Weekend Getaway: San Juan Islands
I'm going to a good friend's wedding on Lopez Island this weekend and I am thrilled to have this opportunity to go to the beautiful San Juan Islands. The San Juans are a great place to visit for a quick weekend getaway. It doesn't take long to get there; it's a 2 hour drive from Seattle to the ferry in Anacortes, and then from there it's a quick ferry ride to the island of your choice.
The San Juans are famous for being a great spot for whale watching orcas, but I have never seen an orca there or gone on a whale watching tour, but I guess lots people see them. It's also a great place for kayaking, bicycling, hiking, and just plain relaxing and getting away from it all. A little known fact, too, is that San Juan Island has an amazing skatepark.
Every time I have been to the San Juans I have been lucky enough to stay with my friend (the one who is getting married this weekend) but I hear there are some nice places to stay, including hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campsites.
There are 3 main islands that make up the San Juans that have ferry access: Lopez Island, Orcas Island, and San Juan Island. Lopez Island is my favorite because it's known as the "friendly island" and the locals all wave to each other when they pass each other while driving on the road.
It's good to plan ahead for your trip to the San Juans and be prepared to wait awhile to load onto a ferry if you are driving as they fill up quickly on summer weekends with great weather. I suggest leaving your car at the ferry terminal in Anacortes and bring your bike and walk on the ferry because you'll be likely to get on the ferry with your bike, but it's not so easy with a car because there is limited space for vehicles. It costs about $35 to drive on the ferry to get from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands in the summer, and it's about $14 for an adult walk-on fare.
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