Naturally, summer is the most popular time for island visitors, and the beauty of the islands rarely fails to impress. With a bit of planning, our local travel tips and some patience, you might be able to dodge those long summer ferry lines. Just remember to slow down to “island time” and you’ll have a “wonderful time” here!
We’ve got a few transportation tips for you:
- Pack light so you can be flexible and move quickly. We have a fully-stocked guest laundry – no coins or tokens needed – for freshening up your clothing. You won’t need anything fancy while you’re on island – casual attire is the norm.
- If the wait at the Anacortes ferry terminal is going to be too long, park your car there and walk on. We’re just a couple easy blocks up from the ferry landing, and you can always rent a car or moped for a day while you’re here for about the same price as the ferry crossing.
- Consider shuttles from Seatac rather than renting a car from there.
- If you’re in the Bellingham area, there is a new water taxi service available. For foot passengers only, the 32-foot aluminum Leap Frog Water Taxi (www.leapfrogwatertaxi.com) departs from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal and travels to Friday Harbor in less than two hours. Trips are scheduled on a custom basis, and are priced at $65 p/p ($130 round trip), regardless of the number of people aboard. Call or text 360 220-0538 for more information.
Leap Frog Water Taxi - Kenmore Air offers daily flights to Friday Harbor, and we can save you 5% by booking it through our corporate account. The float planes are really cool if you’ve never flown in one, but both the float planes and the wheeled planed offer great views of the islands.
- Westwind Aviation offers private charters from over 500 airports in the Pacific Northwest; no waiting in lines, fast, flexible, safe and secure. We’ve been able to secure some great rates out for our guests – call us for more info, or see their website, http://westwindav.com/.
- If you’ve taken our advice and arrived on island sans wheels, there are multiple options for getting around the island: rental cars run as little as $50/24-hour day; mopeds are a fun option, and we have a whole fleet of bicycles if you’re athletically inclined. Best deal yet is the FREE island-based shuttle bus pass. Go to http://www.visitsanjuans.com/scenicbyway and complete the survey to get your coupon for a Buy-One-Get-One Free pass – a $15 value. The shuttle service begins June 9 and runs through Labor Day, stopping at all the major attractions on the island. Download the schedule at http://www.sanjuantransit.com.
