Plan Now to Get The Best Dates & Best Deals at One of Western Washington’s Top Destinations!
As the secret gets outs, we’re seeing a growing numbers of visitors to our idyllic little island every year, especially in the summer months. This makes spring the perfect time to plan your trip to Friday Harbor and the San Juan Islands! Book now to get the room with a view, the reservation at the private table tucked away in the corner, or a coveted spot on our wine maker’s kayak tour before it’s too late. If you’re headed to the San Juan Islands, here are some of our tricks and tips to get here and things to enjoy during your stay!
Getting Here is Half the Fun – Traveling to Friday Harbor
While the drive through the pastoral Skagit Valley is beautiful all year long, spring brings this drive alive with color. Just a few blocks off of Highway 20 you’ll find acres of fields of daffodils, tulips and irises as a part of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This festival runs the entire month of April, though the bloom dates are “up to mother nature,” so go in with an open mind and a good pair of boots in case of mud!
Continuing on to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal for the nautical leg of your journey, there’s no better boating experience than on the deck of a ferry with a good book and views of Mt. Baker. Keep your eyes out for local wildlife along the way, from the cormorants that make their nests on the precarious ledges of the ferry pilings to curious harbor seals who will often pop their heads out of the water to say hello. Some lucky travelers will be greeted by a killer whale sighting from one of two species of killer whales (or orcas) who hunt for prey in our inland tidal sea.
Spring Island Events – Get Outdoors
After the short, dark days of winter (the San Juan Islands only averages about eight hours of daylight at the winter solstice) islanders and visitors alike are ready to get outside! Grab a bike and kick off cycling season with the Tour de Lopez, a great way to explore San Juan’s flatter, quieter island neighbor to the east. Go for a hike on any of San Juan Island’s many trails, keeping your eyes out for hidden gems: calypso (or fairy slipper) orchids and the occasional fawn lily. For the real wildflower enthusiast book a custom kayak tour out to The Nature Conservancy’s Yellow Island, where through controlled burns (a method historically used by Native Americans) they have kept their native prairie alive with more than 50 species of wildflowers including camas, buttercup, paintbrush, chocolate lilies and more!
Arts and Culture on all the San Juan Islands
During the first weekend in June you can see artists from all over the island open up their working home studios for the San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour. This self-guided tour will take you to beautiful locales all over the island to see sculpture, paintings, jewelry, pottery, printmaking and more. Chat with the artists themselves and learn how living on the island has influenced and inspired their work.
Head over to Orcas Island for the day and visit our friends at Doe Bay Wine Company. With only 12 slots a night for their Wine Experience, get a reservation now before they’ve filled up.
Early Season Paddling
The rains have…well…slowed, but we’re already out on the water. Of course our favorite way to get out and explore the outdoors of the San Juan archipelago: by kayak! Bring the kids for a serene three-hour paddle in Griffin Bay, or sign up now to reserve your spot on one of our featured Sea Kayaking and Craft Brewery Tours before they’re gone.
Our first trip of the year was also our first to see orcas, as 3 Biggs (Transient) Killer Whales swam by Turn Island on an overcast afternoon paddle. A good sign for a season full of wildlife ahead!
“We had excellent conditions it was calm, no wind and no chop. This really is an incredibly beautiful part of the world. On our tour we saw seals, bald eagles and orcas!!!!”
– Guests from our first trip of 2018
Plan Now so You Don’t Miss Out
There’s no better time than now to book your San Juan Island Kayak Tour. Whether you’re coming up early to beat the crowds, or making sure you’re able to do everything on your family’s checklist over 4th of July, book early to get the best dates, the best deals, and not miss out on any experience the island has to offer.
Here at Outdoor Odysseys we’re passionate not just about getting our guests out on kayaking tours, but making sure they get to see all the wonders that make up our island home. Shoot us an email or give us a call at 360.378.3533 to begin planning your visit today!