and low tide. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

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We went kayaking with my husband's friend from HS and his girlfriend while visiting Anacortes. Us women were not too excited to go kayaking and potentially get wet. But we didn't want to back out because we're good sports. The trip ended up being amazing. The guides (Jeff and Addie) were so awesome. They made the trip so incredibly fun. They were full of local knowledge about the wildlife and they even spotted a bald eagle. . It was such a great experience and I can't recommend them enough. Just wish we had taken pics! read more

My family of 4 (2 kids ages 9 and 11) had an amazing time with Margaret today on our kayak in Deception Pass. The tour was very doable for the kids, 90 minutes was enough time to explore the protected bays and see plenty of wildlife. We were lucky and saw a pair of bald eagles, some "egg yolk" jellyfish, and best of all a harbor seal mom with newborn pup! It was a beautiful days and Margaret made the whole experience easy and fun. She was very knowledgeable about the local wildlife and gave helpful instruction regarding the kayaks. The kayaks were great quality and easy to paddle and control. Overall I was very impressed with the whole experience and would recommend Margaret and Anacortes Kayak Tours to anyone visiting the Deception pass area. A trip highlight for us! read more

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LOVED our morning kayak tour with Cora today!! Beautiful views & so much wildlife. Appreciated our educated guide sharing insights about the area and leading a safe trip... Whole family had a blast. (Kelp forest was our favorite). read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - kayaks on beach - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

Thank you to Megan and Tashi for making a very special day happen for me!! They both went above and beyond! read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Kayaking at Bowman Bay and Rosario Bay! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

Amazing!! My husband and I spent the day kayaking with AKT and hands down one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences of the summer; at least that is one positive thing we can say for 2020. We packed a lunch for ourselves, brought ample water and spf, and had an incredible guide. We found our guide to be really patient with us, especially for wanting to either up the pace or slow down to take some neat pics. Our guide answered all our questions during the excursion, and also had great stories about the area and wildlife we were passing through. I am so glad we booked the four hour tour. We essentially kayaked for 1.5 hrs, took a 30min meal break, had an awesome picnic, and headed back to home base. I highly recommend these folks. Everyone maintained social distancing practices, good hand hygiene, and wore masks - which was extra reassuring. read more

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MARGARET! come see this tour guide if you can she is very knowledgeable about the local sea life and local islands. Her experience with the current and weather and her calm positive disposition were amazing. read more

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5 star treatment all the way! ARRIVAL Upon arrival you park in front of the building (clearly marked hangar-type building) and go inside to check in. After the drive from Olympia we went to a Starbucks by Safeway (10 mins away with slow local traffic)... but the building has a coffee shop once they open. There is also a gift shop that sells souvenirs and supply items for your trips. PARKING After check-in you are given directions to park across the street in a grass lot and you are given the parking pass to display. If you need to change, the lot is empty or there is a bathroom on the side of the building (hold your breath, it's like a boat bathroom) ATTIRE I wore a one piece swim suit and yoga type leggings and flip flops. I was very comfortable and it helped keep me dry. I kept a hat on to avoid a sunburn. You will be given a dry pack that will hold your car keys and money, etc. There is a slip in your life jacket that will hold your phone to get in and out for quick photo ops. *TIP* go barefoot if you steer in the back. It was very difficult to work the paddles and when I finally kicked off the flip flops it was super easy and waaaay more comfortable GETTING STARTED Our guide was super sweet and walked us through using the kayak, and keeping dry. She let us know what the weather would be like and what we could expect to see. The kayaks are tandem and the back person navigates the direction by pushing paddles. This doesn't require strength, but it does require coordination. After a brief walk down to the marina, you are given assistance to climb into your kayak and steer past the boats and out into the harbor. THE TRIP After navigating through the Friday Harbor fog, we glided over the waters to the rocks. Our guide was VERY knowledgeable about local marine life and it was apparent she had a deep respect for the preservation of the land and animals. This was definitely a high light if you are weighing a guided Vs freestyle kayak trip. The trip is light, we never got exhausted and we amazed at the beauty of everything along the way WHAT WE SAW Purple starfish clinging on the rocks, huge thick seaweed in the waters, clear blue (ice cold) water, osprey, bald eagles flying overhead, dozens of birds fishing, porpoises springing up in the harbor, seals randomly popping up and staring at us... and so much more. The highlight? The guide told us to keep moving forward and talk low, we turned the corner and saw a huge rock COVERED in seals! It felt like we walked into someone's back yard ... they all just stared and some dove into the water to avoid us. *TIP* to get a good pic of the seals, have your camera ready, but don't disrupt their space and keep rowing. You may want to assign the best photographer in the tandem to take a pic and the other keep rowing. Overall, I highly recommend this company. Laid back knowledgeable team, friendly and committed to preserving the environment. The guide took us to very secluded areas, which allows us to take in the beauty of even more. *TIPS* Bring cash if you plan to tip. There is an atm but I am sure the fees are high. Take a morning tour if you like the secluded vibe, less people on boats out at this time read more

