Make sure to dress warmly to prepare for crazy wind and bring snacks in case you get hungry! Brooke & Alex, our tour guides, took us to great spots where we were able to watch wild orcas and a humpback whale! Once spotted, we stopped and were able to observe these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. The crew was patient and made sure we had ample time to watch the dolphins and whales out in the open ocean. There are only 75 resident orcas (curved fin) left in the PNW waters and they are expected to be extinct in the next 5-10 years. King salmon, the resident orcas only food source, are overfished and dams prevent salmon from spawning in the area. It was incredible to watch these mammals and I hope more people get the chance to make the excursion. read more

Such a great experience!!! I was in Seattle for work but, on a day off, drove to Anacortes to go whale watching! Soooo glad I did! The scenery was absolutely beautiful and we saw humpback whales, seals, sea lions, and a bald eagle. So fun! I'm so glad I chose Outer Island Excursions because it didn't feel touristy (and I looked at a lot of option first). The boat was smaller and there were maybe 20 other people - which is what I wanted. It also went really fast which was just fun!!! Matt and Dana could not have been nicer and more knowledgable - they clearly know what they were doing! I'll stop but there are so many good things I could say. DEFINITELY worth the money!!! If I come back to the PNW I will def do this again! read more

My fiancée and I had such a great time. The captain and crew were hilarious and incredibly knowledgeable. V impressed. Bring cash to tip. We saw a group of whales and lots of sea puppies and other wildlife. Definitely dress for very cold temperatures. We were v glad we layered up. Not a lot of food options for us plant based humans so we were grateful we packed a lunch and brought snacks. I can't imagine drinking on the tour but there was that one bro chugging beers and embarrassing his gf-thankfully they stayed on the other side of the boat. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Business sign - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

Staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. Our party included one with a broken foot in a cast and the crew was very accommodating. We saw three types of whales and the captain was respectful of all. read more

We took our two young daughters on the Whale Watching tour. While we saw a couple of whales, we were not super happy about the experience. They had what seemed like a knowledgeable lady who would randomly tell things to people sitting downstairs but you couldn't hear her if outside or upstairs so felt pretty clueless at what we were looking at and where we were going. We were sitting upstairs during the whale watching part and then without warning they closed the gate to get downstairs and took off back home which was a very chilly 45 minute ride w our freezing cold daughters. Had we known we were heading back, we would have gone back to our warmer seats downstairs. Just wished for more communication! read more

We went on the tour from Anacortes. We were on a 10:30am excursion. We did see a gray whale pretty quickly. We saw sea lions, seals, bald eagle, and the rare horned puffin. We were able to see a family of Orcas. We used Groupon to save a little bit on this but it was worth it. The crew was friendly and informative. Bring a Jacket/hoodie and maybe a hat. It's summer here right now but still a bit chilly on the water going almost 20 knots trying to find the whales. Bring snacks and a water (some boats sell snacks and water...some don't). I had always wanted to do this and now I want to go again! read more

This was my 2nd time out of Anacortes and I took my niece for her first. Cpt. David and Brooke were awesome! Personable, funny, knowledgeable, and constantly looking out for our safety with present Covid issues. Two transient Orca Pods, Sealions, a Bald Eagle and beautiful PNW views made for an epic day! I just bought a ticket to go back again!! I enjoy it so much, and people connect each time. I couldn't recommend it more. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - The view was beautiful and the trip had just begun! - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

Outer Island Expeditions was great when we had some issues with the ferry. When we arrived slightly late, the tour guide was super helpful to get us on board quickly and efficiently. The kayak tour out to the scenic point was absolutely gorgeous. We learned quite a bit from our guide about the local environment and wildlife. Highly recommend this organization for your tour and we will keep them in mind for other types of tours they offer. read more

We always use Outer Island and are never disappointed. Professional and knowledgeable. Their passion is on display every time we have gone out. read more

