Best of · WHALE WATCHING AND WILDLIFE CRUISES IN THE USA

The 15 Most Popular Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruises in the USA

23 tours  ·  from $50 a head

This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 whale watching and wildlife cruises in the USA worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.

Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching - What the boat is like for three hours on the water
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Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching

1.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7,379 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $177Our pick

Meet Alaska Tales near Juneau’s Mount Roberts Tramway for a port pickup, a brief Mendenhall Glacier photo stop, and a boat ride from Auke Bay. You’ll have heated cabins, outdoor decks, snacks, bottled water, and naturalist commentary. Guides such as Kacie, Genevieve, Ashley, and Nate explain whale behavior while the crew searches for humpbacks.

“What’s a whale watching adventure after the whales migrate out of the area? It’s a little boat ride out. It’s a little boat ride back. Fortunately for us, it was a beautiful day. And the crew was delightful.”

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Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier - Out on the water with humpback whales
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Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

2.Juneau Wildlife Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6,236 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $249

Spend about 45 to 50 minutes at Mendenhall Glacier, then cruise Juneau’s coast aboard a warm, wildlife-viewing boat. Local guides such as Michelle, Nate, Taylor, Leon, and Jay share stories about the area and its whales. Expect comfortable viewing, a small snack, and a whale sighting guarantee, but bring binoculars for distant animals.

“Loved Alaska Tours with Kacie, Justin, and Nate aboard the George Mason. Very informative and we saw 2 whales that breeched! So exciting to see Sasha and her baby Chacha! Kacie knows her stuff and you can tell she loves her work! Great time! Highly recommend!”

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Wildlife Viewing, Sightseeing and Whale Watching Quest - Meeting at 131 Front Street
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Wildlife Viewing, Sightseeing and Whale Watching Quest

3.Wildlife Viewing, Sightseeing and Whale Watching Quest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 812 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $178

Set out from downtown Ketchikan aboard Eagle One for a 2.5-hour wildlife cruise through the Tongass Narrows. Captain Brad and guides including Leanne, Jake, and Theo search for humpbacks and orcas while sharing local stories. You get indoor and outdoor seating, blankets, binoculars, hot drinks, snacks, and a maximum group of 66.

“We had a great experience on this whale watching tour. We saw several whales, seals and a bald eagle. The staff was very informative and constantly checking the water for signs of whales. Even though it was rainy, they had plenty of inside seats and offered coffee, hot chocolate and water. They had binoculars at the tables for all to use.”

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Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise - The boat ride through the Salish Sea
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Seattle: Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise

4.Half-Day Wildlife and Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 378 reviews · 4 hours · from $148

From Pier 69, cruise the Salish Sea for 3 to 5 hours with an English-speaking naturalist. Look for orcas, humpback, gray, and minke whales, plus seals, sea lions, porpoises, and bald eagles. The boat is wheelchair accessible, with food, drinks, binocular rentals, and optional window-seat upgrades available.

“Fun trip, friendly crew. The trip was not to long and we did see plenty windlijfe.”

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Only Wildlife and Whale Watching Tour Leaving from Seattle - How the boat works for whale viewing
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Only Wildlife and Whale Watching Tour Leaving from Seattle

5.Only Wildlife and Whale Watching Tour Leaving from Seattle

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 248 reviews · 3 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $153

Leave Pier 69 near Pike Place Market for a 3 to 5 hour Salish Sea cruise with FRS Clipper. An onboard naturalist explains whale behavior, local wildlife, and conservation while you search for orcas, humpbacks, gray whales, and minke whales. Choose standard or premium seating, use the viewing decks, and buy food and drinks onboard.

“A very comfortable trip, with great staff who were knowledgable and who made sure we had a wonderful experience!”