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Their second business is called Blue Otter Outfitters and they rent sea kayaks, paddleboards, and other equipment to anyone looking for adventure in the San Juans. The rental process is a bit cumbersome with lots of questions and back and forth emailing with the company. We were not expecting it to be so time consuming but we finally got it rented. They called us back a few days before our trip and had made a mistake during the reservation so we needed to pay them more once they corrected everything. We had also had a change in what we needed and asked if that could be adjusted the same day. They gave us a bit of an issue but since we were not making a big deal about them charging us more they eventually made the adjustment. When we arrived the lady who got us situated was very nice and friendly! She was helpful in reviewing our destination and planned course. They had not emailed us the waivers and forms we needed to sign and it took a while to get all that taken care of. The equipment itself was very nice and well cared for. We had everything we needed and got a quick review on how to use everything. My only issue was that the tandem was really heavy and we didn't get any help getting it out to the water or given rollers to make the process easier. Overall we were pleased with our rental but the booking process could definitely use some streamlining. read more

We rented 3 single kayaks and went on the 5 Hour tour with another 6. It was an awesome trip. THANKS SAM I would recommend this for anyone in good shape, looking for a fun family adventure. We saw porpoises, Seals but no Orcas- which I knew was a pipedream read more

We just did a two day, one night fully catered trip with Sam and we cannot say enough good things about the experience! We had a private group of 6, all pretty new to kayaking, but we had a blast and learned a ton while enjoying the beauty of the San Juan Islands. Sam was a great guide making sure everyone felt comfortable, was having fun, all while being chill and fun to talk to. He fed us so well and took great care of the group throughout our adventure! I didn't expect to eat as well as we did. We camped on a beautiful bluff overlooking the water on Cypress Island. It's also worth noting the company was great to work with and were incredibly responsive. If you're looking for a great PNW adventure, look no further! read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - A hike at Pelican Beach - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

My wife has always wanted to Kayak near the San Juan Islands in hopes to see Orca. Anacortes Kayak Tours came highly recommended. We were a little tentative about kayaking in the open waters of the bay since we are seniors and have only kayaked on a fresh water lake before. All our concerns were quickly put at ease by our tour guide, Cora. She was not only very knowledgeable about kayaking and the history of the Islands, but she was such a down to earth person with who we shared stories about everything on our trip. I feel, not only, that Cora was the perfect guide but also like we made a friend. I highly recommend Anacortes Kayak Tours, and ask for Cora but I'm certain all the guides share the same professionalism. read more

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We had a wonderful experience kayaking! Our guide, Emma, was knowledgeable and fun to be with. Everyone was very professional and it couldn't have been better! Communication about what we needed for our adventure was great too. read more

Wonderful tour! Saw wildlife, and our tour guide Ben was great! He encouraged us to ask a lot of questions and he was always scanning for wildlife to point out. I highly recommend this tour! read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Ben, our tour guide was awesome! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

We loved our tour with Margaret! She was very knowledgeable. Beautiful weather. And bonus, had a very curious and social harbor seal swimming around our boat while we were parked in the kelp! read more

I booked a last minute 3 hour tour. The booking on the phone was quick, helpful and friendly. The tour guide Conrad was great! He kept a nice dialing going to get those in our small group to get to know each other, and shared lots of information about the area, the nature of the tides, animals, plants, geology and history. I'd book again in a heartbeat. read more

Awesome Tour! Shelem the best guide, super knowledgeable, we got lucky with the weather and overall amazing kayaking experience! Didn't have much kayaking experience and didn't have any issues. read more

We had a spectacular time on our 5-hour Saturday kayak tour with James. The weather was beautiful. James was knowledgeable, friendly and took the time to point out a lot of amazing sea life. He gave great instructions as we made our way through various water conditions. I was thankful for the extra layers he brought for our break time! We will be visiting Anacortes again and we will be kayaking with AKT! Thanks guys, for a great and memorable day. read more

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My wife and I took our two kids and nephew on a bioluminescence night kayak trip. It was so fun. Our guides made it a great experience. Thanks to Tim and his teammate whose name slipped my water logged memory! Thanks for being patient with my kids and their 3 person kayak! We had a night that we will always remember. read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

We did the three hour tour with Shelem who was an awesome tour guide. He took us to the lighthouse and was very knowledgeable about the surrounding islands, wildlife, etc. An amazing experience and would recommend to anyone thinking about taking this tour. read more

Awesome experience. Our guide, Lisa, was patient, kind, friendly and exceptionally knowledgeable! This company was willing to work with us on our reservation time after a delay in our travel set us back a few hours. Highly recommend! Thanks for an awesome experience read more

Booked online a few days prior after getting the idea late in the week. Online was easy- waivers are filled out with info as far as risks and liability. Showed up around 1045 and was met by West who was more than friendly and helpful telling us to view the beach, hit the bathroom, and hydrate before 1130 show time. Came back, introduced himself, explained the plan, and gear. Helped us all fit into the gear as well. Headed to the shore where he introduced us to the equipment, expectations, and rules of the kayak. The tour was a nice loop around the bay and beach. Nice facts here and there from West along the way. If you want to get a first timer in the water this is the way to go or if the family just wants to do something. Highly recommend! read more

