How to have the perfect day trip on San Juan Island

Introduction

Off the coast of Northern Washington, there are several islands that are just a ferry ride away. My wife and I were in the middle of a 3 week long road trip up and down the coast from Monterey, CA. While searching for fun things to do in Seattle, I had stumbled upon the islands of Northern Washington that were perfect for a day trip!

There are 3 islands that are open for visitors; Lopez Island, Orcas Island and San Juan Island. We chose San Juan Island because of the scenery and the amount of things to do, shop and see on the island.

Throughout this guide, I am going to give you not only my experience but walk you through how to get to the island and what there is to do so that you can have the best possible experience!

Warning: You may fall in love and want to move there! It is truly a beautiful place with so much to see and do!

Getting to San Juan Island

There are several way to get to San Juan Island.

The cheapest mode of transportation to get San Juan Island is taking the ferry. (Who doesn’t love a good ferry ride?!) The ferry leaves from Anacortes Ferry Terminal and takes you straight to Friday Harbor in San Juan Island. The ride is about an hour long and has gorgeous views the whole way. You may even get lucky and see some whales so keep your eyes open!

So how do you get to Anacortes Ferry Terminal? If you are coming from Seattle, the drive will take you about 2 hours depending on the time of day and year. You will want to take the 5 North until you see the exit for Anacortes (exit 230) and then you will begin seeing signs for the ferry terminal. Upon arriving to the terminal, you can either drive on the ferry or you can park and walk onto the ferry.

If you are driving, you want to arrive at least 45 minutes to an hour before departure on the weekends. It can get very crowded. If you are walking on, you only need to arrive about 30 minutes early. There are plenty of parking spaces.

If you are walking onto the ferry (which i highly recommend for a day trip!), you can purchase your ferry ticket at the station waiting center. They have automated machines to purchase as many tickets as you would like. The tickets for walking on are $15 per person, with the exception of children under 18 riding free and seniors for $8 a person. Please note that this ticket is the round trip cost!

If you decide you would like to take your vehicle to San Juan Island, expect to pay about $60 dollars for the car which includes driver but you will also be required to pay for any additional people in the vehicle. This is a great option if plan to stay longer than one day on the island.

Other options to getting to the island:

• seaplane (various locations for pickup listed here)
• passenger and water ferries (can be found here)

These are great options if you would like to try something new but keep in mind, they tend to hold a higher price point.

Transportation on the Island

If you chose to walk onto the ferry, you have several options for transportation for exploring once you arrive.

All of the San Juan transportation options are listed here.

My wife and I booked with Susie’s Mopeds and we do not have a single regret! We had the most fun riding around the island in our moped.

Susie’s was located in Friday Harbor right after we got off the ferry so it was extremely easy to find. We did book in advance so everything was all set up for us when we got there. The company even gives you a map with all of the recommended locations to visit (which is super helpful when its your first time!).

And don’t worry, they are easy to drive! I was a little nervous but it only takes a couple minutes to get the hang of it.

Friday Harbor

Friday harbor is where the ferry will drop you off and pick you up from and if you are limited on time, this is a great place to spend the day shopping, eating and taking in the views.

For shopping, your options range from unique antique finds to cute souvenirs to remember the great time you had! My wife and I love to stroll around stores and see what unique finds we can take home.

For eats, if you want some quality seafood, this is the place to find it! If you are not a seafood fan, there is also a new brewery just down the road that you can walk to called San Juan Island Brewing Company. They have great food and even better beer!

Don’t forget to check out the whale museum too!

Scenic Byway

The scenic byway is the gorgeous road that runs all the way around the island. If you book with Susie’s, you will get a detailed map with the route on how to get to each location!

If you could only choose a couple of stops, I am going to recommend the best stops that cannot be missed!

Pelindaba Lavender Farm. This farm is absolutely gorgeous and smells like lavender the second you come up to the farm. If you love lavender, this is the place to be! They offer everything lavender from ice cream to hand soaps.

Whale watch park. Such a beautiful place to take in the views of San Juan Island. I would recommend getting snacks from Friday Harbor and bringing them with you to picnic and watch for whales here.

Roche Harbor. This is such a cute place to stop and have a drink or some lunch. Roche harbor is full of all kinds of boats and homes. There are also several hotels to choose from if you decide you want to stay for more than a day trip. Recommend planning ahead though because this Island is very popular.

Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm. Who doesn’t love to see alpacas?! This stop is a no brainer! They are super cute and there are many unique items to choose from in the store.

San Juan Vineyards. The tasting room is located in a historic schoolhouse and it is super cute. The views of the island greenery are breath taking! Highly recommend stopping here for a glass of wine prior to finishing your byway tour!

Thank you

If you have made it this far, thank you! This was my very first blog post and I truly hope it was helpful if you are planning a trip or maybe I even talked you into making your way to San Juan Island.