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General Itinerary for San Juan Islands Sea Kayaking Trips

Departure:  Your guides will meet you and the rest of the kayak tour participants on the morning that your trip begins. The meeting place is the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal. At the rendezvous time shown below, look for a large blue van towing a kayak trailer and adorned with our yin-yang orca (killer whale) logo. It will park next to the ferry terminal and will be very easy to spot! The van does not arrive earlier than scheduled, so please wait at least a few minutes past the meeting time before becoming concerned!

Do not miss your rendezvous with the van and your guide! The van will leave promptly to stay on its busy logistics schedule. People who arrive late should hire a taxi to get to the launch point.

Camping expeditions meet at 9:00am - very rarely they can begin at a different time, especially for custom trips, and you will be notified if such is the case.

Day trips meet at 11:30am - a few occasions each summer we schedule a different time, mainly for custom trips, but you will be notified in advance.

Special note for ferry travelers: If you are arriving the same morning of your kayak trip via ferry, it is very important that you do not miss one of the early sailing! Also, keep in mind that the ferry schedule changes in mid-June and again mid-September so make sure that you know the correct sailing times! Up-to-date ferry schedules can be found by clicking clicking here. Ferry travelers that miss their ferry can drive to the Anacortes airport and take an inexpensive one-way flight to Friday Harbor.

Return:  On the last day of camping expeditions we will kayak back to San Juan Island, load the vehicle, and return to Friday Harbor between approximately 3:00pm-5:00pm. Day trips will return to Friday Harbor around 5:30-6:00pm. Both return times provide plenty of leeway for catching departing ferries. It is very rare that we do not return within these time frames, but windy weather or late encounters with orca whales can delay us!

Travel Information: How to get to the San Juan Islands

Transportation to the meeting location is the responsibility of the participant. If you would like professional assistance with making your travel and accommodation reservations, including flights, hotels, B&B's, etc., we suggest you speak with Samantha, our recommended travel agent. Samantha specializes in assisting Sea Quest guests and has the unique knowledge about our destinations and programs that make her much more useful than a typical travel agent. She can be reached at 360-378-4600 or via her website http://www.cmagent.net/samanthag.html

Friday Harbor is located on San Juan Island, the namesake island for the entire island group. You have many options on how to arrive in Friday Harbor, but all will eventually require the use of either the Washington State Ferry, a boat service, or small aircraft to make the final leg. Visitors can connect with these local vessel and air travel services by several combinations of car, bus, train, and major airline. Your local connections for boat or air travel can be made from either Seattle, Anacortes, Bellingham, Everett, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Victoria or Vancouver B.C. Please read below to locate the city of your choice and learn about all the travel options from that location.

A note on local air flights: Air travel into the islands can be downright spectacular on a clear day! This is a great way to be introduced to the natural beauty of the San Juan Islands and see many of the surrounding mountain ranges and volcanoes. Flight reservations on the small island carriers should be made as far in advance as possible during the summer months. However, you can often find last-minute seats on many scheduled flights. Charters are always available to suit your personal needs and time requirements. Groups of three or more will find charters to be as economical as regularly scheduled flights.

Driving directions to the ferry: Most people reach the island via Washington State Ferry after driving or riding a shuttle bus to the Ferry Terminal in Anacortes. From either Seattle, Vancouver, or points between, you will travel on Interstate 5 until you reach Exit 230 which is marked with a sign indicating Washington Highway 20, San Juan Island Ferry, and Sedro-Wooley / Burlington. Turn left (west) onto Highway 20 and follow this directly into Anacortes. Highway 20 ends at Commercial St and here you will go right (west), continuing to 12th St where you will turn left (at the traffic light in front of the Safeway). The Ferry Terminal to the San Juan Islands is another four miles ahead and can't be missed.

