The San Juan Islands are the jewels of the Pacific Northwest or PNW, as the locals call it.

Surrounded by the the Salish Sea, just three of the 172 named islands – Lopez, Orcas and San Juan – are set up for visitors. President Obama designated the islands a National Monument (an area of special and outstanding importance to the country) in 2013, making official what locals had know forever: it’s 405 hectares (1000 acres) of gorgeousness.

The most popular base for a sojourn to the SJIs is Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, the biggest and most populated. Like a modern day Brigadoon, this charming town appears on the horizon in the distance. Having evaded the dreaded urban renewal, most of the beautifully maintained buildings are original – dating from the late 19th/early 20th century. The gorgeous hanging flower baskets, dotted around the downtown, add to the fairy tale appeal.

“This is the kind of place where just wandering aimlessly and getting lost is half the pleasure.”

This sweet town is where the ferry from the mainland arrives and is the gateway to the wonders that the island holds: from lavender fields to alpacas; island-made wine & spirits to 19th century army camps where the most bizarre ‘war’ was waged.

Experience

Downtown

Further afield

Consume

Purchase

Rest

This guide details all of the things The Packed Bag experienced. Please see San Juans Islands Visitor Bureau for more.