Marina Types

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Explore the Islands

Seven islands spanning walkable harbor towns to wilderness marine parks

Ferry Served

San Juan Island

Friday Harbor & Roche Harbor anchor the cruising experience

San Juan Island's two marinas bookend the island and offer fundamentally different experiences. Friday Harbor places boa...

Walkable downtown Friday HarborRoche Harbor resort villageLime Kiln whale watching23+ miles of trails
Ferry Served

Orcas Island

The archipelago's most dramatic terrain

Orcas Island's horseshoe shape concentrates attractions along a corridor from Deer Harbor in the southwest to Moran Stat...

Mount Constitution (2,409 ft)James Beard-nominated diningThree marinasMoran State Park (5,252 acres)
Ferry Served

Lopez Island

The Friendly Isle — flat roads and Fisherman Bay moorage

Lopez Island is the flattest of the ferry-served San Juans and the archipelago's premier cycling destination. Its charac...

Premier cycling (31.5-mile loop)Shark Reef SanctuaryIceberg Point hikesFisherman Bay moorage
Ferry Served

Shaw Island

The quietest ferry stop demands self-sufficiency

Shaw Island, the smallest of the four ferry-served islands at 7.7 square miles with 188 residents, operates essentially ...

No restaurants or hotels11.5 miles of peaceful roadsIndian Cove county parkUltimate quiet escape
Boat Access Only

Sucia Island

The crown jewel of San Juan marine parks

Sucia Island State Park — 564 acres accessible only by boat — is widely considered the finest marine state park in Washi...

6 distinct moorage bays48 mooring buoys75-million-year-old fossilsChina Caves sandstone formations
Boat Access Only

Vendovi Island

A fragile preserve with a closing access window

Vendovi Island, a 217-acre nature preserve managed by the San Juan Preservation Trust, sits between Guemes and Lummi Isl...

217-acre nature preserve6 pristine beaches3 miles of trailsExceptional native flora
Boat Access Only

James Island

A Rosario Strait crossing with dramatic rewards

James Island's 581 acres form an hourglass shape — two forested hills rising 200+ feet connected by a low isthmus with t...

Hourglass-shaped islandTwo white sand beachesBluff-top hiking trailsRosario Strait views

Dining

From dockside fish & chips to James Beard-nominated kitchens

Downriggers Restaurant

$
Pacific NW Seafood Friday Harbor 0.1 mi

Waterfront views steps from the marina, Pacific Northwest seafood.

11 AM - 8:30 PM daily

Coho Restaurant

$$
Fine Dining / Farm-to-Fork Friday Harbor 0.2 mi

Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 20+ years. Intimate candlelit four-course tasting menus.

Cask & Schooner Public House

$
English Pub Friday Harbor 0.1 mi

Hand-battered fish and chips and craft cocktails. 1 Front Street North.

Rocky Bay Cafe

$
Breakfast/Cafe Friday Harbor 0.1 mi

Two-minute walk from the marina. Morning fuel stop.

Morning

Duck Soup Inn

$$
Farm/Foraged NW Friday Harbor (4mi north) 4 mi (transport needed)

Rustic cabin setting. Nearly all ingredients sourced or foraged from the island. Acclaimed by Bon Appetit and Fodor's across 40+ years.

McMillin's Dining Room

$$
Fine Dining Roche Harbor 0.1 mi

In the founder's former home. 60-day aged prime rib, Wine Spectator wines.

Thu-Mon 4-9 PM

Madrona Bar & Grill

$
Waterfront Dining Roche Harbor 0.1 mi

Only sunset-over-water dining on the island. Deck built directly over the harbor.

Summer seasonal

Lime Kiln Cafe

$
Breakfast/Bakery Roche Harbor 0.1 mi

Fresh doughnuts and hearty breakfasts on the wharf.

Morning

Westcott Bay Shellfish Co.

$
Oyster Bar Roche Harbor (1mi) 1 mi

Eat oysters where they grow at beachside picnic tables overlooking cultivated tidelands.

May-Oct, reservation-based 1.5-hr seatings

Marina Dock Store

$
Casual / Dockside Deer Harbor at dock

Espresso, burgers, fish and chips, pizza right at the marina.

Island Pie

$
Pizza Deer Harbor short walk

Wood-fired pizza near Deer Harbor Marina.

