Imagine looking out over the crystal-clear waters of Puget Sound and seeing the spout of a 90,000-pound gray whale, the playful breach of the 50-foot humpback whale, or a pod of orcas slicing through the sea with their pitch-black dorsal fins.
Around Bellevue, that’s not the stuff of fantasy. All year long, that’s just another day on the water.
With Puget Sound, the Salish Sea, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca at its doorstep, Bellevue makes an idyllic basecamp for spying several species of wildlife — some of which are year-round residents and others that migrate through the region in winter and spring. Given that abundance of marine life, a number of whale-watching outfitters offer trips on the water and over the sea to help you spy these majestic creatures. And, if you’d rather stay on land, you’ll find no shortage of hiking trails that afford sweeping views of the water’s creatures as well.
Whales to watch for in WA
However you do it, you’ll most likely watch for three species of whale, as well as the orca. (Despite their “killer whale” nickname, orcas are actually the largest species in the dolphin family.) Gray whales feed around Whidbey Island in winter and spring — and are noted for occasional spouts that can reach 10 feet above the water. Massive humpback whales are growing in number throughout Puget Sound and the Salish Sea and are most commonly seen in spring and summer. Minke whales, meanwhile, often only surface briefly but stand out for their short, angular dorsal fin.
Finally, orca sightings — the most sought-after wildlife-watching experiences across Puget Sound — are defined by the animal’s tall, black dorsal fin and whitish saddle patch. Resident orcas might be seen around the San Juan Islands all year long, but they typically swim into the heart of Puget Sound to follow salmon runs in fall and winter.
Keep your eyes on the water, and keep reading for more on how to see these majestic creatures on your next visit to Bellevue.
Hit the Open Waters for a Whale-Watching Cruise
If you’re up for a cruise, on-the-water tours have some of the highest success rates when whale-watching throughout Puget Sound. That’s because the region's outfitters are generally up to date on the latest sightings, know where the various pods like to feed, and keep in touch with each other when whales are spotted.
Roughly 22 miles northwest of Bellevue, Puget Sound Express offers four- to five-hour tours that depart from the Port of Edmonds and traverse the San Juan Islands and Salish Sea. Each trip takes up to five hours and provides a mix of comfortable indoor viewing windows and spacious viewing decks outside. On-board presentations and map tracking provide additional insight on the behavior of the region’s whales.
FRS Clipper, meanwhile, is the only whale-watching tour that departs from downtown Seattle. Each of the FRS Clipper's tours last three to five hours and include commentary from an on-board naturalist, a free guidebook, and locally sourced food and drink for purchase.
As an added bonus, both outfitters guarantee whale sightings on your tour — or else you'll receive a voucher for a free tour at a later date.
Take to the Sky for a Flightseeing Tour
Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the wider region with a pair of regional flightseeing operators who fly you between the Bellevue area and the San Juan Islands in less than an hour. From there, you’ll join a local outfitter for an hours-long whale-watching cruise through one of the region’s most prolific orca habitats. Best of all: Wide-open views of the Seattle skyline, Cascade peaks, and Puget Sound ecosystem are included free of charge.
The personalized experience from Northwest Seaplanes caters to your group size and tour preferences. After boarding a seaplane that departs from Lake Washington near Bellevue, you'll have the chance to join a scheduled whale-watching tour — or to take a private tour that accommodates up to six passengers. Either way: Expect to see seals, sea lions, porpoises, eagles, and plenty of whales.
Kenmore Air takes off from the northern edge of Lake Washington. After landing in Friday Harbor Marina on San Juan Island, you'll join a local naturalist for a three-hour whale-watching tour. Feel free to book as a day trip — or extend your trip with an overnight stay before returning to Bellevue.
Hike to Sweeping Viewpoints Across Puget Sound
If you’d like to spy whales on your own, plenty of hiking trails head to sweeping viewpoints. Bring plenty of water, pack a pair of binoculars, and scan the sea along these exciting trails.
Point No Point Park sits near the northern edge of the Kitsap Peninsula, across Puget Sound from Bellevue and near the mouth of Admiralty Inlet — where orcas and gray whales frequently travel on their way to the southern reaches of Puget Sound. There, a two-mile round-trip trail gains about 100 feet while following the shoreline, ascending to a viewing platform, and heading to a lighthouse that dates back to 1879.
You won't break much of a sweat along the West Beach Sand Dunes trail, which measures 0.8 miles (round-trip) and gains just over 30 feet of elevation in Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey Island. But what you lack in thigh-burning ascents, you more than make up for with frequent wildlife sightings. Scan the wide-open Strait of Juan de Fuca to your west for glimpses of bald eagles, harbor seals, the occasional sea lion, and — of course — orcas.