There is no reservation system for the ferries. You can access up-to-date ferry schedules by clicking on their website or calling 800-84-FERRY or 206-464-6400. If you are bringing a vehicle to the island you must have it in line at least one to three hours in advance of vessel departure. The most popular boats with the longest wait times are those that leave during weekday afternoons and early evenings and those that depart anytime on Fridays and Saturdays. Peak travel times like holidays and June/July/August weekends (Friday through Saturday in particular) may require even more time. We recommend that you park your car on the mainland and travel as a foot passenger. This will save you both time and money, but be sure to allow a minimum of one hour for ticketing, parking, and boarding. The 2005 rates for the Washington State Ferry parking lots are as follows: up to 24 hours - $10.00; three days/72 hours - $25.00; one week - $40.00; RVs - $20.00 for 24 hours. There is a lower lot to the right of the toll booths, another lot closer to the terminal which includes some parking for disabled customers, and a newly expanded parking area up a hill and to the left of the toll booths.

To avoid the parking fee and holiday congestion at the terminal, use the Skagit Transit free parking lot at the intersection of highway WA 20 and March Pt Rd several miles outside of Anacortes. Watch for their signs and turn right at the Texaco refinery. From there you can catch their bus on Skagit Transit Route 410 (not available Saturday or Sunday), which will bring you to the Ferry Terminal. You will need to purchase an inexpensive, pre-paid fare card at any of these locations.  The bus departs frequently, but you will need to verify exact departure times. For more information contact SKAT at www.skat.org or 360-757-4433 or 888-675-1244.

If you've decided to brave the ferry lines and bring your car to Friday Harbor, you will find that parking is free anywhere in town but requires parking at least several blocks from the ferry terminal to find an unrestricted parking spot. You must find a parking place before meeting our van at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal and have yourself and gear ready to load at the appointed time. We cannot wait beyond the appointed meeting time at the terminal due to both parking restrictions at the terminal and our tight shuttle schedule.

A note on passenger-only excursion boats such as the "Victoria Clipper" and others listed below. Depending on the city you are traveling from, you may find that you do not need any land transportation such as cars or buses if using an excursion boat. Many people report to us that this can be a more relaxing and scenic method of travel by avoiding the interstate highway. However, excursion boats don't always suit travel itineraries as extra nights in Friday Harbor may be required before and/or after your kayak trip. Don't worry if you must miss out on an excursion boat - the Washington State Ferry also passes through some amazingly beautiful scenery.
 

City Specific Travel Options and Information

From within the San Juan Islands:

For visitors who have already made it to one of the other San Juan Islands, such as Orcas or Lopez, travel to Friday Harbor can be done via the inter-island Washington State Ferries, flights with either Island Air, Kenmore Air Seaplanes or San Juan Airlines, or by one of several water taxi services. Use the links and phone numbers below for contact info.

From Seattle or SeaTac Airport:

Bellair Airporter Shuttle provides multiple daily departures from SeaTac and downtown Seattle to the Anacortes ferry terminal, www.airporter.com or 1-866-235-5247.

Island Airporter LLC provides once daily, non-stop service from SeaTac to San Juan Island (Friday Harbor & Roche Harbor), www.islandairporter.com or 360-378-7438.

Greyhound Bus Lines provides service from Seattle to Mt. Vernon, www.greyhound.com, 800-231-2222 or 360-336-5111, then you must transfer to the Skagit Transit bus system, www.skat.org or 360-757-4433. From the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Mt. Vernon, catch the 208 bus to the Cascade Mall where you will transfer to the 410 route to the Anacortes ferry terminal (410 not available Saturday and Sunday).

Catch-A-Train/Amtrak provides daily service from King Street Train Station via Amtrak to Mt. Vernon, and they'll arrange for a shuttle to the Anacortes ferry terminal, www.catch-a-train.com/page2.html or 1-800-457-3549.

San Juan Airlines provides multiple daily, direct, scheduled flights from Boeing Field/King County Airport, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434. They provide free shuttle service between SeaTac and Boeing Field/King County Airport.

Kenmore Air uses both seaplanes and regular aircraft to provides multiple daily, direct, scheduled flights from Lake Union and Lake Washington, www.kenmoreair.com or 1-800-543-9595. They provide free shuttle service between SeaTac and their terminals.

