Whale watching has been on my bucket list for years, but I hadn’t had the chance to make it happen. I thought this Seattle vacay would be the perfect opportunity.
While many Seattle-based tours depart from the San Juan Islands, Puget Sound Express takes off from Port Edmonds, which is only a 25-minute drive from downtown Seattle. The shorter drive time and 2.5-hour tour allowed us extra time for other activities that day. Plus, if my motion sickness flared up, we wouldn’t be so far away.
The captain and crew were very friendly and informative. They not only entertain you with their commentary, but they’re also incredibly knowledgeable about all the wildlife you get to see while on the boat.
You can book your tickets online which are $95/adult and $75/child. The boat departs at 10:30 am, but guests need to arrive 30 minutes before to check in.
Overall, this is a great family activity. It’s perfect for younger kids because of the duration and boat’s amenities. Our son loved this experience! The boat ride on its own was exciting for him, then, in addition to that, he had a chance to see whales spouting water! To read about some of our other Seattle activities, click here.
Gray Whales
During our time on the water, we were lucky enough to see four gray whales! They put on a great show, spouting water and lifting their flukes — whales’ distinctive tails — into the air! At one of the sites, a bald eagle was flying in the background, as if the whole thing had been planned! It was almost too perfect!
Early spring is the best time to see gray whales. Later in the season is when you see orcas — which we want to come back to see! During March and April, gray whales make a 10,000-mile migration from the south. Fortunately, they stop in this area to feed before completing the rest of their journey to Alaska. These majestic creatures have two blowholes, can reach up to 50 feet in length, and weigh up to 40 tons! Incredible!
The crew knew each whale by the markings on their bodies and tales, which was fascinating. They were able to tell us stories about each of the whales over the years, and their specific habits.
About the Saratoga
The tour was on the Saratoga, a catamaran-style boat. It was smooth on the water, with a large indoor cabin downstairs and a smaller one upstairs. There was plenty of comfortable seating inside, which was nice when the boat was at full speed! It gets chilly on the decks when the boat is touring. There were two bathrooms, and a concession area that sold coffee, hot chocolate, snacks, and blueberry baked treats, which is their family recipe.
We did go outside when the boat was moving to experience the wind but could only stand to be out there for a short period. Once the boat stopped, guests had full access to the outside deck areas with fantastic views of the water, landscape, and, of course, whales!
How to Avoid Motion Sickness
I love animals! And any chance I get to see wildlife in the wild, I usually jump at the opportunity. The reason I have avoided whale watching thus far is that I easily get motion sickness. And being stuck on a boat all day doesn’t sound all that great to me. However, I felt okay about trying out this excursion because it was only 2.5 hours on the water — and I could arm myself with plenty of motion sickness remedies.
Tip: I don’t like taking Dramamine unless I must, so I ate ginger chews about 30 minutes before boarding, chewed ginger gum throughout, and wore motion sickness wrist bands. That concoction seemed to do the trick!
We all felt fine while on the boat, though we all had sea legs for a while after departing. So, the trip was a success all around.
Below are the motion sickness and nausea remedies that I used:
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