Booked our tickets a few weeks ago and showed up for our confirmed 3:30 launch and no one was there. I figured I was probably in the wrong area or they were a little late coming back from their earlier departure. I called the number on google and they were as confused as we were. At first they couldn't find my booking and made it feel like it was my fault until they ended up finding it. We were tossed around from a few people and each one didn't seem to get the memo from the previous person we talked to, so each time we had to explain the situation. They figured out they actually cancelled this trip and called everyone else on the trip... except me. They said they could either refund me or place me in a different trip for another day but we aren't from the area so I obviously couldn't just come back. We asked several times if there was a sister company or a different whale watching company in the area that they know of that could take us but they were very hesitant and not at all helpful. Which I get, you don't want to send customers away to a different business but if you screw up this bad just try to be helpful, man. We ended up going to Island Adventures in downtown Anacortes instead even though they were fully booked and was leaving in 10 minutes! They were so insanely helpful and nice when we explained what happened with Outer Island Excursions and sounded like they understood Outer Island Excursions wasn't the best. If you want a great experience whale watching, I highly encourage you to look at Island Adventures! I know the Groupon is tempting, but it so isn't worth taking time off work and driving up just to be forgotten about. I can't imagine what we would have done if Island Adventures wasn't so helpful. read more

Amazing experience when we visited them a few months back. We went with the hopes of seeing orcas, and boy did they deliver. Check in process is a breeze. Very organized. Beautiful boat, custom made for them, and boy does it fly. The crew is amazing, and has your safety in mind at all times. We caught some rain on our first time out, but we pushed through following some grey whales. It was awesome. It was cool to see all the other boats working together as well, while making sure not to bother the beautiful animals we were here to see. Our second outing was the special one. We reached the location a pod of orcas was feeding at, and spent close to a hour completely circled by them. It made the 14 hour journey from LA to here worth it. Everyone was respectful. Of all the trips and tours I have taken, this is still my favorite. The boat was awesome, we caught a little bit of air. But the experience I had here still has not been met anywhere, including the couple visits we've had to more tropical places. 5 stars all the way. They will make the trip to this beautiful island worth it. read more

Drew and Clint were the kindest, most knowledgeable and enthusiastic team! They were as excited as we were to not only see the whales near the Canadian waters, but then back near the Orca Island's dock! We went over our scheduled time as they were making sure we all had a once in a lifetime experience! I'd give more stars if I could! Worth every penny (and we were a party of 8!) read more

What an amazing experience! The crew was incredible and having their knowledge shared with us was one of the best parts. It was great to see the whales but having the context and info on what we were seeing made it even more enjoyable. Thank you to Captain Drew, Delaney and Katie for an amazing day! read more

One thing I think may help out when you read the reviews is that Outer Island offers many different types of tours (kayaking, whale watching) from different locations to different locations, however, many reviewers don't specify which one they're writing about. For instance, if you want to see whales you should book a whale watching boat, because odds are not nearly as good to see one while kayaking. That being said, I suspect all the trips are worthwhile. Seems to be a business that does everything possible (considering there's a lot of nature that has to go right) to make whichever trip you choose enjoyable. (I took the whale watching trip from Orcas Island, and yes, we hooked up with a pod of Orcas for well over an hour). Scott B. Eagle River, AK read more

Took my mom and daughter whale watching for mothers day. It was cold but very fun! Great information given. Would recommend and would go again. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Big Mama - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

We enjoyed a fantastic whale watching trip out of Anacortes with Outer Island Expeditions. Our three-hour tour took us out through the San Juan Islands (nearly to the Canadian border), and we were able observe seals, sea lions, porpoises, tons of sea birds, and ORCAS!! Our journey began at the Skyline Marina, which is located near the San Juan Islands ferry terminal in Anacortes. The crew consisted of the ship's skipper and a naturalist, each of which had a friendly, outgoing personality and a wealth of knowledge about the local area, the animals, and their habitat. Apparently all of the local tour operators communicate with each other so that on any given day they all know where the whales are hanging out. Our ship got up to speed (like, "hold on to your hats!" speed) once out of the marina, and headed straight for the Orcas that had been sighted West of San Juan Island. The skipper did slow and stop several other times too, though, to observe other wildlife such as harbor seals, Stellar sea lions, and cormorant colonies en route to the 'main attraction'. The whole expedition was a delight; I would recommend this trip to anyone who interested in getting out on the water and viewing some of the Salish Sea's native inhabitants in their natural environment! Tips: bring a camera, some warm layers, and snacks/lunch for sure; sunblock and binoculars might be a good idea as well. Also: bring some cash to tip the hosts; they deserve it! read more

