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Washington State Visitors' Guide

2010 Washington State Visitors’ Guide

From seemingly never-ending beaches to pristine mountain lakes to spectacular high-desert terrain, there’s so much to see and do in Washington State.

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Washington State Visitors’ Guide is published by the Washington Lodging Association in partnership with SagaCity Media, Inc.

 

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The state’s scenic waters float plenty of opportunities for world-class whale-watching

WASHINGTON’S COASTAL WATERWAYS and Puget Sound provide prime habitat for a variety of marine wildlife—and great odds for catching a glimpse of a passing orca or gray whale from May to September, the main viewing season.

The San Juan Islands are a hotbed for Northwest whalewatching. Here, kayakers can join scenic tours with Friday Harbor’s San Juan Safaris (800.450.6858; www.sanjuansafaris. com), Discovery Sea Kayaks (866.461.2559; www.discoverysea kayak.com), and San Juan Outfitters (866.810.1483; www.sanjuan islandoutfitters.com). Outdoor Odysseys (800.647.4621; www. outdoorodysseys.com) launches half-day, full-day, and multiday tours from the prime viewing ground of San Juan County Park.

Visitors can join outfitters like Western Prince Whale & Wildlife Tours (800.757.6722; www.orcawhalewatch.com) for a nautical journey aboard either a touring boat or a speedy Zodiac. And at Orcas Island Eclipse Charters (800-376-6566; www.orcasisland whales.com), seasoned naturalists lead daily tours.

To the east of the San Juans, Island Mariner (877.734.8866; www.orcawatch.com) leads daylong tours through Puget Sound and the islands from Bellingham’s downtown marina. Narrated tours aboard Victoria San Juan Cruises’ (800.443.4552; www.whaletour.com) eco-friendly vessels also leave from this port of call. To the south, trained marine naturalists with Port Townsend’s PS Express (360.385.5288; www.pugetsoundexpress. com) lead tours that often spy humpback whales.

Landlubbers can also partake in whale-watching in the region. Spy passing pods from Cape Flattery (www.makah.com/ cape.html), on Makah reservation land at the Northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula; to the south, whales pass seasonally within view of the jetties of Westport and Ocean Shores at the mouth of Grays Harbor. On the west side of San Juan Island, Lime Kiln Point State Park (www.parks.wa.gov/parks) provides one of the best land-based whale-viewing spots in the world: orcas make regular trips past the park grounds. Even in Seattle, don’t be surprised if you spot a whale from one of the tour boats or ferries that depart from the city’s waterfront. —ASHLEY GARTLAND

 

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