Things To Do
San Juan County Park
On the island’s west side, about 10 miles from Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor, you’ll find the popular 12-acre San Juan County Park, where you can camp on the shores of Haro Strait and enjoy views of the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island. This is a great place to launch a kayak and enjoy a beautiful paddle along the west side of the island. You may see a variety of wildlife, including harbor seals, bald eagles, and Dall's porpoises. Find your own rocky bluff, explore beaches and tide pools, watch for whales, or picnic and play in the nearby meadows.
Lime Kiln Point State Park
You can also visit Lime Kiln Point State Park (aka “Whale Watch Park”) on San Juan Island's west side. The Friends of the Lime Kiln Society (FOLKS) offer many free services, including an informative interpretive center, lighthouse, intertidal and park-wide tours, and fun special events during the summer. Just a short walk from the parking lot, you can see a richly diverse environment, from rocky shorelines to wooded uplands. Seals, sea lions, and river otters cruise the shoreline through kelp beds and eelgrass, looking for food. Eagles and seabirds reel overhead. The lighthouse was built in 1919 and still serves as a navigational beacon for ships in Haro Strait and offers tours during the summer. The park is considered one of the best places in the world to view whales from land, and there is a small seasonal gift shop and interpretive center where you can learn more.
American Camp Visitor Center - San Juan Island National Historic Park
Just off South Beach, part of American Camp on the south end of San Juan Island, lies Salmon Bank - a prey-rich hotspot for orcas, humpbacks, and other marine mammals. This is also where the whales enter and exit the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean. Watch for wildlife before you even reach the parking lot, as bald eagles and foxes zigzag across the grassy headlands. Wind your way through the driftwood onto the pebbled beach and watch seabirds bob in the waves. Seals, sea lions, and the occasional river otter also cruise the shore, looking for a meal. Cattle Point Lighthouse, on the southern tip of San Juan Island, was built in 1935, but a navigational lantern has been on watch here since 1888. Look for deer, eagles, seabirds, and marine mammals such as seals and sea lions from the shelter, picnic area and beach below. Whale Rocks, a collection of rocky islets popular with Steller sea lions, are visible offshore.
Roche Harbor Resort
Roche Harbor Resort is a picturesque, full-service resort with historic and contemporary accommodations, gardens, restaurants, stores, as well as a large marina and spa. The Hotel de Haro is the state's oldest continually operating hotel, and its 20 rooms have hosted for visitors since 1886, with a fascinating display in the lobby of resort history, including its former life as a lime works, and famous visitors such as John Wayne and Theodore Roosevelt. It's a great spot to walk around and enjoy a meal or drink on the large deck at the Bar and Grill.
San Juan Islands Sculpture Park & Nature Reserve
20-acre outdoor park with more than 150 unique sculptures in a beautifully landscaped setting. Various trails are mapped and marked to follow on a self-guided tour. This park offers fun for the entire family—bring your camera and pack a picnic lunch. They have tables and chairs under their large tent during the summer months. Open all year round from dawn to dusk. A per-person donation of $5 is greatly appreciated and children are free. Dogs are welcome!
San Juan Island Distillery
Open for tastings from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
Westcott Bay Shellfish Co.
Westcott Bay Shellfish Company is a working shellfish farm located in the renowned waters of Westcott Bay on San Juan Island. Westcott Bay Shellfish Co. is a place to gather, a place to actively participate in a meal, whether selecting freshly harvested shellfish from tanks to take home, or shucking and slurping your own oysters on-site at their picnic tables. The farm’s setting, directly above the cultivated tidelands on the pristine waters of Westcott Bay, offers a rare island experience. The best time to view farming activity is during low tides, and because the majority of farm operations take place on the beaches. During summer months, the farm offers lunch at their Tide Tables. This is a rustic outdoor eating experience overlooking Westcott Bay and their working shellfish farm. Reservations are highly recommended, and they book up weeks in advance, especially on summer weekends.
Hiking
Lace up your boots and hit the trails! San Juan Island is full of adventure and history. Explore these favorite trails!
Kayaking
Paddle your own kayak or paddleboard, or set out with one of the many knowledgeable outfitters on the island. No experience? No problem. The outfitters give you a quick lesson in kayaking or paddleboarding and safety before you settle into your vessel. The outfitters also provide all the gear you need. Make sure to bring along sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, water and wear layered clothing. You have a slightly better chance of spotting an orca whale from your kayak, as the three Southern Resident pods frequent Haro Strait or Boundary Pass. Recommended Kayak Outfitters - Crystal Seas - Sea Quest
Whale & Wildlife Watching Tours
Magnificent orca (or killer) whales live in the San Juan Islands year-round, and this is the best place in the world to see them in the wild. You can also spot humpbacks, minkes and occasionally gray whales. Transient or Bigg’s, killer whales (aka orca whales) can often be seen year-round, as well as Steller sea lions, harbor seals, porpoise, bald eagles, and much more. See why the San Juans are the perfect place for nature and wildlife lovers! Whale sightings are never guaranteed, but the greatest potential for spotting them is with a professional whale and wildlife tour. An added benefit to a tour is that onboard naturalists provide identification, education and stewardship suggestions for passengers. Recommended excursion operators: - Maya's Legacy - San Juan Excursions - All Aboard Sailing