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Amazing time kayaking! Guide took the time to get to know everyone and make sure everyone was enjoying the adventure. Encouraged and instructed us. Seemed to genuinely enjoy his job. Even first time kayakers would enjoy. Do it! read more

Had a great time on a 3 hour kayak tour with Katie this past Sunday! My 16 year old daughter got ride with Katie and had a great time picking her brain about kayaks and life. We saw all sorts of wildlife and the weather was perfect! We've never kayaked before and Katie did a great job getting us orientated and ready to go. Would definitely do it again! (PS don't forget to tip your guides if they did a good job ) read more

Outer Island Expeditions - A beautiful day! - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

This was mine and my boyfriend's first whale watching tour. We found a deal on Groupon for pretty much half off, which was awesome. However, you do have to pay attention to when they're doing tours. I had originally picked a Saturday when they weren't doing them! And once you get your Groupon voucher, you have to get in touch with the tour people and book your actual tour. It was so awesome, and never really had a dull moment. At least not to me. Our guide was really laid back and humble. We had the 5:00pm tour, so by the time we got out to where we saw our first orcas, it was their time to come in and rest. There were so many! I think I had my hopes a little too high, thinking they'd come to the boat like you'd see at SeaWorld and in "Free Willy" and stuff. But they did come pretty close to our boat. It was just a very awesome and incredible experience. I would definitely and hopefully will, come back for another tour. If you do the later tours like we did, you'll definitely want some close toed shoes and a pretty warm jacket. I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to cold weather. I wore some Ugg boots and jeans and a thick hoodie and it did fine for me. We also stayed overnight. I would suggest it to anyone, no matter how close you're traveling from. We drove three hours from Bremerton and reserved a hotel about a week or two in advance from our tour date. Their downtown area is really nice and has a good variety of places to eat and hang out at (their Thai restaurant is amazing). I forgot to mention that there were dozens of sea lions! There were rocks covered with them. And some swimming with the boat, as well. They were very sweet. Overall, I loved the tour. I suggest bringing a good camera. I got decent photos and videos from my iPhone, but I wish I could've had a real camera at the time. If there are families going, don't worry about your kiddos going hungry. We were out on the boat for about four hours. But in the boat they have a huge storage box filled with snack foods and water bottles. I also suggest that you eat before the tour. We hadn't eaten since (late) breakfast and thought we'd be good until dinner. We just got a little sleepy towards the end. Outer Island Expeditions, you were great! Thank you for the awesome experience. It was a lovely way to see our first orca whales who are actually in their natural habitat. Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

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A Trip to Remember. In July, 2018 my wife and I took 6 friends along on a trip of gratitude and friendship. These friends of 25 years had shared all the life celebrations as well as the funerals of our parents. And we had shared the births of their children and the passing of their parents. We all decided on Orcas a Island and stayed at WorldMark where we have a timeshare membership. Although we spent an entire week visiting the whole island, we had the best time visiting the Orca Whales out in the ocean beyond The Sound. Our captain and First Mate were experts in their craft of piloting the boat and sharing their knowledge of not only the individual whales but the pod histories as well; not to mention the surrounding islands geography And geology!! Worth every nickel. 6 months later we're still talking about it, and phots will again be shared over Christmas next week! read more