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Wonderful Whales and Wildlife Tour - What the small boat changes
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Wonderful Whales and Wildlife Tour

6.Wonderful Whales and Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 210 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $285

Meet at the Excursions Hub at Icy Strait Point, ride five minutes to Hoonah, and board a boat with up to 13 people. Guide Shawn knows the local waters and works with other boats to locate whales, sea otters, and harbor seals. The three-hour tour returns you to the same meeting point.

“Fantastic experience. Family run operation. Clean boat, great guides, great experience for our family! 100% recommend!”

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Juneau: Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruise with Local Guide - The bus ride to the harbor
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Juneau: Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruise with Local Guide

7.Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruise with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 174 reviews · 3h 30m · from $177

Join Alaska Tales for a 210-minute Juneau whale-watching cruise with round-trip bus transport, snacks, drinks, and an English-speaking guide. Search protected waterways for humpbacks and other wildlife from a heated boat with several viewing decks. Guides such as Taylor, Monica, and Kristen add local insight, while the crew keeps the trip safe and relaxed.

“We saw 8-10 humpback whales. Besides being able to see the whales, the thing that made the tour so good was the sincere passion of the boat captain and our naturalist Taylor who is from the Juneau area. Some tours are led by bored jaded guides but not this one !”

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Icy Strait Whale & Wildlife Endeavor - Meeting the boat from the Icy Strait cruise port
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Icy Strait Whale & Wildlife Endeavor

8.Icy Strait Whale & Wildlife Endeavor

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 156 reviews · 3 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $258

Join Captain Seth and the Vivid Endeavors team for a 3-hour-45-minute whale and wildlife trip from Icy Strait. With only six people aboard, you can move around the boat for clear photos while searching for humpbacks, orcas, sea otters, seals, eagles, sea lions, porpoises, and coastal brown bears. Port pickup, snacks, hot drinks, and return transport are included.

“Fabulous opportunity to get up close and personal with those magnificent leviathans of Icy Strait! Captain Seth is so knowledgeable about every aspect of the area, and he clearly enjoys sharing that knowledge. We were thrilled to be surrounded by Humpback Whales frolicking all around the boat, and to have Captain Seth educating us about them.”

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Sitka Premier Whale Watching and Wildlife Tour - Why the small boat changes the experience
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Sitka Premier Whale Watching and Wildlife Tour

9.Sitka Premier Whale Watching and Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 114 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $190

Meet Parker, Mike, or another licensed USCG captain at Harrigan Centennial Hall and cruise Sitka Sound in a group of no more than 13. You might see humpback whales, orcas, brown bears, sea otters, sea lions, bald eagles, and jumping salmon. The boat has a bathroom, snacks, water, and an open deck for photos.

“Excellent! Found otters, whales and a bear feeding on salmon. Really enjoyed the commentary, and we had plenty of time to watch the wildlife.”

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Best Whale Watching and Wildlife Shore Excursion in Sitka - Whale watching without rushing the animals
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Best Whale Watching and Wildlife Shore Excursion in Sitka

10.Best Whale Watching and Wildlife Shore Excursion in Sitka

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 103 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $205

Cruise Sitka Sound and the outer coast of Baranof Island with local Captain Rick or another Sitka Sound Tours captain. Groups are limited to six, with outdoor viewing, a heated cabin, snacks, restrooms, and room to move around for wildlife photography. Sightings depend on weather and animal behavior.

“Fantastic day out with Rick in Sabeah Rose from Sitka Sound Tours. Sea Lions, sea otters, bald eagles and grey whales made it a truly amazing day. Thank you Rick.”

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Amazing Whale Watching and Marine Wildlife Shore Excursion - Humpbacks, calves, and the chance of a breach
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Amazing Whale Watching and Marine Wildlife Shore Excursion

11.Amazing Whale Watching and Marine Wildlife Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 74 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $199

Depart Harrigan Centennial Hall in Crescent Harbor for about two hours on the water with Captain Tad and a small private group. Expect live commentary, humpback whales, sea lions, otters, eagles, and possibly orcas or brown bears. A heated cabin offers shelter when Sitka weather turns wet or chilly.

