The San Juan Islands in Washington state are one of my favorite places and have held a special place in my heart for a very long time. When my husband and I were first married, we would travel up to the San Juans for weekend getaways. In 2007, we moved up to live in the San Juans (specifically on Orcas Island) and lived there for four years. It was while we were living on Orcas that both our children were born. Nine years have past since we lived in the San Juans, but we try to go visit at least once a year. We just got back from one of those visits, so I thought I would shared some of our favorite places.
There are four ferried islands in the San Juan Islands: Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, and San Juan Island (a.k.a. Friday Harbor). Each island has its own personality and characteristics. Lopez Island is known as the friendly island. Here it is common, and customary, to give the two finger wave at each passing vehicle. Shaw Island is the smallest of the ferried islands. It is a quiet island with very few tourists, and the locals like it that way. Orcas Island is the outdoorsy/natural/granola island with some great hiking options. San Juan Island’s Friday Harbor is the largest town in the islands, hence why it’s also referred to as Friday Harbor. Although there are beautiful hikes, Friday Harbor attracts more urbanites.
This blog is not an exhaustive list of all the things to do in the San Juan Islands, but is more of a glimpse of things we did on our latest itinerary. Our most recent trip we spent 4 days and 3 nights on Orcas Island and Friday Harbor. Check out our video of our most recent trip.
Getting to the San Juan Islands
Although spontaneity can be fun and exciting, getting to the San Juan Islands takes some planning. Unless flying in or taking your own boat, the most common way to the islands is taking a ferry. To take a ferry to the Islands, you first have to go through the ferry terminal in Anacortes, WA. The ferries use a reservation system and only a limited numbers are saved for those without a reservation. Even with a reservation, they require you to check in at the tollbooth 30 minutes before your sailing. Keep in mind that depending on the season, the ferry landing may be busy. It may take a while to get to the tollbooth (they recommend being there 45-60 minutes before the sailing). Check out the Washington State Ferries website for more information, to check the schedule and to make a reservation.
Depending on the ferry schedule, plan on being on the ferry for 50 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes. The length of the trip is determined by whether it is making stops at other islands or if it is a direct ferry from Anacortes to Orcas. The ferry ride is a beautiful way to travel and enjoy the views!
Orcas Island
Once the ferry has landed at Orcas, most cars will turn left to head into Eastsound, which is the main town on Orcas Island. Eastsound is a cute, quaint town with a hometown feel that sits at the top of the horseshoe shaped island. There are no stoplights, and more than a couple of cars at the 4-way stop is a traffic jam!
Must-do Shopping
To be honest, I am not much of a “shopper,” but who doesn’t like a good book! Darvill’s bookstore is a cute shop that carries a nice selection of books including local authors and books about the San Juan Islands.
For a good cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or a little treat, we enjoyed Brown Bear Baking. As soon as you walk in the door, you are enticed by the aroma of the fresh baked pastries. The warm ambiance and the friendly staff make this a memorable stop.
I know a pharmacy doesn’t normally make the list of a tourist’s must-do shopping list, but Ray’s Pharmacy, in my opinion is a must-do. There are cute souvenirs, and hand-made speciality items, fun toys and games, and it seems like a little bit of everything. On this particular trip, I forgot to pack a hat (and it was cold enough to need one!), and I found a cute hat for both my daughter and I.
Orcas Island Pottery has beautiful hand made glazed pottery. I just LOVE their pieces! One of these days I am going to purchase a set of dinnerware. Meanwhile on this trip I only purchase a coffee cup and olive oil bottle/cruet. I highly recommend visiting Orcas Island Pottery if only to admire their handiwork.
Hiking: Exercise and Vistas
There is plenty of good hiking on Orcas. There are a lot of popular hikes in Moran State Park such as Cascade Lake, Mountain Lake, and for those wanting more of a challenge you can hike all the way up Mount Constitution. On this particular trip we didn’t hike at Moran, but opted for lesser known trails.
Although well known to locals, Obstruction Pass State Park is less traveled by tourists. It is a relatively easy hike approximately a mile each way (2 miles round trip) that takes you out to a pebbly beach. Our family has sometimes found sea glass, although this time we only found pretty rocks and shells. We watched some ferries landing at Lopez Island and stayed to enjoy some colors at sunset.
Since our family lived on Orcas Island, we have access to a private hike that affords beautiful views. On this hike you can take in views of the Puget Sound dotted with islands, with glimpses of Mount Baker in the background. Although this hike is not open to the public, you can get similar views from Mount Constitution.
Water Activities–You are surrounded by water!
Since you are on an island, you have to enjoy the water! Even though the waters of the Puget Sound are pretty cold for swimming, there are plenty of other activities.
Kayaking
We brought up our kayak, but if you don’t own a kayak, there are places to rent a kayak or do a kayaking tour. We put in our kayak at West Beach. While kayaking, you almost feel that you are one with the water. Be cautioned that there are very strong currents circulating through the islands so it is very important to check the tide tables. If you are not an experienced kayaker, do not attempt to kayak without an experienced guide.