We did both kakaying and whale watching with this company. Four star rating is my average of five stars for the kayak trip and three stars for whale watching. We signed up for kayaking through a Travelzoo daily deal. Read the small print--there was an additional reservation fee we had to pay directly to Outer Island on top of the deal price. You must also present your DEAL voucher to redeem, even though Outer island sends you an email that says it's your ticket. WHALE WATCHING The day before our kayak trip, we walked over to the office just to check it out and make sure we knew where to meet the next day. They sold us on their whale watching tour even though I specifically questioned them about whales really being around. They told us humpbacks had been spotted earlier in the week. We decided to go. You also get 25% off if you have another trip booked with them. The captain did set realistic expectations at the beginning of the trip, the sort of info you would have liked the salesmen to tell you before you decide to pay for the trip. We saw seals, sea lions, an oyster catcher (rare bird), a couple porpoise and one minke whale. It was fun, but you need to go in with the idea this is wildlife watching, whales (or a whale) is only part of it. The boat crew was knowledgeable and professional, and I think if there had been more whales nearby they would have taken us to see them. One tip: Dress warmly, no matter how nice the weather. SUCIA ISLAND KAYAK Amazing experience!!! They shuttle you to Sucia in a fishing vessel, which doubles as the Sucia Island Ferry. You push off in kayaks from the island itself. Our guide was Justin, a recent college grad who majored in environmental education. He clearly loved his job and was an excellent guide. The weather was perfect, and we got to circumnavigate Sucia Island, with a couple stops on the way. You need to be relatively fit, and this trip is not appropriate for kids under 12. They have shorter trips where you can bring kids, but this one is all day and requires paddling against some pretty strong currents. Scenery is amazing, and wildlife spotting included great blue heron, seals, bald eagle. I would totally do this trip again, in a heartbeat. Outer Island also runs the ferry/water taxi service to Sucia, which is a state park, and you can camp overnight. There are five to ten miles of hiking trails on the island, connecting the various harbors. That would make for an epic and affordable family trip! read more

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The staff were exceptionally rude. Literally nothing on our side to provoke this behavior. The worst customer service I have ever experienced. Not sure how they could still be in business. read more

We loved this company. It was clear to us that the staff care about the natural environment and wildlife. They were all very well versed in marine lifWe took a day to kayak with them around the Scucia islands. Nate was a fantastic guide. Very informative, helpful and safety conscious. read more

We had a great time paddling around Sucia Island with our guide Chris and company; 8 of us total. Being my first time on a kayak and deathly afraid of large bodies of water, it was not long before I forgot it all and enjoyed the calming effects of the Puget Sound. Chris was informative, funny and had some great recommendations for the rest of our stay on Orcas. The boat ride home took us on a wild goose chase for whales, which was fun in itself! Thanks for the memories OIE! read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Our guide and dead jelly. - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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Very good tour, informative, clean boat, family friendly. Would def recommend! Jon, Demi amd Chelsea did a great job! read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

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It was a fantastic experience. The crew was friendly, they explained about the marine life, wildlife, their behaviors etc., The team was very thorough and knowledgeable. TIP: Try to bring your own food/snack since you won't get it on-board read more

Booked a whale watching tour for my birthday with my daughter and it was WHALE worth it! The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and safe. We saw MANY orcas way up north and were incredibly blessed on this beautiful day. I highly recommend a tour with them. We will definitely be back! Thank you! read more

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We rented kayaks from them and the owner was incredibly rude, condescending, and unpleasant to deal with. The kayak rudder did not work, we were not given spray skirts despite the high chop, no one to help us get the kayak up the beach (or even to launch until we struggled for a few minutes in the high surf). The owner clearly didn't give a s@#$ about our experience when we let him know that the rudder wasn't working. We knew some people who used shearwater and had a much more pleasant experience, I'd recommend them read more

We booked a private trip to spread my mothers ashes which we ended up having to cancel. We gave them 2 1/2 months notice of the cancellation and they refuse to refund our deposit. This trip was booked over the phone and there was no mention of a non-refundable deposit. It was also not listed in the confirmation email. Pretty shady to pocket $500 for no services rendered, especially given this was a memorial service. read more

Captain Dave and his crew were amazing and he was super funny. The tour was successful and very enjoyable. Thanks

Did the whale watch one day, then came back for the kayak tour. Our guide was great and it was a nice, mellow tour. We were able to see harbor seals, eagles, turkey vultures, sea stars, and jellyfish. If you're looking for a relaxing paddle then this is the tour for you. Kayaks were in good condition and well kept. read more

Outer Island Expeditions - Harbor seals are too darn cute. - Fishing Near Me - Eastsound, Washington

We had a great time. The crew was very knowledgeable, friendly and respectful to the animals. We saw a few orcas and some elephant seals. My tip: bring some binoculars and a warm jacket, even if it's a hot day when the boat is on the move it can be very windy and chilly. read more

Okay folks, we did the boat ride to see Orcas and we did the kayaking with them a couple of days later. We highly recommend BOTH. The captain, Bo, worked hard to find Orcas. After traveling quite a distance, we were not disappointed. We sighted many Orcas and we have the videos to proof it! It was truly amazing. And Kayaking with Ari, leading us, oh heavens, he knows everything about the sea life. Also, we were a total group of ten strangers and Ari had the patience and professionalism to handle the slower people. Everyone, as we discussed at the end had a fabulous time. High marks, y'all. read more