Island Air provides charter service from SeaTac or Boeing Field/King County Airport, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

Victoria Clipper sails from downtown Seattle's Pier 69 seasonally to Friday Harbor, www.victoriaclipper.com or 1-800-888-2535 or 206-448-5000.

From Anacortes:

Washington State Ferries provide over a dozen sailings each day, for walk-on and drive-on passengers, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/ or 206-464-6400 or 1-888-808-7977. Visit their website for schedules, fares and ferry terminal parking information.

San Juan Airlines provides daily scheduled flights, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

Island Express Charters provides passenger and freight service from Anacortes as well as inter-island travel, www.islandexpresscharters.com or 1-877-473-9777.

ABC Yacht Charters, www.abcyachtcharters.com or 1-800-426-2313.

Paraclete Charter Service provides passenger service from Skyline Marina, www.paracletecharters.com or 1-800-808-2999.

From Bellingham:

San Juan Airlines provides daily, scheduled flights, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Northwest "Sky Ferry" air charter service will fly you to San Juan Island, Seattle, or Canadian cities with scenic detours, www.northwestskyferry.com or (360) 676-9999.

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

San Juan Island Commuter provides seasonal, daily, passenger-ferry service to Friday Harbor (and Lopez's Odlin Park with reservations), www.islandcommuter.com or 1-888-734-8180.

Par Yacht Charters, www.paryachtcharters.com or 360-752-5754.

Amtrak provides service to Bellingham, then walk across the street and board the seasonal, passenger-ferry San Juan Island Commuter (see above), www.amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL.

From Everett:

San Juan Airlines provides charter service, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

Mosquito Fleet provides seasonal, daily, passenger-ferry service to Friday Harbor, www.whalewatching.com/ferry.htm or 1-800-325-ORCA.

From Port Angeles:

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

San Juan Airlines provides charter service, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Victoria Express provides seasonal, daily, passenger-ferry service to Friday Harbor and Victoria, B.C., www.victoriaexpress.com or 360-452-8088. They stop in Victoria on the way to Friday Harbor.

From Port Townsend:

San Juan Airlines provides charter service, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

Puget Sound Express provides seasonal, daily, passenger-ferry service to Friday Harbor, www.pugetsoundexpress.com or 360-385-5288.

From Victoria, B.C.:

Washington State Ferries provide sailings from nearby Sidney, B.C., for walk-on and drive-on passengers, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/ or 206-464-6400 or 1-888-808-7977. Visit their website for schedules, fares and parking information. (If you would like to go to Victoria from the San Juan Islands, in most cases you will need to spend at least one night there due to the ferry schedule. However, with the Summer 2005 schedule you can take an early ferry from the San Juan Islands to Anacortes, catch the 8:15am ferry to Sidney, arrive there at 10:20am, spend the day in Victoria and/or Butchart Gardens, then catch the 6:00pm back to Friday Harbor, then a late ferry to either Orcas or Lopez.)

San Juan Airlines provides charter service, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

Northwest "Sky Ferry" air charter service will fly you to San Juan Island, Seattle, or other Canadian cities with scenic detours, www.northwestskyferry.com or (360) 676-9999.

Victoria Express provides seasonal, daily, passenger-ferry service to Friday Harbor, www.victoriaexpress.com or 360-452-8088.

From Vancouver, B.C.:

B.C. Ferries provide daily service from Tsawwassen, B.C. (near Vancouver) to Swartz Bay, B.C. (north of Victoria), www.bcferries.bc.ca, 888-223-3779 or 250-386-3431. In nearby Sidney, board a Washington State Ferry to Friday Harbor the day before you meet us.

San Juan Airlines provides charter service, www.sanjuanairlines.com or 1-800-874-4434.

Island Air provides charter service, www.sanjuan-islandair.com or 1-888-378-2376.

Northwest "Sky Ferry" air charter service will fly you to San Juan Island, Seattle, or Canadian cities with scenic detours, www.northwestskyferry.com or (360) 676-9999.

