Anacortes to Friday Harbor: a San Juan Island day trip from Seattle

WA Ferry Tracker › Anacortes to Friday Harbor: a San Juan Island day trip from Seattle

Friday Harbor is the classic "real island" trip from Seattle. You drive (or ride a shuttle) north to Anacortes, board a Washington State Ferries boat through the San Juan Islands, and step off in a harbor town with a whale museum, a historical museum and the waterfront a short walk from the dock. With an early start it works as a long day trip. It's even better as an overnight, and it's easy to add a stop on Orcas or Lopez on the way.

This guide is about planning the whole outing. It covers day trip vs overnight, walk-on vs car, when to book, how fares work on this route, which sailings tend to fill, what you can see on foot in Friday Harbor, and what needs wheels. It doesn't repeat the route basics. For crossing times, stops and the reservation tiers, see our Anacortes to Friday Harbor ferry page. For lots and parking rates, see the Anacortes terminal parking guide. For dock details on the islands, see the San Juan Islands terminals guide.

Day trip or overnight?

Both work. The choice mostly comes down to whether you bring a car and how early you're willing to leave Seattle.

Getting to Anacortes from Seattle

The Anacortes terminal is at 2100 Ferry Terminal Road, about 4–5 miles outside downtown Anacortes. WSDOT's directions are I-5 to exit 230, then SR 20 west into Anacortes, then north on Commercial Ave, left on 12th St (which becomes Oakes Ave), and on to the terminal. Coming from Sea-Tac Airport, WSDOT says to allow at least 2½ hours of driving (about 85 miles on I-5 before you reach SR 20) and to arrive at least 45 minutes before your sailing. We haven't put a drive time from downtown Seattle here because traffic varies too much. Check a live map before you leave.

Detour this month: WSDOT says the SR 536 Skagit River/Division Street bridge in Mount Vernon closed on Nov. 1, 2026 for at least two weeks, and longer if weather delays the work. If you normally take SR 536, follow the signed detour via I-5 and SR 20 and allow extra time, especially with a reservation.

Without a car: WSDOT's Anacortes terminal page lists the Bellair Airporter shuttle from Sea-Tac Airport to the Anacortes dock, and the Island Airporter from Sea-Tac to Friday Harbor. Skagit Transit runs local buses. Check each operator for current times and fares. Under "Directions" the National Park Service also notes that San Juan Island has regular air service, including a carrier with seaplane service, and docks for private boats.

Parking and walking on: The Anacortes lots are paid lots run by Diamond Parking. WSDOT's off-peak rate (Oct. 1, 2026 – Apr. 30, 2027) is $8 for one day and $13 for two days, paid with PayByPhone or by phone at Station 1644. The first 15 minutes are free, which covers a quick drop-off. All the details, including RV rates and disabled parking, are in our Anacortes parking guide. The terminal has a waiting room, restrooms, food service and an overhead walkway for walk-ons, but no elevator.

Walk-on or car?

Walk-on is the simplest way to do Friday Harbor. WSF says reservations are for vehicles only, so walk-on passengers and bicycles never need one. WSDOT's best-times charts note that "in almost all cases there is room for walk-on passengers and bicyclists." Be aboard at least five minutes before departure. At Anacortes you board by the overhead walkway. At Friday Harbor, as at every island terminal, walk-ons get on and off across the car deck, so follow the crew's directions.

With a bike, WSDOT asks you to arrive 20 minutes before departure at both ends so you load at the start. At Anacortes, bikes can skip the car tollbooths only when the passenger booth inside the terminal is open (a sign at the tollbooth tells you). Otherwise go through a vehicle booth. There's one 12-bike rack at Anacortes, and Friday Harbor has racks along Front Street. Adults pay a bicycle surcharge.

With a car, you can reach the parks and Roche Harbor on your own schedule. But you take on two reservations and two early arrivals, and WSDOT says there's no parking at the Friday Harbor terminal, only limited short-term street parking. If you want a car for only part of the trip, a common approach is to walk on and rent a car, scooter or bike in town for the hours you need it. We don't list vendors because island rental options change by season.

Getting around without a car. San Juan Transit (204 Gill Lane, Friday Harbor) advertises tours, charters and transportation on San Juan Island. Its site says the office is open Wednesday through Monday and closed on Tuesdays. We couldn't confirm a public bus timetable for this winter, so contact them before you plan a car-free trip around the parks.