Lisa was a great guide, she was very informative, and patient with our group that including a small human! read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Kayak Deception Pass Anacortes - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

Our guide was Ryan on 6/21/2023. All the folks I dealt with setting things up were courteous, friendly, and professional. Ryan was such a great guide. He was knowledgeable, easy to be with, and fun. He knew a lot about the flora and fauna, and the geographic history of the area. We felt like we really lucked out getting him as our guide. A+ for our experience with him! Douglass, Kerk, and Freddie read more

Went on a 3 hour kayak tour with Anacortes Kayak Tours (AKT) on 6/14/24. The guide, Shelem, was very patient and knowledgeable of the history, floral, and fawna of the area. The water got a bit choppy, and the wind picked up during the trip, but I always felt safe. Shelem was encouraging and instructed us how to stay safe throughout the trip. While it was more challenging than I anticipated, we all made it back without incident and had a good time. I highly recommend AKT and Shelem. read more

Still deliriously happy with the three day/two night kayak trip we took with AKT this past Labor Day weekend. Went as part of a group of twelve friends, and our guides Nate and Patrick were fantastic. Both of them were easy conversationalists, ready to share a joke or interesting tidbits about the area, all the while preparing or cleaning up our delicious meals and an almost constant barrage of snack options. All the camping and kayaking gear worked great. Terrific experience! read more

My son and I Kayaked July 30th. Our tour guide was James. We could not have asked for better weather or a more knowledgeable guide! James was a plethora of information about the ecosystem, sea life, kayak safety, keeping us safe with the currents and tides and he was even prepared when I got stung by a bee. I fully intend to go back to Anacortes and hope we get lucky to have such a great guide again. read more

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My granddaughter and I did the 1.5hr kayak tour from Bowman Bay Boat Launch this afternoon. We had the best time. Jake, our tour guide was helpful, informative and just plain nice. I'm a novice kayaker who is over weight and over 60 with bilateral knee replacements but Jake assured me I would be fine and I was. This was my granddaughter Saffron's first try at kayaking and we had a great time and made life time memories. Thx Jake for making our experience exceptional! read more

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I can't say enough about the great experience we had with Tim as our guide in Anacortes. We met our adult children in town to do this trip, and it was all we could have hoped for. Tim was very friendly and patient as we all got situated in our gear and kayaks. He shared tons of interesting information about the areas we saw. We even got to see lots of seals and birds--and jumping fish. Totally recommend! read more

Just finished a 3-day kayaking/camping trip and it was magical. Our guide (Tim) was excellent and so well prepared with all the necessities to make it a flawless 3 days on the water. Our guide was well versed and educated us on all the sea life, from Harbor porpoise and seals, to all types of sea stars and even the details of barnacles. The quality of food went way above our expectations and was so abundant. You will never go hungry on an AKT adventure!! Thanks Tim for taking such excellent care of our group and making us feel like we've known you forever. -Lynn read more

Lisa was a great guide. Very knowledgeable about the area, the geology, the wildlife, even the prevailing currents making are trip way easier than it could have. Would totally do this again. read more

Took a 3 day kayaking and camping trip to Cypress Island with a group of 6 friends. We saw a lot of wildlife up close from our kayaks, including seals, porpoises, bald eagles, night hawks, dogfish, starfish, etc. We did an incredible night kayaking session to see the glow of the bioluminescence in the water. Did a few hikes on Cypress Island including Eagle Cliff and Cypress Lake. Also spectacular. Our tour guide Sam Mcfarland took great care of us with a super positive attitude. He did all the hard work of organizing camp and making tasty meals for us. He even laughed at our corny jokes. The company and folks back at the office also did a great job assisting us with the logistics and making everything as convenient as possible. Highly recommend this company! read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Pelican Beach on Cypress Island - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington

First off, I've never done any kind of kayaking at all so this was my first time. Truth be told we missed the 10:00 ferry to Lopez Island and we were pretty pissed about that. We passed Anacortes Kayak Tours on the way so we turned around and headed back. We stopped in an spoke to Megan, apparently one of the owners of the company and asked her if they had any availability for a kayak tour that day. She said that they had a spot for two open at 2 pm and we booked it. She also gave us some great spots to go see in the meantime. Our guide Tiffan was very helpful, informative and friendly. We didn't see much wildlife but we were having a blast anyway. It was beautiful kayaking around that area and we saw some spectacular houses on the water. Being beginners we never felt uncomfortable or rushed, we had a great 3 hour tour and came back with huge smiles. read more

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What a great experience! Our guide, Alex, is very personable and shared a lot about the tides and what we were seeing. The kayaks are newer and well maintained. I took the 3 hour tour and it was very mellow. Definitely a highlight of my road trip. read more

Anacortes Kayak Tours - Olympic range in the background - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Anacortes, Washington