Catch-A-Train/Amtrak provides daily service from Pacific Central Train Station via Amtrak and Washington State Ferries, www.catch-a-train.com/page2.html or 1-800-457-3549.
 

Accommodations in Friday Harbor and in the San Juan Islands

Your choices are incredibly varied, ranging from budget hostels such as the Wayfarer, to mid-level and luxury hotels. There are many excellent bed & breakfast establishments on San Juan Island and in Friday Harbor. You may find that the San Juan Island B&B Association (866-645-3030 or 360-378-3030) can be very helpful in narrowing your choices down. Tell them your needs, particularly if you will not have a car on the island. Or go to their availability calendar on the web to make your reservation. A few additional choices for San Juan Island, but with some overlap, can be found at this calendar of availability. The latter calendar also has availability for Orcas and Lopez Islands. To obtain the widest choice of options, reservations for all types of accommodations should be made as far in advance as possible!

Quiet, low-key resorts on San Juan Island with waterfront cabins and kitchens include Lonesome Cove Resort 360-378-4477 and Mar Vista Resort 360-378-4448.There are only two truly nice places to camp with vehicles on the island and reservations are strongly advised. Campgrounds served by bus/taxi from Friday Harbor include San Juan County Park 360-378-2992 (this is our favorite sea kayak launch site with ocean view campsites 12 miles from town) and Lakedale Campground 360-378-2350 (5 miles out of town with pretty lake shore sites).

If you need to get around on San Juan Island try Island Tours/ Taxi 360-378-4453. They have some vans that can accommodate groups up to 14 people.
 

About Friday Harbor and the San Juan Islands

The San Juan Islands are located in the northwest corner of Washington State, north of Puget Sound proper and at the eastern terminus of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This group of over 400 scenic islands and rocks is characterized by an extremely rich marine environment and a rural countryside.  Friday Harbor, the largest town in the county (pop. 2500), is located on San Juan Island, the namesake of the entire archipelago. The state ferry terminal, located in the center of town, is where you will be met by your guides. Friday Harbor has many stores for purchasing groceries and small supplies.

Some Things to do on San Juan Island
We encourage you to spend some time on San Juan Island either before or after your sea kayaking vacations. The archipelago is a popular recreation area for boaters of all types, bicyclists, divers, fishermen, and general tourists.

Bicycle Rentals - All of the San Juan Islands, including Orcas, Shaw, and Lopez, are wonderful for bicyclists. Island Bicycles (360) 378-4941 is located in downtown Friday Harbor and rents bicycles by the hour, day or week. Group tours such as Timberline, Backroads, and Bicycle Adventures all operate extended trips in the area.

The Whale Museum - This is a great little museum for learning about whales. It is located 2 blocks from the ferry terminal in downtown Friday Harbor. The museum boasts full-size skeletons of whales that once lived in the San Juan Islands, and a variety of other thoughtful exhibits and interactive displays.

Whale-watching by Powered Boat - Try Jim Maya's Whale Watching for orca whale watching from San Juan Island. Jim provides a personalized service with a maximum of six guests.

Roche Harbor Resort - This historical landmark, over a century old, was at one time the largest producer of lime and cement west of the Mississippi. It has been transformed into a pleasant resort with beautiful flower gardens, a restaurant, swimming pool and tennis courts.

Lime Kiln (Whale Watch) State Park - The first park ever created for the purpose of whale-watching, it offers frequent views of orcas and minke whales, Dall's and harbor porpoises, harbor seals, bald eagles, and lots more. It is a goal on our day trips to paddle along the shore of this park. Bicyclists often ride to Lime Kiln to have a picnic. Park staff are present to interpret natural history.

San Juan Island National Historical Park (British and American Camps) - These parks commemorate the days when the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over possession of the San Juan Islands. The "Pig War" nearly erupted into full scale battle after an American settler shot a pig owned by Great Britain's Hudson Bay Company. The two camps are located on opposite ends of the island and make a great destination for bicyclists, trail hikers and picnickers. Both locations have excellent high hills for stunning views of mountains, sea, and islands.

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