Matia Kitchen & Bar

$$
Seasonal Tasting Menu Eastsound drive/shuttle

James Beard Award nomination 2024. Hyper-local seasonal tasting menus.

Reservations essential

Houlme

$
Pizza / Seafood Eastsound drive/shuttle

Seven James Beard nominations. Creative sourdough pizza and seafood small plates.

Closed Mon/Tue

New Leaf Cafe

$
Pacific NW Eastsound drive/shuttle

Inside the historic Outlook Inn. Water-view dining with crab cakes and wild salmon.

Brown Bear Baking

$
Bakery/Coffee Eastsound drive/shuttle

Morning essential. Artisanal bread, almond croissants, espresso with bay views.

Morning

Mijitas Mexican Kitchen

$
Mexican Eastsound drive/shuttle

Carnitas tacos and margaritas on an outdoor patio.

Cascade Bay Grill & Store

$
Casual Rosario at marina

Pizza, burgers, and waterside outdoor dining at the marina.

Summer seasonal

Buck Bay Shellfish Farm

$
Oyster Bar Olga 2.5 mi from Rosario

Ultra-fresh shucked oysters at picnic tables on a working farm.

Olga Rising

$
Breakfast / Sandwiches Eastsound drive/shuttle

Buttermilk biscuit sandwiches, curry chicken sandwich, boysenberry lemonade, and cinnamon rolls.

Doe Bay Wine Company

$
Wine Tasting Eastsound drive/shuttle

Prosser-sourced wines in a tasting room. Spanish potato chips and resident chihuahua Arthur.

The Madrona

$
American / Seafood Eastsound drive/shuttle

Sandwiches, burgers, and seafood in the historic Porter Building in Eastsound.

San Juan Island Distillery & Westcott Bay Cider

$
Distillery / Cidery Roche Harbor (1mi) 1 mi

Shared tasting barn on Anderson Lane. Apple brandy judged best craft-distilled in the U.S. Spy Hop Gin (silver medals). Westcott Bay Cider from 1,300+ English and French cider apple trees replanted on an 1870s orchard.

Saturdays 1-4 PM; cidery Thu-Sun in summer

HAVEN Kitchen & Bar

$
Pacific NW Lopez Village 1 mi

Upscale Pacific Northwest cuisine with waterfront views.

Ursa Minor

$$
Agrarian Fine Dining Lopez Village 1 mi

Creative agrarian fine dining with local seasonal ingredients.

Setsunai

$
Asian-Inspired Lopez Village 1 mi

Asian-inspired dishes with revolving seasonal menus.

Islander Bar & Grill

$
American Lopez Islander Resort at marina

Legendary Tiki Bar happy hours and live summer music on the waterfront deck.

Breakfast through dinner

APIZZAPIE

$
Neapolitan Pizza Lopez Village 1 mi

Neapolitan-style pizza from a 700-degree stone hearth.

Mon-Tue, Thu-Sun 11AM-7PM

Holly B's Bakery

$
Bakery Lopez Village 1 mi

Famous for cardamom coco knots and baguettes.

Closed late Nov-early Apr

Trails & Hiking

From easy waterfront strolls to 2,400-foot summit climbs

Mount Finlayson Loop

Moderate
3.5 - 5.1 mi 295 ft American Camp

Views of Cattle Point Lighthouse, Mount Baker, and the Olympic Mountains.

Jakle's Lagoon Nature Trail

Easy
1 mi loop Minimal American Camp

Island's most accessible path through wetlands.

South Beach

Easy
2 mi Minimal American Camp

Ocean bluff walking with possible whale sightings.

Young Hill Trail

Moderate-Strenuous
2 mi round trip 650 ft English Camp

360-degree panoramic views of Olympic Peninsula, Haro Strait, Canadian Gulf Islands. Native Garry Oak forest and 1860s Royal Marines cemetery.

Lime Kiln Point Loop

Easy
1.4 mi loop Minimal Lime Kiln Point State Park Discover Pass

One of the world's best land-based whale watching locations. 1919 lighthouse, restored lime kilns, hydrophone for live orca calls.

Cascade Falls Trail

Easy
0.25 mi Minimal Moran State Park Discover Pass

Spectacular waterfall in minutes from the trailhead.

