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    Anacortes Kayak Tours

    4.8 (114 reviews)
    Open • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    One of the stops where we discussed high and low tide.
    Jennifer S.

    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!

    Bald eagle
    Ashley B.

    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!

    kayaks on beach
    J R.

    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).

    Kayaking at Bowman Bay and Rosario Bay!
    Rachel R.

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

    Jessica S.

    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.

    Christopher S.

    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.

    Kate F.

    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

    A hike at Pelican Beach
    Jennifer T.

    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!

    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.

    Ben, our tour guide was awesome!

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    Ask the Community - Anacortes Kayak Tours

    Review Highlights - Anacortes Kayak Tours

    “r. She was knowledgeable about the area, the wildlife and even some of the geological features of the island”

    Mentioned in 27 reviews

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    Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours provided our family group of 10 with the trip of a lifetime!…read moreFrom our 7-year-old to our 50-year-old, everyone had an absolute blast. It was a rainy, windy day, but the crew completely minimized the elements by dressing us in heavy-duty gear from head to toe. We looked like we were going snowboarding! The included beanies, gloves, binoculars, and goggles kept us completely warm and comfortable. Take the goggles--you will thank them later! Wildlife-wise, we struck gold. We saw four different types of whales, highlighted by a Gray whale feeding and Orcas chasing a Minke whale. Our naturalist was incredibly knowledgeable and could even identify individual whales by their tag numbers. As a huge bonus, the Zodiac boat was perfect for the members of our group prone to motion sickness. The fresh open air and up-and-down movement instead of rolling kept everyone feeling great the whole time. They even sent us amazing photos after the trip. Truly a professional operation and worth every penny!

    Amazing experience with Blue Kingdom! Amanda and Clint are extremely knowledgeable and friendly…read more It was apparent that is not just a job to them, they are passionate about the history, wildlife and conservation, we learned a lot! - The smaller Zodiac was a perfect boat for getting great views without the motor running and the gear was spotless and kept us warm. We were able to view seals, dolphins, a pod of orcas, bald eagles and a pair of grey whales. A truly unique experience, we highly recommend!

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    Deception Pass State Park

    Deception Pass State Park

    4.6(227 reviews)
    7.1 mi

    Deception Pass State Park is a top tier gem of a state park. There's so much to see! This park…read morespans multiple islands, and of course is connected by a bunch of bridges that traverse sheer ocean cliffs with rocky beaches at the base. More inland, there are quiet old growth forests, lakes, and bluffs. I visited the tide pools at Rosario Head during one of the lowest tides of the year. From the parking lot, it's about a 10 minute walk to the tide pools, crossing a conveniently located washroom as well. Since it's so heavily trafficked, there are ropes strung about to keep visitors from trampling on recovering habitats, and also ropes that guide the way to see some tide pool critters. Some staff members were also there to answer any questions and give more information. I did a hike around Rosario Head after my tidepool visit-you get to stand on top of the bluffs and admire the bluest water and the most fluffy clouds for miles. Of course, it's among one of the most trafficked state parks in Washington, so come early if you want to easily snag a parking spot.

    First, don't let the name scare you. This was our first thought when planning to come here. It was…read moregiven since there are a ton of waterways which was deceiving to visitors. Those waterways are what make this place so amazing though. Beautiful state park. Lots of scenic trails. Hike down to the water or stay high and explore the views. You can go in through the whidbey island side or the fidalgo island side. We came in through the whidbey island side and it was pretty easy. Recommend checking out the bays too. It's a nice relaxing beach day with actual sand! We camped at bowman bay. During low tide, explore the rocks and you'll find a ton of crabs. Kids loved it! Pet friendly as well. We brought our huge bernedoodle and she loved it too. Dogs must be on leash but the trails were doable with her. Mostly dirt trails without many rocks or obstacles. Weather is always hit or miss in the PNW. It did rain on us the first night but it was actually very relaxing. Remember, no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear. So gear up, come prepared, and get ready to enjoy some beautiful exploration.

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    Deception Pass State Park - Fishing on the shore with everyone else

    Fishing on the shore with everyone else

    Deception Pass State Park - IG: @thephotographerfoodie

    IG: @thephotographerfoodie

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    Anacortes Kayak Tours - rafting - Updated September 2026

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