If you’re looking for a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of West Sound, take advantage of one of our state’s most popular destinations. The San Juan Islands are mere hours away and offer services all the way from boondock camping to boutique hotels with fine dining in a peaceful, rural setting.
The San Juan Island group is made up of some 450 islands, but only 16 are inhabited. Five islands are serviced by Washington State Ferries, including the two most popular, San Juan and Orcas. Note that reservations on state ferries are required for vehicles traveling to and from the San Juan Islands. No reservations are required for walk-on passengers.
Other transportation options include the daily San Juan Clipper from Seattle to Friday Harbor or a quick 45-minute floatplane ride on Kenmore Air from Seattle or Tacoma to several San Juan Islands harbors. And, of course, these islands are a popular destination for Seattle boaters.
Whatever your preferred method of travel may be, this destination is the antidote for stress. The highest speed limit on any island is 45 mph, and most are 35 and lower, so you are organically prepared to slow down.
The most populous and the most visited island, San Juan, welcomes visitors arriving via Washington State Ferries at Friday Harbor. The bustling village rises from the port and curls around the large harbor, making for a picture-book setting. The entire town is all of one square mile, making it eminently walkable and easy to discover all it has to offer.
Activities include Spring Street shopping, kayaking in the harbor, visiting the Whale Museum or the San Juan Island Museum of Art, excellent dining and must-see whale watching. With no less than eight whale-watching tour companies operating at the harbor, there are numerous options.
Accommodation and dining are abundant both in Friday Harbor and around the island. A very convenient and luxurious choice to stay in town is the Friday Harbor House, a 23-room boutique hotel ideally perched above the harbor and within walking distance of the ferry. Every room offers king-size beds, gas fireplaces and oversize jetted tubs, but the harbor view rooms are well worth the upgrade.
The hotel’s garden area serves up an expansive view of the harbor and has firepits enjoyed by both guests and locals in the evening. During the summer, the outdoor kitchen in this space serves lunch.
The hotel’s restaurant is, in a word, special. With a menu that is elevated, yet approachable, Chef Bryce delivers very creative and delicious dishes from both the sea and the land for dinner Friday through Tuesday and a substantial breakfast daily. The Wine Spectator Magazine award-winning wine list is succinct, thoughtful and exclusively Northwest.
The property also offers packages that include discounted round trip floatplane travel with Kenmore Air from Seattle, significantly shortening travel time. All in all, Friday Harbor House is an excellent base for San Juan Island.
Another popular destination on the island is Roche Harbor, particularly for visiting boaters in the summer with its protected harbor. This charming village, famous for its daylong Fourth of July celebration, is 20 minutes from Friday Harbor. Here, you’ll find accommodations from rental homes to a historic inn, three restaurants and several shops, among other amenities.
Beyond these two destinations, San Juan Island has much to offer, such as hiking at Lime Kiln Point State Park and lighthouse or English Camp. Don’t miss the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park and Nature Reserve. The drive to Cattle Point Lighthouse and beach from Roche Harbor delivers beautiful, sweeping views of the Salish Sea from Victoria to Port Townsend.
Next stop, Orcas Island and the town of Eastsound, a 20-minute drive from the island’s ferry terminal. The town sits on peaceful Fishing Bay. The pace mimics the serene bay, with friendly residents and visitors enjoying the many shops and restaurants. Eastsound is a quaint, walkable community, with the entire town core not much larger, but much more pleasant, than your average local supercenter.
While the island has numerous hotel and inn options, if you would like to stay within walking distance of the village center, your choices are few. One excellent option is the lovely Outlook Inn right on the waterfront. The 33 rooms were refreshed in 2023 and serve up a modern and warm vibe, with many offering fireplaces and bay views. In 2019, the inn added a new space across the street from the main building directly on the water’s edge, offering five stunning suites with balconies perched over the bay. The striking new building also boasts space for meetings, events and weddings overlooking Fishing Bay.
And what a spot for a wedding it would be. Outlook Inn also has a charming and rustic wedding chapel onsite, with gorgeous grounds to accommodate summer nuptials in a magical island setting. The venue can help with all your wedding planning.
Outlook Inn’s fine dining restaurant, New Leaf Café, delivers a thoughtful and approachable menu featuring local specialties that Chef Andrew puts his Italian spin on. Happy hour here is just that, and has a fun cocktail menu that kicks off the evening with great drinks and friendly staff. Kenmore Air flight packages are available here as well.
For a pint and a meal in a casual waterfront Irish pub setting, head to The White Horse Pub, where staff pull a fresh pint of Guinness to serve with traditional Irish dishes and pub fare. Another waterfront option for a meal is the Madrona Bar & Grill, with a full bar, friendly service and a solid, fresh menu. Both restaurants offer outdoor seating on the bay during warmer months.
The town itself sports a welcoming and artsy feel, mixing modern buildings and businesses with those that have been around for many years. The wider island has so much to offer, including many local artists’ studios and artisans to enjoy and parks to explore.
Girl Meets Dirt is a wonderful starting point. It shares a delicious and quite unique take on island-grown heirloom preserves. Its creativity delivers memorable old-school style jams, shrubs and bitters made with fruit harvested from island trees, some over a century old. In addition to single-fruit preserves, Girl Meets Dirt offers unique combinations like salted apple caramel and Shiro plum with mint. It also offers a line of fruit-based wines. The store is a worthy stop.
For those who are staying somewhere on the island with a kitchen and are looking for local artisan meat to prepare, do not miss Lum Farms. Through a unique agreement intended to protect local agriculture, a local land bank leases land to the Lum family, where they raise cattle, lamb, goat, pork and poultry, all harvested on site and U.S. Department of Agriculture certified. Their goat milk produces excellent feta, chevre, tomme and gouda cheeses and even an amazing ice cream — the only Washington State Department of Agriculture certified dairy in the state to do so. At their farm stand, the family sell meats, cheese, eggs, seasonal fruits and vegetables, sheepskins and goatskins, wool products and more. And the kids will love meeting the animals.
Orcas Island pottery is another required stop, with a seemingly endless variety of pottery available to peruse, all made onsite. There is a gift for everyone here.
Twenty minutes east of town is the hamlet of Olga, population 689, where you will discover the stunning Orcas Island Artworks. This co-op gallery features art from 45 Orcas Island artists and craftspeople creating pottery, sculpture, jewelry, glass, wood, paintings, prints, wearable art and more. It is a beautiful space.
If you’re looking for more of an outdoor experience and are fortunate enough to have a clear day, a drive or hike to the county’s highest point is in order. The view from Mount Constitution, elevation 2,409 feet, in Moran State Park is all-encompassing, with Vancouver, Mount Baker and Mount Rainier in sight. If you prefer a less strenuous hike, there are 38 miles of paths throughout the park. Additional amenities include 124 campsites, picnic grounds and a retreat center. At the pretty Crescent Lake, there are boat, paddle board, kayak and inflatable floaty rentals available.
These two featured islands are true rural getaways. For comparison, Kitsap County, feeling pretty rural itself, boasts 700 residents per square mile. San Juan and Orcas Island, only 102. These are truly peaceful destinations, where you can do as much or as little as you want. Both offer many excellent accommodation and dining options and activities to satisfy visitors of all ages. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience some San Juan serenity.
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