If you're driving: reservations without the stress

Our route page covers the release tiers in detail. Here's what matters for planning this trip, from WSF's vehicle reservations page and travel alerts:

• Release schedule (San Juans): 30% of standard vehicle space opens two months before the season at 10 a.m. PT, another 30% two weeks before each sailing at 7 a.m., and the last 30% two days before at 7 a.m. WSF keeps 10% for stand-by and emergencies.
• Winter 2026–27: WSF postponed the two-month release for the winter season (Dec. 27 – Mar. 20, 2027) to Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m., with a virtual waiting room. Space is already open through Dec. 26, 2026. WSF says some February and March 2027 days won't be bookable for Orcas and Lopez because of terminal construction.
• One-way, and not a ticket. Book outbound and return separately. You still buy the fare.
• Arrival: 45–60 minutes before a reserved San Juan sailing, with check-in at a tollbooth or attendant at least 30 minutes before, in both directions. Miss it and you go stand-by.
• Changes: Change or cancel before 5 p.m. PT the day before to avoid the no-show fee. You get one final free change after that, but nothing within two hours of the sailing. Since Mar. 1, 2026, a no-show fee paid by card carries the 3% card fee.
• Same day: You can try an earlier or later sailing on stand-by. Tell the ticket seller so you aren't charged a no-show for your reserved one.
• Full sailing? WSF suggests checking around 5 p.m. the day before, when people can still cancel for free. Also check right after the two-week and two-day releases. Our sold-out playbook and San Juan reservation alerts can help.

How fares work on this route

Use WSF's fare calculator for exact prices on your date. We don't list amounts because they change by date, vehicle size and season. These rules come from WSDOT's ticket information page:

• Round trip. Passenger tickets are round trip on this route (the exceptions WSDOT lists are Port Townsend/Coupeville and international Sidney sailings). Vehicle-and-driver tickets on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route are also round trip. So you buy one ticket at Anacortes (or online) that covers the return.
• Kids ride free. Children and youth under 19 travel free unless they're driving. Where a walk-on ticket is needed, the youth must be at the booth to get a free youth ticket, which is valid for six hours.
• Half price for seniors (65+), riders with disabilities and Medicare card holders, with eligibility shown in person.
• Island hopping: WSDOT's Friday Harbor terminal page says inter-island tickets can be used between any two islands and are paid westbound only. A round trip with a stop on another island can price differently from a straight Anacortes–Friday Harbor trip, so put your actual stops into the calculator.
• Peak season surcharge applies to full-fare vehicles from May 1 through Sept. 30. It doesn't apply to a November or winter trip.
• 3% card fee on all card purchases since Mar. 1, 2026. WSDOT's ticket page lists ways to avoid it.
• Buying tickets: At Anacortes you can buy at the auto tollbooths, the passenger booth, the kiosk in the waiting room or online. Reduced senior and disability fares must be bought in person with proof of eligibility.

Which sailings fill up (fall 2026)

WSF's fall 2026 "best times to travel" chart for Anacortes/San Juan Islands (Sept. 20 – Dec. 26) rates each departure for vehicles. It's useful for picking a day-trip pair:

• Leaving Anacortes in the morning: early departures are rated "unlikely to fill" on most days. The 10:05 a.m. is "often full" on Friday and Saturday.
• Leaving Anacortes in the afternoon: the 1:35 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. are "likely full" on several weekdays, and the 3:20 p.m. is "often full" Monday through Friday. If you're driving over in the afternoon without a reservation, expect a wait.
• Leaving Friday Harbor: the chart lists 5:40 a.m., 8:10 a.m., 10:20 a.m., 12:20 p.m., 3:35 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 7:35 p.m. and 10:05 p.m. departures. The 8:10 a.m. is "likely full" Monday through Saturday. The 3:35 p.m. is "likely full" on Friday and Sunday and "often full" on Thursday and Saturday. The 12:20 p.m. and every departure from 6:20 p.m. on are rated "unlikely to fill" all week.

For drivers, that means a midday or evening eastbound boat is the low-stress way home, and the Sunday 3:35 p.m. is the one to reserve early. These are vehicle ratings for this season only. Times and stops change with the winter schedule on Dec. 27, so check the WSF schedule for your date. Each departure lists its stops, and not every Anacortes boat goes to Friday Harbor.

