Despite being the largest island in the San Juans, Orcas is a tad slim on public waterfront. But for those in the know, Pebble Beach offers 150 yards of crescent-shaped magic just waiting to be explored.
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While it’s not the largest island in the San Juans, nor does it have the tallest peaks, San Juan Island is arguably the most popular. Home to the biggest town (downtown Friday Harbor), along with one of the world’s best land-based whale watching destinations (Lime Kiln Lighthouse), this iconic getaway is the perfect place to rest, refresh, and refuel.
With travel to San Juan Island taking as little as 25 minutes, it’s easy to maximize your time for a quick weekend getaway — a serious boon when there are so many fun things to do. This 48-hour itinerary is a sampling of the best things to do in Friday Harbor and throughout the island. Enjoy.
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A picturesque refuge, Friday Harbor House is nestled on a bluff just one block above Front Street. The dead-end road offers a sense of quiet in the most populated of the San Juan Island towns, while the elevated perch treats visitors to expansive views of Friday Harbor Marina.
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Low-key adventures loaded with scenic views and an internationally acclaimed food and wine scene, make Orcas Island the ideal testosterone-free, comfy jean destination.
Even those born and raised in the Pacific Northwest may not have heard of the San Juan Islands. The remote archipelago sits as close to Canada as it does to the lower 48. Like a marooned captain’s daydream, the roughly 175 forest-covered rocky inlets feature lush farmland, freshwater lakes, and protected coves.
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On the western horseshoe of Orcas Island, where the cell service is spotty and the rolling farmland is studded with forest groves and rainwater ponds, Zackarya Leck turns iron to playdough in his 2,000-degree forge. A bespoke blacksmith, his weathered hands coax salvaged junkyard scraps into new forms — some functional, some sculptural, all stunning.
His work can be found as far east as Maine and as high as the Colorado Rockies. However, the bulk of his mastery is scattered throughout Orcas Island among large public art installations and private homes. Most prominent are Zackarya’s 70-foot kelp-inspired sculpture, installed at the Orcas Island Ferry Terminal, and his slide that is part of the Playground-on-the-Green at the heart of Eastsound.
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Specializing in de Havilland Otter Annuals, Jason Wills has been part of the Kenmore Air family for 17 years.
Kenmore’s changed a lot since Jason Wills first started fueling planes and washing windows on the dock 17 years ago — not just the landscape, but also the fleet. And yet, some things are just as true today as they were when he first joined the Kenmore Air family as a young college student.
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If you know anything about Cynthia Burke, you know she makes good food. It’s not necessarily a work of art. Her kitchen isn’t equipped with tweezers. Her staff doesn’t make gold leaf garnishes. And her cuisine doesn’t fall into a specific Mexican, Italian or Mediterranean camp.
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The salty crispness of a craggy, windswept shore. The heady scent of damp wood. The warmth of sweet sunshine. The San Juan Islands have long been a refuge for weary hearts and creative minds — and it’s this wildly scenic and peacefully unimposing beauty Bobby Ryan is capturing in a cup.
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Fisherman Bay is a calm and protected inlet located near the northern end of Lopez Island. Boaters both love and dread the protected anchoring grounds, as the one-way entrance and exit is well-known for its narrow navigation lines. (Spanning just five feet in some sections at low tide, boaters are strongly encouraged to come and go when the water is at its peak.)
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While coffee is the ‘get up and go’ boost that starts many a day, tea invites the mid-day respite from the hustle and bustle. This afternoon practice brings with it a sense of calm and luxurious indulgence. It speaks to a time when life was slower and device free — as it was when the Prince and Princess Abkhazi began cultivating their stunning estate in the mid-1940s.
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