I've been on various activity tours in various countries and never have I met such knowledgeable, funny guides who are just stoked on life. (And they're pretty damn nice to look at all day, too -- who knew this little island was so full of attractive 20-something men?! Perhaps I should move here... I digress.) ANYWAY. Chris and Justin are quite the dynamic duo -- it is clear they are doing what they love in life. That is, in my case, spending the day kayaking around Sucia Island. Both the wildlife and geology were unlike anything I've ever seen. Red footed boobies fighting bald eagles, harbor seals awkwardly climbing up and down rocks, madronas, sandstone formations... I could go on, but I'll stop because you get the idea: the San Juan Islands are an incredibly special place. You've gotta BYOFood, but OIX does provide water bottles, rain gear, and dry bags (my DSLR was much obliged). I brought water shoes, but ended up wear flip flops or going barefoot the whole day. The San Juan Islands are forgiving on my city girl feet and it felt good to get 'em a little dirty. There are a couple reviews mentioning the gas surcharge on discounted packages -- read the fine print people!! You're getting a hell of a deal paying only half the cost! What's an extra $10-20? Believe me, it's worth every penny. read more

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Bought my boyfriend a Groupon for a whale watching trip a while ago! We came close to multiple pods and took so many great photos. The crew was super friendly and made the ride enjoyable. It can get pretty chilly on the boat so bring a jacket! I highly recommend this trip to everyone! read more

My second time with Outer Island Exp. Wonderful day on the water. Lots of activity - orcas and humpbacks. Weather was perfect and crew was tremendous. Hard to 'come back to reality' . Can't wait for the next time! read more

Fantastic crew and experience. We saw the Orca Pods from a distance but also saw other wildlife as well. Highly recommend this company!!

This was a great company to work with. We were running a little late and I was able to connect with the captain and his main assistant and they waited for us. Plus if you like wine, you can bring it on board! They worked very hard to get us to the orca and we found it! They also diversified our trip with other wildlife as well. I love how fast their boat is, it really cuts down on the amount of time it takes to get to the animals. I have gone on three trips with outer Island Expeditions and will go out with them again. They are wonderful to work with! read more

The boat was pristine, warm indoors and there was a jovial, excited atmosphere with the crew and other clients onboard. A knowledgeable and friendly crew member visited all areas where clients were sitting and struck up convos about marine animals in our area and what they've been seeing on their searches recently. We had to move to various locations based on the intel they received but once they found a pod, we buzzed around to watch them. Those orcas are fast and the "show" was fun! I have recommend Outer Islands to others and would be happy to join them again in the future. read more

Greedy and Bungling Tour Operator I paid over $400 for 4 tickets (two weekend ago) when all tickets were selling for half price on Groupon. The ferries were running late so I gave then regular updates four times and when we were definitely behind, I asked the operator if I could take the next tour (evening instead of morning) - I was only there for a weekend. The Operator told me they could not say and advised me to pay 50% MORE for guarantee or go standby. When I got to the islands they advised me to come next morning as there was 30% vacancy so like standby would be possible - could avoid paying 50% more. I called in the morning and they gave me directions. When I did come in with family, unbelievably, they said sorry, the tour is full and to come in the afternoon. On each of four occasions I spoke to a different person who had absolutely no record of my previous conversation. We were horrified that this half-witted, disorganized, self-possessed operator had effectively ruined our two day trip - a whale watching tour being a central objective. I was willing to pay a premium, return a couple of times - but it seems the staff was hell bent on NOT meeting my interest, but basking in the quagmire of their fleeting, bungled, high season operation. After ruining my vacation they issued 'passes' to pay 50% more for each ticket after paying double the going price, and getting shafted. The problem is this operation is run by indifferent dilettantes who think they're Cousteau's own cousins, not customer representatives. Don't go by the ratings, pretty much anyone who gets on one of these tour boats, gets to see a whale and feels thankful - its the rest of the operation that really matters. These guys deliberately confounded my opportunity and ensured that my money would be wasted. I will report them to BBB and denounce such deceit. read more