San Juan Islands
A Washington archipelago of more than 400 islands and rocks, known for resident orca pods and reached only by water or air.
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The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in Washington state, lying between the mainland and Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. San Juan County covers the islands, which include more than 400 islands and rocks, 128 of them named. There are no bridges, so you reach them by ferry, fast boat or plane. Washington State Ferries runs from Anacortes and from Sidney, British Columbia, to Lopez, Shaw, Orcas and San Juan, the only four islands you can drive to. Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is the main town and the hub for ferries and flights.
People come for the resident orca pods, which you can watch from a boat or an air tour, and for sea kayaking. Lime Kiln Point State Park on San Juan Island is a prime shore site for whale-watching. Bald eagles, harbor seals and Steller sea lions are common in the surrounding waters. The islands sit in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and get much less rain than Seattle, about 65 miles (105 km) south. Summer highs are around 70 °F (21 °C), and winter lows are mostly in the high 30s and low 40s °F (about 5 °C). Ferry and flight schedules set how much you can cover in a day.
San Juan Islands in five
- Reserve car space on the Anacortes ferryVehicle reservations cover the Anacortes routes to Friday Harbor, Orcas, Shaw and Lopez, and space is released in stages, the last batch two days before sailing. The state holds 10% of standard space for stand-by.Ferry reservations
- Plan the return from Lopez and Shaw as first comeThere are no vehicle reservations from Lopez or Shaw back to Anacortes; those sailings load first come, first served. Leave buffer before a flight or a check-in if your last night is on either island.
- Budget one round-trip ticket, plus a summer surchargeOn the Anacortes route, passenger and vehicle tickets cover the round trip, and vehicle fares depend on length and height. A peak-season surcharge applies to full-fare vehicles from 1 May to 30 September.Getting around the USA
- Stay 1,000 yards from Southern Resident orcasWashington law applies to kayaks, sailboats and motorboats alike: stay 1,000 yards away, slow to 7 knots inside that range and stop the engine within 400 yards. Other killer whales get 200 yards.State orca rules
- Use the national historical park, no pass neededSan Juan Island National Historical Park has two units, American Camp and English Camp, and no entrance pass is required. Visitor centers are seasonal, but the grounds stay open year-round.Park fees and passes
Things to do in San Juan Islands
See all attractions in San Juan Islands
Need to know
- Getting there
- Drive to Anacortes, then Washington State Ferries to the islands
- Ferry stops
- Friday Harbor (San Juan), Orcas, Shaw and Lopez
- Reservations
- Vehicles can be reserved; none from Lopez or Shaw to Anacortes
- Ferry tickets
- Round trip on this route; vehicle surcharge 1 May to 30 Sept
- Park entry
- San Juan Island National Historical Park: no entrance pass
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain17 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low4°Wet, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 131 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- FebruaryRain16 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low4°Cool, quietFebruaryRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 91 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- MarchRain15 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Cool, grayMarchRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, gray
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh11°Low7°Spring, quietAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 61 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, quiet
- MayPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh14°Low10°Surcharge startsMayPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 41 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Surcharge starts
- JunePartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh16°Low11°Long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 34 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyClear3 rainy daysHigh18°Low13°Dry, busiestJulyClear
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 15 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, busiest
- AugustClear4 rainy daysHigh19°Low14°Dry, busiestAugustClear
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 25 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Dry, busiest
- SeptemberPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh16°Low12°Calm, fewer crowdsSeptemberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 61 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Calm, fewer crowds
- OctoberRain15 rainy daysHigh12°Low9°Rain returnsOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 118 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain returns
- NovemberRain17 rainy daysHigh9°Low7°Wet, windyNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 165 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, windy
- DecemberRain18 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low5°Short daysDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 159 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Short days
Average daily high and low in Friday Harbor, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in San Juan Islands
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
9
- Feels like
- 7°
- Humidity
- 69%
- Wind
- 6 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 8%
San Juan Islands
04:21 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today9°3°8%Monday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Tue14°7°14%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Wed11°7°75%Wednesday: Rain. High 11°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 75%.
- Thu12°7°75%Thursday: Drizzle. High 12°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 75%.
- Fri9°7°74%Friday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 74%.
- Sat12°7°60%Saturday: Cloudy. High 12°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 60%.
- Sun12°6°60%Sunday: Drizzle. High 12°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 60%.
Updated 02:41 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- American Camp and English Camp6 and 9 miles from Friday HarborThe two units of the national historical park, one on a prairie shore, one on a sheltered harbor.
- Mount Constitution, Orcas IslandSummit of Moran State ParkMarine views across the archipelago, reached on foot from the park's trails.
- Lopez Village by bikeAbout 4 miles from the ferryEasy cycling routes, a compact village and quiet marine parks.
Before you go to San Juan Islands
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Rules for San Juan Islands, checked
- Stay 1,000 yards from Southern Resident orcas, 7 knots or less inside that range, engine out of gear within 400 yards; 200 yards from other killer whales.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Vehicle reservations: none from Lopez or Shaw to Anacortes. Change or cancel before 5 p.m. the day before sailing to avoid a no-show fee.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Washington State Ferries tickets on the Anacortes route are round trip; a peak-season surcharge applies to full-fare vehicles from 1 May to 30 September.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- San Juan Island National Historical Park needs no entrance pass. English Camp's visitor center opens May to September, American Camp's May to November.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around San Juan Islands
Drive or ride north to the Anacortes ferry
Read the guideAll of the USAParks, cities and trip planning for visitors
Read the guidePlan transport in the USARental cars, rail and getting between places
Read the guideTours and ticketsWhale-watching and kayak trips to compare
Read the guideESTA before Seattle flightsSort the authorization before the ferry booking
Read the guideMoney in the USACards, tipping and island prices
Read the guideSan Juan Islands FAQ
Do you need a car in the San Juan Islands?
No. Walk-on passengers can ride the Anacortes ferries, so a car is optional. A car makes the spread-out sights easier on San Juan and Orcas, but it needs a vehicle reservation, and the fare depends on its length and height.
How do you get to the San Juan Islands from Seattle?
Drive north to Anacortes, about 90 miles, then take Washington State Ferries to Friday Harbor, Orcas, Shaw or Lopez. Be in the vehicle line at least 20 minutes before sailing, or 30 with a reservation.
Can you take the ferry from the San Juan Islands to Canada?
Not on the state ferries. The Anacortes, Friday Harbor and Sidney, British Columbia route was suspended in 2020 and WSDOT expects it to stay out of service until at least spring 2030. Check private passenger operators separately.
How close can boats get to orcas in the San Juan Islands?
Stay 1,000 yards from Southern Resident killer whales, including in kayaks and sailboats. Inside that range slow to 7 knots or less, and within 400 yards stop the engine. For other killer whales the distance is 200 yards.
When is the best time to visit the San Juan Islands?
June to September gives the longest, driest days, and the peak-season vehicle surcharge runs 1 May to 30 September. Spring and early fall trade some warmth for quieter islands and, often, easier ferry space.