Tide Pooling
Another great water activity is going to check tide pools. This trip the tide was fairly high so not as many tide pools, but my kids LOVE looking in tide pools. We often find starfish, but this time we only found some crabs and a couple little fish.
Crabbing or Fishing
Since there is so much sea life, going fishing or crabbing is another great water option. As a vegetarian, this was a first time experience for me, but we have friends on the island that took us out crabbing. Our friends have a crab license for up to 5 crabs per day. The first night he caught only one Dungeness crab that was a keeper, but the next day he filled his quota. Our friends that traveled up to the islands with us wanted to go fishing, but the fishing season ended a few days before we arrived.
Landmarks worth a visit
Mount Constitution
There are multiple landmarks that are enjoyable to see. One of the most popular is Mount Constitution. As the highest point in the San Juan Islands, on a clear day Mount Constitution affords beautiful views. As mentioned earlier, you can hike up the mountain, but for this you must plan multiple hours. You can also drive to the top, and then it is just a short jaunt to see the views. There is also an impressive stone tower you can climb to afford a 360 degree view.
Rosario Resort
Another place worth the visit is Rosario Resort. The mansion on the resort grounds is quite impressive. It was built by Robert Moran, who was a ship builder in the 1880’s to the early 1900’s, and the mansion incorporates architecture inspired by his love of ships. On our visit, the mansion was not open due to COVID-19.
Victorian Valley Chapel
Victorian Valley is a serene drive with a very picturesque chapel. When we arrived this time, there was a flock of wild turkeys. I believe the chapel is not open for church services but can be rented out for weddings. This is a quick stop for people to poke in to look around and take a couple of pictures.
San Juan Island / Friday Harbor
Since we only had one day at Friday Harbor, we only made it to a few of my favorite places. These are the ones that rank top/must-do when I visit Friday Harbor.
South Beach
South Beach is the longest public beach in the San Juan Islands. Although not a sandy beach, I love this beach for all the pebbles and driftwood. While walking along the beach, it is inevitable that the kids are loading their pockets (and mine!) with all the beautiful rocks they find. The driftwood is amazing for building forts, and also admiring the unique whorls. There are also some trails to walk that lead all the way to American Camp. Depending on the tides, there may also be some places to go tide pooling. On nice days, it is easy to spend a full day at South Beach alone.
Cattle Point
Cattle Point is the very Southwest point of San Juan Island. There is something about the tranquility about Cattle Point that draws me to it. The beauty of the simple lighthouse surrounded by tall grasses is appealing. As an introvert, Cattle Point also appeals to me because it doesn’t draw the tourist crowds. There is also the chance to see wildlife. On this trip we saw a fox. I have heard that foxes live in area, but this is the first time I have seen one there. We also saw a bald eagle, and I have more frequently seen these majestic creatures here.
Lime Kiln Point
Lime kiln also boasts a beautiful lighthouse and is definitely a more popular spot for tourists. During the summer months it is not uncommon to see Orca Whales swimming in the deep water directly off shore. At Lime Kiln, depending on the tide, there is also a great spot to do some tide pooling, On this trip, the tide wasn’t cooperative, so we did not see our usual starfish or crabs. Although not as expansive as Cattle Point or South Beach, there are also some short trails to hike and enjoy the view. There are quite a few Madrona trees along these trails. If you are not familiar with Madronas, they have a unique bark and gnarly trunk and branches. There is one particular Madrona that has become a tradition for my kids to take a picture in.
Shopping
To be honest, on this trip to Friday Harbor I was disappointed with the shopping. Like I said before, I am not much of a shopper, but the one place we always went to for a sweet treat (i.e. “The Doctor’s Office”) is no longer there. There is another ice cream parlor across the street, and it is quite good, but be advised they only accept cash. Since the day we were in Friday Harbor was a bit cold, we weren’t looking for ice cream, but for a hot drink. As we meandered through the town as we waited for the ferry, we found a lot of the shops were closed. I am not sure if this was due to COVID-19, or if they are only open seasonally. We did finally find a place that was open to get some hot chocolate, but to be honest, it was wasted money.
The one shop that we went into that was noteworthy was Pelindaba Lavender. If you like lavender, this shop is everything lavender—from culinary products to personal care, to cleaning products, and even dog treats! I believe that everything (or most everything, anyway) comes from their farm on the island. We came away with some chocolate lavender cookies, and some chocolate lavender topping (that is vegan, so my son with a dairy allergy could enjoy it).
The San Juan Islands are a Must-Visit
With my love of traveling, most of the time I prefer to visit places that I have yet to explore, but the San Juan Islands keep drawing me back time and time again. If you go, you definitely should visit my favorite places on the San Juans, but take time to enjoy and explore. There is so much to see!
Check out some of my other favorite places!
I love to travel! Check out my other posts of other awesome trips!