Top Things to do in San Juan Islands
10 Things to do in San Juan Islands That You Shouldn't Miss
Start your Pacific Northwest vacation in style, with a seaplane or ferry ride to the San Juan Islands from Seattle. It’s the ultimate way to take in the beauty of this region that Mother Nature has so abundantly blessed. You have a choice of three alluring islands – Lopez, the most rural, a mix of rolling farmland and beaches; Orcas, the largest of the San Juan Islands and replete with verdant mountains and placid lakes; and San Juan Island, where vibrant Friday Harbor welcomes ferry and seaplane guests and offers an array of charming accommodations and gourmet eateries.
Whether it’s whale-watching and sea kayaking, touring an art gallery or browsing a local farmers’ market, the San Juan Islands offer pleasing diversions for every age and interest. For the best chance to view orca whales and other sea life, plan your trip between April and September – a number of tour operators are available throughout the islands. Rev up your energy level with biking tours through rolling meadows and farmland, go birding on San Juan Island, hike the region’s modest mountains – offering outstanding vistas from the top – or go charter fishing for the day. Other favorites include hiking to Lime Kiln Lighthouse on San Juan Island, taking a scenic flight over the area, attending an outdoor summer concert in the park and horseback riding.
Restaurants in San Juan Islands
1. San Juan County Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
This park offers some of the best whale watching.
2. Zip San Juan
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 439 reviews
Come and experience for yourself the only Zip Line Tour in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. Our family friendly zip tour features 8 zip lines that will take you through a beautiful forest, across an otter inhabited lake and over protected wetlands. This tour is an amazing way to experience the natural landscape of San Juan Island while zipping from platform to platform through the forest canopy.Upon reaching the site, you will be given an orientation and then have the opportunity to practice zipping on our smaller practice zip lines. After this, our guides will lead you on a brief hike to the first of the zip lines. Throughout your tour you will soar past tall Douglas Firs, Western Red Cedars, and experience the forest and wetlands from a viewpoint usually exclusive to birds.Tours last approximately 3 hours, which includes travel time to and from the course. The Zip San Juan course is approximately 10 minutes from Friday Harbor. Zip San Juan can provide your transportation to and from Friday Harbor to the zip site.
Reviewed By NCApple - Everett, United States
We took an early ferry so had a chance to visit the Whale Museum and have a tail gate lunch before we were picked up for our tour at the appointed time. Guides were great & reassuring with their backgrounds, information & instructions. Only 1 of the 6 of us had zipped before so they were patient, reassuring and had fun demonstrating what to do & what not to do and why. Beautiful day with lots of Zip and Do Dah!
3. Orcas Island Pottery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 340 reviews
Reviewed By karencN3549PQ - Defiance, United States
Once you take the drive down the path you find a beautiful setting with a great display of pottery throughout the yard and shop.
4. Orcas Island Historical Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 35 reviews
The largest of the San Juan islands is also one of the prettiest, with rocky terrain for hiking and dramatic shorelines for kayaking and whale watching.
Reviewed By 606kathryna - Dupont, United States
This museum has lots of information of the early settlers and life on Orcas island. They have moved several small original settlers' cabins to the site and have plenty of artifacts. It was larger than I thought it would be. I spent about 45 minutes browsing the exhibits. I really enjoyed the museum and would bring more family to see it. Admission was free but you could give a suggested donation.
5. Cypress Island
6. Lime Kiln Point State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 745 reviews
This 36.32-acre park, located on the west side of San Juan Island, boasts over 2,550 feet of scenic shoreline.
Reviewed By E6573WEryanb - Ellensburg, United States
Great place to explore with kids and adults. My wife, 2 girls (8 & 11), and I spent a over half a day of our vacation walking the trails, beach combing in Deadman Bay, and then watching the sunset. There are picnic tables all along the trail from Lime Kiln lighthouse south/east to Deadman Bay that you can hang out at, watch for whales/orcas, and then later watch the sunset. The park is free BUT you do need a Discovery Pass to park since it's a state park (this is a Washington State permit that you can buy a day pass or year pass for on site). There are bathrooms on site, a small gift shop (that did take debit/credit cards), and there was a small food truck that offered food (never went to close to it to see what the options were though). Well worth your time if you're on SJ island.
7. San Juan Island National Historical Park
8. Turtleback Mountain
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 67 reviews
Reviewed By jgold10529 - Portland, United States
While Mt Constitution gets all the love, the view from Orcas knob (AKA Turtlehead) I think are thebest on the Island. You gotta hike there and while not super hard, it is a bit of up and down, but terrain is solid so not technically difficult at all. Make sure you take the Turtlehead trail to the end, you will be rewarded
9. Pelindaba Lavender Farm
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 563 reviews
Pelindaba Lavender Farm, spread over 25 beautiful acres with lake and Olympic Mountain views, has become one of the San Juans' most popular visitor destinations. More than 200 lavender-based, botanical, culinary, personal care, therapeutic, household & pet care products are handcrafted and sold on-site.
Reviewed By DoloresJacoby - West Palm Beach, United States
The store in town is lovely to visit and the staff is very helpful. They have everything lavender from creams, pet formulas, oils and even ice cream. I’ve wanted to visit the farm outside town fir three years and finally made it! One can arrive by car, moped or a $10 trolly ride and hop off for a nice two hour visit. The lavender fields are breathtaking and the only ones on San Juan Island. Owned by a gentleman from South Africa