“Tad is an amazing Captain. He went out of his way to make sure we had an experience beyond our wildest dreams. We saw whales with their calves, sea lions, eagles, otters, and a mama brown bear with her 2 cubs. All along, Tad informed us about the local culture, history, and the importance of the local ecosystem. Very approachable, Tad made this a wonderful experience beyond our expectations. We recommend Tad highly and without hesitation.”

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Private Ketchikan Fishing Combo & Whale Watching/ Wildlife 5 HR - Salmon and halibut are the main event
Fishing, Ketchikan Whale Watching Tours, Private Whale Watching Charters, Private Whale Watching Charters in the USA, Tour Reviews, USA Whale Watching Tours, Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruises, Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruises in the USA, Whale Watching Tours

Private Ketchikan Fishing Combo & Whale Watching/ Wildlife 5 HR

12.Private Ketchikan Fishing Combo & Whale Watching/ Wildlife 5 HR

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $700

Spend five private hours with a Ketchikan captain such as Tony, Lukas, or Grayson, fishing for salmon, halibut, cod, and rockfish. Your trip includes gear, bait, water, snacks, wildlife viewing, possible whale sightings, and coastal scenery. No fishing experience is needed, and your catch can be processed and shipped home.

“Absolutely amazing experience! I had the best time on this charter. The captain really knows his stuff—tons of fishing experience and insider knowledge. He took us to all the right spots and had all the tricks to help us reel in a great catch.”

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Whale Dolphin and Bird Watching Ecotour Cruise - Dolphins, birds, and the search for whales
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Whale Dolphin and Bird Watching Ecotour Cruise

13.Whale Dolphin and Bird Watching Ecotour Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 39 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $50Best value

Set out from Schellenger Landing at 1:30 pm for a three-hour Cape May cruise led by marine biologists and interns. Watch for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins near shore, then search offshore for baleen whales and seabirds. The boat also offers a touch tank with live local sea creatures, plus a galley, bar, and gift shop.

“The staff was friendly and gave helpful feedback on where to look for sea life. Didn’t see any whales but the tour was still a great choice. The staff had sea creatures on board (small) type petting experience for the kids during the time while looking for whales.”

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Ketchikan: Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Boat Tour - The first 25 minutes on the water
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Ketchikan: Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Boat Tour

14.Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 24 reviews · 2h 30m · from $198

You’ll cruise from Ketchikan with a guide and captain such as Jessie, Erica, or Capt. Morgan, watching for humpback and killer whales in Tongass Narrows and Nichols Passage. Binoculars, blankets, hot drinks, pastries, snacks, and an onboard restroom make this a comfortable choice, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

“No whales were seen, I understand it’s nature but as the whales are travelling South I could not understand why we were going North🤷‍♀️”

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A Comfortable Sitka Whale Watching Wildlife Shore Excursion - The wildlife you may see along the route
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A Comfortable Sitka Whale Watching Wildlife Shore Excursion

15.A Comfortable Sitka Whale Watching Wildlife Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $225

Join captain Rick of Coastal Tours Sitka for a 2.5-hour wildlife cruise from downtown Sitka. With no more than six people aboard, you will explore Sitka Sound, Baranof Island, and Kruzof Island while looking for humpback whales, orcas, otters, sea lions, eagles, puffins, bears, and seabirds. The boat has heat and snacks.

“Amazing tour! Rick has a spotless boat. My family was very comfortable and loved that he had heat and snacks. We saw whales, otters, sea lions and eagles. It absolutely met all of our expectations and more.”

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New in Whale Watching and Wildlife Cruises in the USA

★ 5.0Whale and wildlife watching Private and Semi-Private toursFrom $1992 reviews
★ 5.0Wildlife Spotting Kayak Adventure on Orcas IslandFrom $1092 reviews

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