Travel Guide to
Orcas Island, Washington

Orcas Island is just one of many islands in the San Juan Islands. It is the largest, and we have spent the most time there, so that is where we will focus this travel guide. Know that much of what we write here, in general terms, applies to the other islands, and we will reference them repeatedly throughout.

There is a ferry at the town of Anacortes that travels each day to the San Juan Islands. We chose to visit Orcas Island, which is the last of 4 stops the ferry makes. For the two of us and a vehicle, the cost was $64.35 for a round trip passage. The cost is due on the outgoing journey, and you use your reservation or receipt to board on the return journey., without paying any further money. The time tables, costs, and reservations can be found here. The Washington State Ferry is the usual way of reaching the island, with other options limited to chartering a boat or flying into one of the small airports on Orcas, of which there are 3. They are quite small however, and the ferry is the cheaper option.

You can choose to make a reservation ahead of time, which holds your spot on the ferry, but you do not pay for the trip until you arrive for your voyage. Alternatively, you can show up without a reservation and take your chances that there are spots available. In January, this is fine; each trip we took had ample room left over. In the summer there will be far fewer spaces available. As there is no additional cost for making a reservation, unless you are a no show, we suggest making a reservation.

We chose to take the first ferry of the day to the island and the last ferry off. The ferry is massive, capable of holding many vehicles and people. In January, our ferry was mostly empty, and unless you’re staying the night on one of the islands a whole day is enough time to see most of it, whichever one you choose.

The first stop out of Anacortes is Lopez Island, followed by Shaw Island, Orcas Island, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, and then on to Sidney on Vancouver Island. The ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island takes about 1 hour, though there is some leeway. The trip to Vancouver Island takes nearly 3 hours, and as it is in Canada, takes some advance preparation on your part and there is at most 1 round trip ferry to it per day.

Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juan Islands, an archipelago nestled between the Washington mainland and Vancouver Island. While there are many islands within the San Juans, there are four ferry stops available from the Washington State Ferry: Orcas, Lopez, Shaw, and San Juan (Friday Harbor). The availability offered by the state ferries to these, the largest islands, means that they are also the most popular, in part because the large ferries can take vehicles to each of these islands. We did see vehicle rental available, as well as bicycles.

The San Juan Islands float gently between high 30 degrees in the winter and just over 70 degrees in the summer, making this a wonderful destination at any time of year. During our trip in January the temperature did not dip below freezing, and while we hiked it was quite pleasant.

Mist on Cascade Lake

Eastsound is the largest urban area on the island and it is where you will find the cutest shops, a supermarket, an airport, and several restaurants. It has some beautiful views as well, as it is situated at the middle of the island’s east/west split. Aside from food and the natural view, there are some excellent art studios, a lovely print shop with original designs, and other amenities. It isn’t a large place, but it does have everything you might need.

Brown Bear Baking is a great café with excellent espresso and baked goods, made on site. They would be a little pricey in a normal city, but this is an island, so you can expect the price tag to be a little higher everywhere here. They are worth it though, and we highly suggest it.

Deer Harbor

There are two main areas to do longer hikes, and hikes that have decent elevation gain. Moran State Park and Turtleback Mountain Preserve. Inside of Moran is Mount Constitution, the tallest point on Orcas Island and in the San Juan Islands. Unless closed for ice or repairs, there is a paved road that leads to the top, and the view is the best around so it is definitely worth the time.

Turtleback has a North and a South Trailhead, which meet in the middle and have loops that offer options for shorter excursions. The view from here is not as high, but just as beautiful, showcasing the west side of the island and views of the interior.

Wherever you go on Orcas Island, from Deer Harbor to Obstruction Pass, you can’t go wrong.

While it is true that there are orcas that inhabit the waters around the San Juan Islands at certain times of year, it is a coincidence that Orcas Island bears the same name as the animal. The island was actually named for the sponsor of the first European expedition to explore it, named Horcasitas! In 1791 the expedition was undertaken by Francisco de Eliza, who christened these islands the Archipelago de San Juan, also to honor the same patron. The patron had many names, and you can look those up on your own, if you are so inclined.

Ravens on Turtleback Mountain

When visiting Orcas Island, no matter what time of year, we suggest spending a minimum of one whole day there; we could easily spend several without running out of different things to do. While you can speed run the island in a day, with 57 square miles to explore and a whole host of outdoor activities, it is simply not possible to see everything it has to offer with less time. Orcas Island is home to Moran State Park which plays host to miles of hiking trails and picturesque landscapes, most notably Mount Constitution, the tallest point in the San Juan Islands, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding islands and waters.