Cascade Lake Loop

Easy
2.7 mi Minimal Moran State Park Discover Pass

Circles the main lake with swimming access.

Mountain Lake Loop

Easy/Moderate
3.9 mi Moderate Moran State Park Discover Pass

More peaceful lakeside circuit.

Cold Springs Trail

Difficult
4.3 mi one-way 2,058 ft Moran State Park Discover Pass

Climbs Mount Constitution's west face with switchbacks and East Sound vistas.

Mount Constitution Loop

Difficult
6.7 mi 1,490 ft Moran State Park Discover Pass

Eastern ascent from Mountain Lake. CCC-built 1936 stone observation tower at summit — views of Baker, Cascades, Vancouver Island, Rainier.

Twin Lakes Loop

Moderate
5.2 mi 850 ft Moran State Park Discover Pass

Connects Twin Lakes with Mountain Lake via forested ridgeline. Quieter alternative to the Constitution routes.

Pickett Peak Trail

Moderate-Strenuous
3.2 mi round trip 1,100 ft Moran State Park Discover Pass

Steep ascent to a secondary summit with views of the Strait of Georgia and Canadian Gulf Islands.

Entrance Mountain Trail

Moderate
4 mi round trip 800 ft Moran State Park Discover Pass

Ascent to the park's eastern summit with panoramic views of Rosario Strait and the outer islands.

Turtleback Mountain Preserve

Moderate
Varies Varies West Orcas

Views of West Sound. Managed by San Juan County Land Bank.

Obstruction Pass State Park

Easy/Moderate
Varies Minimal SE Orcas

Old-growth forest trails to secluded beach at island's southeastern tip.

Shark Reef Sanctuary

Easy
1 mi round trip Minimal South Lopez

Boardwalk through old-growth forest to rocky shoreline. Seal and sea lion colonies, strongest currents in the San Juans.

Iceberg Point

Easy/Moderate
2 mi round trip Minimal South Lopez

Island's top-rated hike. Forest to windswept coastal meadow at rocky cliffs. Camas lily fields, whale watching. San Juan Islands National Monument.

Watmough Bay

Easy (scramble option)
1 mi Minimal (scramble adds significant elevation) South Lopez

Flat coastal trail to sandy cove with Mount Baker framed perfectly on clear days. Watmough Head scramble for panoramic summit views.

Sucia Island Loop

Moderate
4.2 mi 419 ft Sucia Island

Best overview of the island. Johnson Point and Shallow Bay with views of Strait of Georgia.

Echo Bay Extended Loop

Moderate
8.9 mi Varies Sucia Island

Near-complete island perimeter circuit.

Ev Henry Trail

Easy/Moderate
Varies Varies Sucia Island

Fossil Bay overlook of Fox Cove and Little Sucia Island. Named for the yachtsman who led preservation.

James Island Loop Trail

Easy/Moderate
1.5 mi loop Moderate James Island

Circles central and southwest portions. High bluff views of San Juans and Thatcher Pass. Northern half closed as Natural Forest Area.

Paintbrush Point Trail

Easy/Moderate
1.8 mi Minimal Vendovi Island

Dense forest to overlook. Access to 6 pristine beaches. Exceptional native flora — camas, paintbrush, fawn lilies.

Turn Point Lighthouse Trail

Easy/Moderate
3.5 mi round trip Minimal Stuart Island

From Reid Harbor or Prevost Harbor to the 1893 Turn Point Lighthouse at the island's western tip. Views into Canadian waters.

Patos Island Loop

Easy
1.5 mi loop Minimal Patos Island

Loop trail through madrone forest to the 1893 lighthouse at the western point. Tended by volunteer Keepers of the Patos Light.

Eagle Cliff Trail

Moderate-Strenuous
3 mi round trip 750 ft Cypress Island

Summit climb to a 750-foot viewpoint overlooking Rosario Strait and the San Juan archipelago. DNR-managed.

Jones Island Trail Network

Easy
4 mi total Minimal Jones Island

Network of trails including an ADA-accessible paved path. Tame black-tailed deer and a small heritage orchard.

Marine Parks

Boat-access destinations worth planning a trip around

Sucia Island State Park

Boat only
Washington State Parks Outer Islands

564 acres widely considered Washington's finest marine state park. Hand-shaped form creates six distinct moorage bays — ...