Boat note: WSF reported in early November that a 90-car boat is temporarily filling in for the 144-car Samish, which leaves fewer car spaces on some sailings until the Samish returns "next month." The same alerts page says the passenger elevator on the M/V Sealth is temporarily out of service. Check WSF travel alerts on the morning you go. For general tactics, see best time to take the ferry.

Friday Harbor on foot

Friday Harbor is a town of about 2,600 people (2,613 at the 2020 census, per Wikipedia). It's the San Juan County seat and the only incorporated town in the San Juan Islands. The ferry lands at 91 Front Street S. The Whale Museum's own directions show how compact the center is: one block up Spring Street, right on 1st Street, and a block and a half more.

The Whale Museum

The Whale Museum at 62 1st Street opened in 1979. It describes itself as the first museum in the country devoted to a species living in the wild. Per Wikipedia, exhibits include life-sized whale models, articulated skeletons and information on the endangered Southern Resident killer whale pods. Its current posted winter hours are Thursday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed Monday–Wednesday). General admission is $13, seniors (65+) $9, and children 5 and under are free. Check its site for youth and student pricing. If you're doing a weekday walk-on trip in winter, pick a Thursday or Friday so the museum is open.

San Juan Historical Museum

The San Juan Historical Society runs its museum at 405 Price Street (its site also lists 323 Price Street). Posted hours are Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. The site shows two different admission tables, so confirm the price when you arrive. Combine the two museums with a Thursday or Friday visit.

A little history for the walk

• Per Wikipedia, the town's name comes from Joseph Poalie Friday, a native Hawaiian who herded sheep around the harbor in the mid-1800s.
• After the Pig War was settled, the islands became their own county in 1873, with Friday Harbor as the county seat. The town incorporated on Feb. 10, 1909.
• Osamu Shimomura harvested jellyfish from the town's docks. Green fluorescent protein, which he purified from them, is now widely used as a marker in biology labs.

Beyond town: what needs wheels

San Juan Island National Historical Park (American Camp and English Camp)

The National Park Service tells the story of the 1859 "Pig War," when the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over the island after a pig was shot. Per Wikipedia, the dispute ended in 1872 when Kaiser Wilhelm I, acting as arbitrator, set the boundary at Haro Strait. The park has two units:

• American Camp is about 6 miles southeast of Friday Harbor along Cattle Point Road (via Spring St, then Mullis St, per NPS directions). The visitor center is open Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., but closes for the season on Nov. 12, 2026 and reopens in March 2027.
• English Camp is about 9 miles northwest of Friday Harbor on West Valley Road. NPS says its visitor center is open May–September.
• The grounds and outdoor exhibits at both camps are open 24 hours a day, year-round, so a winter visit still works. NPS says the park has nearly 20 miles of trails, and dogs must be leashed. Passport stamps are available around the clock at park headquarters, 650 Mullis Street in Friday Harbor.

Lime Kiln Point State Park

Washington State Parks calls this west-side park "one of the best whale-watching spots on earth." From spring through fall you may see orcas, gray whales and porpoises, with peak times tied to salmon migration. The lighthouse dates from 1919. The park page lists lighthouse hours of Thursday–Sunday, noon–4 p.m. The interpretive center (11 a.m.–4 p.m.) and the guided programs run only from about Memorial Day to Labor Day, and a Winter Schedule page covers off-season changes. Parking at state parks requires a Discover Pass ($10 a day or $45 a year, plus any transaction fees). No fires are allowed at any time.

Roche Harbor

Per Wikipedia, Roche Harbor on the island's northwest side is a former lime-company town that the Tarte family turned into a boating resort after 1956. It has a marina, the restored Hotel de Haro, preserved lime kilns and the McMillin family's Afterglow Vista mausoleum. It's also a designated U.S. port of entry for boaters. NPS notes that English Camp can be reached via Roche Harbor Road, so the two pair well on a car day.

Add Orcas or Lopez

Most San Juan sailings stop at more than one island, so a second island fits well on an overnight. Hops between islands run on the inter-island ferry and are first-come, first-served.

