Loading ...Sanjuans Washington USA Travel
. The San Juan Islands of Washington state are located approximately 150 miles north of Seattle in the midst of the great ocean inlet formed by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. They consist of a cluster of picturesque islands with rocky shorelines that are covered in dense forests and rolling farmlands. San Juan Island, Orcas Island and Lopez Island are the largest.
Anacortes
You can reach the San Juan Islands by driving 100 miles north of Seattle on Interstate 5, then going west another 20 miles on route 20 to the village of Anacortes. From there, the Washington State Ferries take you to any of the major islands. A favorite destination with visitors is Friday Harbor, a quaint fishing village on San Juan Island. The voyage takes 60 to 90 minutes and passes some breathtaking scenery as it wends its way through the narrow straits between islands. A roundtrip fare costs $35 for an auto with driver. Passengers and pedestrians pay $10 for a roundtrip ticket.
The best place to view the whales from land is at the Whale Watch Park on the western side of San Juan Island. There is no entry fee. The rocky promontory surrounding the little lighthouse provides an unobstructed view of the Orca’s favorite fishing grounds, and the whales can easily be seen on most days. Some people prefer to rent a kayak from one of the suppliers so they can paddle along the shoreline in search of the pods. A four-hour guided expedition costs about $75 per person. If you are lucky, you can glide right through the midst of a pod and watch the massive black and white hulks rise huffing and blowing spray right beside your little boat.
Some people go to these islands just to relax and appreciate the scenery. You can hike, rent a bike or just drive around the islands visiting the dense redwood forest, the rocky promontories and the tiny fishing villages nestled in the sheltered inlets. Many people go to fish in the adjacent waters with their bountiful schools of Salmon and Lingcod. Some rent kayaks in order to explore the coastal cliffs with their rookeries of wildfowl, to glide through the midst of the mighty killer whales as they cavort in the straits, and to spy the majestic eagles soaring above.
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