Dock 2 at Fossil Bay removed Oct-Apr. Summer weekends fill by early afternoon.

Jones Island Marine State Park

Boat only — 1 mile west of Orcas
Washington State Parks Near Orcas Island

Compact island with tame black-tailed deer, a small heritage orchard, and one of the few ADA-accessible trails in the ma...

Dock removed Oct through Mar

Stuart Island Marine State Park

Boat or floatplane
Washington State Parks Near Canadian border

Remote park near the Canadian border with two protected harbors connected by a 3.5-mile trail to the 1893 Turn Point Lig...

Patos Island Marine State Park

Boat only
BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Northernmost San Juans

207 acres of madrone forest on the northernmost island in the lower 48. The 1893 lighthouse is tended by volunteer Keepe...

Lighthouse open summer weekends only

Cypress Island (DNR)

Boat only
Washington DNR East of Rosario Strait

The crown jewel of DNR's marine holdings. Eagle Cliff summit offers one of the best views in the San Juans. Reed Lake ha...

Eagle Cliff CLOSED Feb 1 - Jul 15 for raptor nesting

Clark Island Marine State Park

Boat only
Washington State Parks Near Orcas Island

55-acre island with rocky beaches and madrone groves. Less visited than Sucia or Jones, offering genuine solitude. Unusu...

Vendovi Island

Boat only — Thu-Mon, Apr-Sep, 10AM-6PM
San Juan Preservation Trust Near Bellingham

217-acre nature preserve with exceptional native flora — camas, paintbrush, fawn lilies. Strict day-use rules with appro...

April 1 - September 30 only. Thursday through Monday, 10AM-6PM. 3-hour dock limit.

James Island Marine State Park

Boat only — 3 miles west of Anacortes
Washington State Parks Near Anacortes

581-acre hourglass-shaped island — two forested hills rising 200+ feet connected by a low isthmus with two white sand be...

Farms & Producers

Lavender fields, shellfish farms, distilleries, and tasting rooms

Pelindaba Lavender Farm

Lavender Farm
San Juan Island Farm store 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM; fields always open; free admission

25 acres with 25,000 plants of three lavender species. Organic certified with 200+ products made on site. Zulu name means 'place of great gatherings.'

Westcott Bay Shellfish Co.

$
Oyster Bar Roche Harbor (1mi) 1 mi from dock

Eat oysters where they grow at beachside picnic tables overlooking cultivated tidelands.

Buck Bay Shellfish Farm

$
Oyster Bar Olga 2.5 mi from Rosario from dock

Ultra-fresh shucked oysters at picnic tables on a working farm.

Doe Bay Wine Company

$
Wine Tasting Eastsound drive/shuttle from dock

Prosser-sourced wines in a tasting room. Spanish potato chips and resident chihuahua Arthur.

San Juan Island Distillery & Westcott Bay Cider

$
Distillery / Cidery Roche Harbor (1mi) 1 mi from dock

Shared tasting barn on Anderson Lane. Apple brandy judged best craft-distilled in the U.S. Spy Hop Gin (silver medals). Westcott Bay Cider from 1,300+ English and French cider apple trees replanted on an 1870s orchard.

Galleries & Culture

Art, books, and creative spaces across the islands

Arctic Raven Gallery

gallery Friday Harbor 0.1 mi from dock

Northwest Coast Native art — masks, carvings, prints from Coast Salish, Haida, and Tlingit nations. 130 First Street S.

WaterWorks Gallery

gallery Friday Harbor 0.2 mi from dock

Contemporary Pacific Northwest artists since 1985.

Island Studios

gallery Friday Harbor 0.3 mi from dock

Exclusively represents artists living in the San Juans. 270 Spring Street.

San Juan Islands Museum of Art

museum Friday Harbor 0.3 mi from dock

Rotating exhibitions Fri-Mon 11AM-5PM. Administers the Sculpture Park near Roche Harbor. 540 Spring Street.

San Juan Islands Sculpture Park

sculpture park Roche Harbor Near Roche Harbor from dock

Free 20-acre outdoor park with 150 sculptures across 5 trails. Open dawn to dusk year-round.

Orcas Island Pottery

gallery Eastsound drive/shuttle from dock

Oldest pottery in the Pacific Northwest (est. 1945). Whimsical gardens, working artists.