Orcas Island

Per Wikipedia, Orcas is the largest of the San Juan Islands. The ferry lands at Orcas Landing (Orcas Village), and the main village, Eastsound, is 8.4 miles north. It has a village green, shops, a grocery store, a food co-op and a weekly farmers market on the green. Moran State Park covers more than 5,000 acres with five lakes and more than 30 miles of trails. Mount Constitution, at about 2,400 feet, is the highest point in the San Juans. Heads up for November 2026: State Parks says restoration of the historic stone tower on Mount Constitution began Oct. 7 and should finish in late November. The tower is closed, but the summit road, restrooms and overlook stay open. Large trailers and motorhomes aren't allowed above Mountain Lake. Orcas is the other island with vehicle reservations both ways. See our Orcas Island ferry tips and Anacortes–Orcas route page.

Lopez Island

Per Wikipedia, Lopez is the first of the four stops on the San Juan run, about 40 minutes from Anacortes. It's a popular island for bicycle touring, with lower speed limits and drivers who are generally friendly to cyclists. Wikipedia advises avoiding the narrower Center Road, and notes the island's custom of waving at everyone you pass. Spencer Spit State Park has a rare sand spit enclosing a saltwater lagoon, with about two miles of flat trails. Kayak and bike rentals there run May through Labor Day, plus September weekends. In summer, Lopez Village has a Saturday market. Details are on our Anacortes–Lopez route page.

Shaw Island, the fourth WSF stop, is the smallest of the four, with 188 year-round residents at the 2020 census (Wikipedia). See our Shaw Island page.

Sample plans

1. Car-free Friday Harbor day (Thursday or Friday in winter)

1. Drive to Anacortes, pay for one day of parking ($8 off-peak) or take the Bellair Airporter. Buy a round-trip walk-on ticket.
2. Take a morning boat that stops at Friday Harbor. Check the stops on the schedule.
3. In town: the Whale Museum (open Thu–Sun), the San Juan Historical Museum (open Tue–Fri, 11–2), lunch, and a walk along the waterfront.
4. Head home on an afternoon or evening boat. Walk-ons have no fill risk to plan around, so pick whatever lets you reach Anacortes before dark if you'd rather not drive I-5 at night.

2. Car day: national park, Lime Kiln and Roche Harbor

1. Reserve an early westbound sailing and a 12:20 p.m. or evening eastbound one. Those were "unlikely to fill" in fall 2026.
2. From Friday Harbor, drive Cattle Point Road to American Camp. Then cross to Lime Kiln Point on the west side, bringing a Discover Pass.
3. Go north to English Camp, then Roche Harbor. Return to Friday Harbor with time to check in 30 minutes before your sailing.

3. Overnight with an Orcas morning

1. Day 1: Walk on or drive to Friday Harbor and spend the evening in town.
2. Day 2: Take the inter-island ferry to Orcas (first-come, first-served), visit Eastsound or Moran State Park, then catch an Orcas→Anacortes sailing. If you're driving, reserve that last leg, since Orcas takes eastbound reservations.

4. Lopez bike day

1. Walk on at Anacortes with your bike, arriving 20 minutes early so you load first, and get off at Lopez, the first stop.
2. Ride to Spencer Spit State Park and around the quieter roads. Skip Center Road if you can.
3. Come back the same day on a Lopez→Anacortes sailing. Bikes don't need reservations.

Kids, dogs and accessibility

• Kids: Under-19s ride free. At the islands, walk-ons cross the car deck, so a carrier is easier than a big stroller. More in ferry with kids.
• Dogs: They must be on a leash in the national historical park. For WSF's onboard pet rules, see ferry with a dog or pet.
• Accessibility: Anacortes has an overhead ramp for walk-ons, but the island terminals don't. Walk-on passengers there board via the car deck, and WSDOT says every vessel on these routes has an elevator. Note the current Sealth elevator outage on the alerts page. If you need elevator access or extra space for a lift while traveling in a vehicle, tell the ticket seller before boarding. More in our accessibility guide.

