Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
$9 for seniors, and $5 for kids ages 5 to 12, with discounted 2-day rates avail-
able. One-way ($4 adults, $2 kids 5-12) and round-trip ($7 adults, $3 kids
5-12) tickets are available. Children ages 4 and under always ride free.
SAN JUAN ISLAND
San Juan Island is not the largest of these islands, but it is the most populous, and
is home to the county seat, Friday Harbor, which is the biggest and most devel-
oped town in the islands. As the hub of island activity, San Juan Island is home to
more whale-watching and sea-kayaking companies than any of the other islands.
It also has charter boats, fishing boats, moped rentals, and lots of souvenir shops.
This all adds up to crowds in the summer, so if you're looking for an idyllic island
getaway, you might want to try Orcas or Lopez. See Orcas Island, p. 167.
However, what San Juan Island has going for it is lots of history, plus great
views of the Olympic Mountains across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the only
place in the islands where you can reliably see orca whales from shore.
EXPLORING FRIDAY HARBOR
Friday Harbor
is the only real town on all of the islands, and as such it is home
to numerous tourist-oriented shops, restaurants, motels, and B&Bs, as well as
such island necessities as grocery and hardware stores. With its well-protected,
large marina, it's also one of the most popular places in the islands for boaters to
drop anchor.
If you arrived by car, you'll first want to find a parking space, which can be
difficult in the summer. Once on foot, stroll around town admiring the simple
wood-frame shop buildings built back at the turn of the 20th century. At that
time, Friday Harbor was referred to as the southernmost port in Alaska and was
a busy harbor. Schooners and steamships hauled the island's fruit, livestock, and
lime (for cement) off to more populous markets. Today these pursuits have all
died off, but reminders of the island's rural roots linger on, and these memories
fuel the island's new breadwinner—tourism.
Whale-watching is one of the most popular summer activities in the San Juans.
Before you head out, stop by the
Whale Museum
, 62 First St. N. (
&
800/
946-7227
or 360/378-4710; www.whale-museum.org). Here you can see whale
skeletons and models of whales and learn all about the area's pods of orcas (also
known as killer whales). The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm (shorter
hours in winter); admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for children 5
to 18 and college students.
Here in Friday Harbor, you'll also find the headquarters of the
San Juan
National Historic Park
(
&
360/378-2240;
www.nps.gov/sajh), at the corner
of Spring and First streets. It's open daily from 8:30am to 5pm in summer
(Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm in winter). This park commemorates the San Juan
Island Pig War, one of North America's most unusual and least remembered con-
frontations. Way back in 1859, San Juan Island nearly became the site of a battle
between the British and the Americans. The two countries had not yet agreed
upon the border between the United States and Canada when a British pig on
San Juan Island decided to have dinner in an American garden. The owner of the
garden didn't take too kindly to this and shot the pig. The Brits, rather than wel-
coming this succulent addition to their evening's repast, threatened redress. In less
time than it takes to smoke a ham, both sides were calling in reinforcements.
Luckily, this pigheadedness was defused and a more serious confrontation was
avoided. While the park's headquarters is here in Friday Harbor, the main historic
sites are English Camp, at the north end of the island, and American Camp, at
