If you’re looking for a place to stay during boating adventures in the San Juan Islands or en route to Canada or Alaska, consider a stay at Tucker House Inn for a night. There are three main San Juan Island marinas that will be good for docking your vessel. These are the Port of Friday Harbor, Snug Harbor Resort Marina, and Roche Harbor Resort Marina. These ports provide a haven for local boats, charter boats, and visiting boats alike. If you sailed up from the West Coast or are just traveling through the islands, there is a harbor for your boat! If you are looking to go on a fishing excursion or sightseeing tour via private charter, you can also find a boat here. Here is a guide to the San Juan Island marinas that will help you plan your offshore adventures!
Port of Friday Harbor
The Port of Friday Harbor is a beautiful cove along the shores of San Juan Island. This port for all seasons offers gorgeous scenery as well as a harbor for island vessels. From this top choice of San Juan Island marinas, visitors can ferry, boat, sail, or fly a seaplane. You can discover historic schooners, working fishing boats, pleasure cruisers, or seasonal large yachts and small cruise ships at this port. Wander around, catch a whale tour, rent a kayak, or visit the nearby 400-gallon aquarium. During the summertime, you can also enjoy “Music at the Port,” featuring a variety of local musicians. If you have more of a culinary taste than a sea dog spirit, try the fresh seafood at Friday Harbor Seafood. You can’t get much fresher than straight from the boat! This port is also near Tucker House Inn, which is a great respite from the wild waters for a night or two. Stretch your legs, enjoy a hot shower, and spread out in a king-size bed for a break from the boat! You can also dine with us at our delicious Coho Restaurant if you don’t have a full night to spare.
Snug Harbor Resort Marina
The Snug Harbor Resort Marina is a picturesque member of the San Juan Island marinas. This shoreline space is a wonderful stopping off point for boaters and fishermen. It is quietly nestled in Mitchell Bay, offering a calming shelter from the rough seas of the surrounding straits. The Snug Harbor Resort Marina of San Juan Island is, in fact, one of two marinas on the west side of San Juan Island. It is also close to some great whale watching, fishing, and crabbing. The marina is significantly smaller than the Port of Friday Harbor, yet still holds over 50 boats of varying sizes. It also features some great amenities, such as cleaning tables for your catches and crab cookers and barbecues to enjoy your haul.
Roche Harbor Resort Marina
One of the larger San Juan Island marinas is the Roche Harbor Resort Marina, which offers 377 slips. The capacity here is up to 150-foot vessels, while features include water hook-ups, mobile pump-out, and nightly and year-round moorage. Another amenity at the Roche Harbor Resort Marina is the fuel dock with diesel and unleaded, so you can fill up in between boating adventures. This is also the location of the nightly colors ceremony from May to September. During this event, the flags of Roche Harbor, Washington State, Great Britain, Canada, and the United States are retired just before sunset. Patriotic music is played for the Color Guard. Then, the dock staff lowers the American flag to “My Country Tis of Thee.”
After Docking at These San Juan Island Marinas
After finishing a day of adventure on the boat, settle in at the Tucker House Inn for a peaceful night’s sleep in Friday Harbor. Enjoy our comfortable suites, delicious restaurant, and scrumptious breakfast each morning in our Garden Cafe. If you’re looking for other great adventures to participate in during your stay, download our free vacation guide for some ideas!
Photo credit: Mike Bertrand