Season notes

• Per Wikipedia, the San Juans get substantially less rain than Seattle because they sit in the Olympic rain shadow. Winter lows average in the high 30s to low 40s °F, and snow is infrequent.
• Winter means shorter hours: the Whale Museum's winter schedule, the American Camp visitor center closed from Nov. 12, and Lime Kiln's interpretive center open in summer only.
• Holiday weekends: see San Juan holiday reservation tips and our Thanksgiving 2026 ferry tips.
• Early 2027 construction: WSF plans single-slip operations at Anacortes Feb. 22–26, a 48-hour Orcas closure Mar. 9–10 and a Lopez closure Mar. 16–17. Boats keep running but skip the closed island, and those days can't be reserved for that island.

Day-of checklist

• Check WSF alerts (boat swaps, the SR 536 detour) and the schedule's stops for your sailing.
• If driving: carry both reservations, plan to arrive 45–60 minutes early at both ends, and check in at least 30 minutes before.
• Walk-ons: be aboard at least five minutes before departure. Bikes: arrive 20 minutes early.
• Bring a Discover Pass if you'll park at Lime Kiln or another state park.
• Check opening days for the Whale Museum (Thu–Sun in winter) and the historical museum (Tue–Fri).
• Layers and a rain shell.

What we couldn't verify

We left these out or kept them general because we couldn't confirm them from an official or reliable source:

• WSF fare amounts (use the fare calculator) and exact sailing times beyond the fall 2026 best-times chart. We also couldn't confirm which specific departures stop at Friday Harbor on your date.
• Drive time from downtown Seattle to Anacortes (we give only WSDOT's Sea-Tac guidance), and drive or bike times between island sights. Roche Harbor's distance from town and Lime Kiln's distance aren't stated in our sources.
• Whether a scheduled public bus runs on San Juan Island this winter, and current rental-car, moped or bike-rental options in Friday Harbor.
• Seattle–Friday Harbor passenger ferry service (Wikipedia describes FRS Clipper serving Friday Harbor from Seattle). We couldn't confirm dates for this season, so check with the operator.
• Whale Museum youth and student pricing (its page lists the category but not a price), and which San Juan Historical Museum admission table is current.
• The name of the boat temporarily replacing the Samish (the WSF alert headline and text disagree), and whether the Lime Kiln lighthouse hours apply year-round.
• Restaurants, shops, lodging, whale-watching tour operators and summer-only events. We didn't use any commercial listings.

If something here is out of date, the official WSDOT, NPS or Washington State Parks page wins.

FAQ

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Sources

• WSDOT – Vehicle reservations (San Juan release tiers, arrival and check-in, changes, no-show fee)
• WSDOT – Travel alert bulletins (Nov. 10 winter release, SR 536 detour, Samish/Sealth notices, 2027 transfer span work)
• WSDOT – Ticket information (round-trip San Juan fares, youth, peak surcharge, 3% card fee)
• WSDOT – Fares / fare calculator
• WSDOT – First-time riders
• WSDOT – Best times to travel (fall 2026 dates, walk-on note)
• WSDOT – Anacortes/San Juan Islands fall 2026 best-times chart (PDF)
• WSDOT – Ferry schedules
• WSDOT – Anacortes terminal page
• WSDOT – Friday Harbor terminal page
• WSDOT – Orcas Island terminal page
• WSDOT – Lopez Island terminal page
• National Park Service – San Juan Island National Historical Park
• National Park Service – Operating hours & seasons
• National Park Service – Directions and transportation
• Washington State Parks – Lime Kiln Point State Park
• Washington State Parks – Moran State Park
• Washington State Parks – Spencer Spit State Park
• Washington State Parks – Discover Pass
• The Whale Museum – Hours & admission
• The Whale Museum – Finding us
• San Juan Historical Museum
• San Juan Transit
• Wikipedia – Friday Harbor, Washington
• Wikipedia – San Juan Island
• Wikipedia – San Juan Islands
• Wikipedia – San Juan Island National Historical Park
• Wikipedia – Roche Harbor, Washington
• Wikipedia – The Whale Museum
• Wikipedia – Orcas Island
• Wikipedia – Eastsound, Washington
• Wikipedia – Moran State Park
• Wikipedia – Lopez Island
• Wikipedia – Shaw Island

Independent guide, not affiliated with Washington State Ferries, WSDOT, Washington State Parks, the National Park Service or any museum or business named here. Schedules, fares, reservations, boat assignments and park and museum hours change, so confirm on wsdot.wa.gov, nps.gov and parks.wa.gov or call WSF at 206-464-6400 before you travel. Last updated November 8, 2026.