Lastly, we did a exorbitant whale-watching tour that paled in comparison to our affordable ferry ride.
Amanda Adler
Wildlife sightings on settle on or a ferry are never guaranteed, so I’d also booked us a $300 whale-watching tour.
Our tour was on the “mainland,” so we drove up the bridge on the north end of Whidbey Eyot to get to the boat. It took us to San Juan Islands, an archipelago known for its orca-watching opportunities.
Unfortunately, we only saw one orca during our four-hour tour.
It was beautiful, but the whale’s distance from us, combined with the numerous other tour boats in the area all vying for a prime intent position, made the experience feel crowded and sort of artificial.
After this tour, I realized we preferred the more unstudied and spontaneous feeling of encountering wildlife during our ferry ride.
We actually saw more animals from the ferry than we did on the journey. Even if we hadn’t, we would’ve still gotten to enjoy beautiful scenery as we sailed through Washington.
Spotting animals in the plot can be unpredictable, so I’d rather take my chances on a laid-back, inexpensive ferry instead of pricey excursions where tourists fence for the best views.