Orcas Island Artworks

gallery Olga drive from dock

Cooperative in a 1938 strawberry barreling plant. 45 island artists — pottery, glass, wood, fiber.

Crow Valley Gallery

gallery Eastsound drive/shuttle from dock

Waterfront gallery since 1959.

Chimera Gallery

gallery Lopez Village 1 mi from dock

Cooperative (est. 1987) — painting, ceramics, glass, fiber, metalwork.

Peter A. Mohlman Fine Arts & Design

artist studio Eastsound drive/shuttle from dock

Working artist gallery and teaching studio. Atlanta College of Art-trained, full-time Orcas resident. Watercolor and acrylic landscapes. Classes $50 (3-class min) or $65 individual; scholarships available.

Darvill's Bookstore

bookstore Eastsound drive/shuttle from dock

Independent bookstore and coffee bar for 35+ years. Batdorf & Bronson and Dancing Goats coffee. Overlooks the Sound. 296 Main Street.

Cruising Logistics

Water taxis, ferries, fuel, customs, and getting around the islands

Water Taxis

  • Island Express Charters (Skyline Marina, Anacortes) — Most extensive network. One-way: $45 nearby islands, $79 Friday Harbor, $112 Sucia. 4-person minimums on longer routes. Grocery delivery ~$30.
  • Outer Island Excursions (Orcas Island) — 11 boats, daily ferry to Sucia with kayak rentals. County contract for emergency inter-island service.
  • San Juan Safaris (Friday Harbor) — Charter water taxi ~$250-$750/hr depending on vessel.

Washington State Ferries

  • Walk-on passengers and bikes ride FREE on all inter-island sailings (Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, Friday Harbor).
  • Off-peak: ~5 daily inter-island trips on weekends.
  • Vehicle reservations release in phases: 2 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days before sailing. Strongly recommended in summer.
  • Sidney, BC international route suspended through at least spring 2030.

Island Transit (No Car)

  • San Juan Transit — Seasonal bus (mid-May to mid-Sep) from Friday Harbor ferry to Roche Harbor, Lime Kiln, American Camp, English Camp, Sculpture Park. Day pass $20 adults / $15 kids.
  • Orcas Island Shuttle — Rental cars delivered to marinas year-round + seasonal bus.
  • Orcas Island Taxi — 24 hours, ~$30/trip.
  • Lopez Islander Resort — Free shuttle van to ferry for guests.
  • No Uber or Lyft anywhere in the San Juan Islands.

Fuel Docks

Gas and diesel available at: Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Deer Harbor, Rosario, West Sound, Lopez Islander Resort. Plan fuel stops no more than two islands apart.

Pumpout Stations

Friday Harbor — Free pumpout including pumpout boat. Port of Lopez in Fisherman Bay (hail VHF 78).

US Customs

  • CBP ROAM App is the standard method — create trip before departing, video interview, clearance before boarding.
  • Friday Harbor — Staffed customs dock.
  • Roche Harbor — Unstaffed ROAM booth on G Dock.
  • Vessels 30+ feet require a CBP User Fee Decal.

Suggested Multi-Day Route

Friday Harbor (provision, dine, galleries) → Roche Harbor (resort, Sculpture Park, English Camp) → Sucia Island (1-2 nights: Fossil Bay, Shallow Bay, Echo Bay) → Orcas Island (Deer Harbor or Rosario; Eastsound dining, Moran State Park) → Lopez Island (cycling, Shark Reef, Iceberg Point) → Anacortes (via James Island stopover)

Vendovi Island requires a separate day trip (Thu-Mon, Apr-Sep, 3-hr dock limit). Shaw rewards a half-day detour for quiet. Summer moorage at popular bays fills by early afternoon on weekends — arrive before noon or plan midweek.

Navigation Notes

  • Most marinas monitor VHF Channel 78A (Friday Harbor uses 66A).
  • NOAA raster charts 18421, 18423, 18424 have been cancelled. Use NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) or NOAA Custom Chart application.
  • Maintain 1,000-yard buffer around Southern Resident killer whales.
  • Rosario Strait crossings involve potential 3-4 knot currents and heavy ferry traffic. Time with favorable tides.
  • Peak season: June through September. Off-season = reduced services but uncrowded moorage.