Explore the San Juan Islands with expert guides, detailed maps, and comprehensive cruising itineraries. Master the tides and currents to your advantage. Discover the best parks for camping, anchoring, and hiking. Experience the charm of Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor, then unwind in a tranquil, secluded cove — the perfect getaway.
Set sail on an unforgettable journey through the breathtaking San Juan Islands, guided by expert local knowledge, detailed maps, and meticulously crafted boating itineraries. Master the rhythms of tides and currents to glide effortlessly between islands. Pitch your tent in hidden forested parks, drop anchor in pristine bays, and hike trails that lead to sweeping vistas. Wander the bustling charm of Friday Harbor and the elegance of Roche Harbor—then escape it all in a serene, secret cove where the world slips quietly away.
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A Two-Day or Weekend Boat Getaway to the San Juans
Planning a quick boating getaway to the San Juan Islands
sounds simple,just point the bow north, err, west, and go. But a trip to the islands demands a bit more thinking than your average lake
outing or day cruise. Before you load the cooler and cast off lines, you should
take a moment to make sure your boat, gear, and expectations all match what a
San Juan weekend requires.
Planning your first cruise through the San Juan Islands? This guide covers the essential basics—cruising itinerary ideas, marine parks, campgrounds, launch ramps, maps, docks, and anchorages—everything you need to get started with confidence.
If you're new to boating in the San Juans, here are simple answers to the most common questions, all in one place.
Because it is on a trailer does not make it a good idea!
While reading this somewhat abbreviated post, click the links to dig into specific details. Be sure to use the search box to find more of what you want.
#1 Where to begin this epic outing?
Launch your boat at one of these places.
Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham,
Washington Park in Anacortes
Cap Sante in Anacortes.
Cornet Bay at Deception Pass Park
One of these four places may offer exactly what you need to get the boat wet. First, if a sling is required, considerCap Sante. They offer light and heavy travel lift slings but no launching ramp. They also offer short or long-term pay trailer parking and an RV park. You definitely will want a reservation for slinging and mast stepping. You may be able to reserve a slip at the transient dock. The costs are not cheap.
Click below for the — fourbest places — to begin your cruise
This post
offers tips and highlights from our printed cruising guide—and here on the
website—with some favorite anchorages, marinas, public
docks, and onshore activities for boaters visiting the islands.
Whether you're sailing a trailerable sloop, motoring a
pocket trawler, paddling a kayak, or even pedaling a bicycle, this is a good time and place to start planning your next island cruise.
Missing Column Mausoleum at Roche Harbor
Click below for the — Best Anchorages in the San Juan Islands
This Squalicum Harbor chart shows launch ramps, and marina docks, used by boaters beginning a San Juan Islands cruise from Bellingham, Washington.
Red dots mark the ramp, parking lot and transient dock.
✔ Tip When considering Washington Park or Squalicum Harbor or Cornet Bay as your departure/return point, don't let the minimal highway mileage differences influence your choice. For us, where we are headed on day #1 and where we plan to be on the last day are what we have found determine our best place to begin. Of course, some of us just plan to go sailing with little consideration for where we spend the night.
The San Juan Islands are a world apart, yet remarkably
accessible. When you're pulling into a harbor aboard your boat or arriving via
a Washington State Ferry, the islands welcome you and offer something for every
explorer. From charming towns and marine
parks to farmers' markets and whale watching,there’s no shortage of
memorable experiences.A San Juan Islands vacation is a true gem and rich
with adventure.
Must-See San Juan Islands Highlights
(and There’s More Waiting)
You’ll find dozens more ideas throughout this website.
Over the
years, we’ve talked with visitors who arrived by ferry with their car and
assumed that they were limited to the four main islands served by ferries. They
thought the outer islands and parks of the San Juan Islands weren’t accessible
to them, not realizing a simple water taxi ride makes it possible.
Shelter and ADA ramps at Pelican Beach
It’s true. You
don’t need to own or rent a boat to explore and camp in the marine parks of the San
Juan Islands.
Most
visitors enter the islands through Anacortes and follow the ferry routes to the
larger communities. That works well — but it leaves out the smaller islands,
marine parks, and secluded coves that aren’t served by ferry or road.
No Boat?
No Problem.
Water taxi
services and licensed outfitters operate throughout the area. They provide
custom drop-offs and pickups to marine parks and islands that most visitors
never consider.
Call it:
Uber for boaters
A marine shuttle
A scheduled island transfer
Point-to-point boat transport
Your personal chauffeured yacht
The idea is
straightforward. You choose your destination and your dates. They handle the boats.
Single
hikers, groups, families, camping gear, and even kayaks can all be part of the
plan.
Water Taxi at Blakely's
Starting
From Anacortes
Anacortes is
the primary mainland gateway. From there, you can:
Ferry to one of the larger
islands
Arrange a direct water taxi to a
marine park
Meet an outfitter for a guided
or supported trip
When you are
not limited to ferry docks, you open up a new map of possibilities.
Destinations
People Recognize — But Don’t Realize They Can Reach
Many of the
most talked-about places in the San Juans are marine parks without road access.
For example:
Sucia Island Marine State Park –
with Fossil Bay and Echo Bay
Jones Island Marine State Park –
famous for friendly pygmy deer
Matia Island State Park – an
unspoiled rain forest without the rain
Cypress Island – including
Cypress Head campground and Eagle Bluff
Pelican Beach – waterfront camping on the northeast side of Cypress Island
These places
have docks, mooring buoys, campsites, and established trails. They’re well
known among boaters, but less understood by visitors arriving by ferry.
In our travels, we have crossed paths with water taxis at Blakely’s, at Fossil Bay, and
at Pelican Beach. And watched outfitters unload camping gear and transport
organized youth groups, including Boy Scout troops, to overnight sites at Matia,
Jones, and Stuart Islands. We’ve seen them many times — dropping off campers and
returning a few days later to pick them up.
The system
is established. It’s routine. And it works.
Many
outfitters support kayak-based trips. They transport your kayaks or rent them
to you at your starting point and arrange to pick you up days later.
The
logistics are handled in advance, or simply call a water taxi when you need a
ride, leaving you free to focus on hiking, shoreline exploration, and camping.
When
transportation is shared among several people, a water taxi can be a practical,
even economical alternative. You arrange a drop-off and a pickup — nothing more
complicated than that.
For many
visitors, that’s all that’s needed.
No boat
ownership or hassle required.
A
Practical Alternative
Boat
ownership in the San Juans has its rewards, but it isn’t the only path to
exploring the islands. Renting a power or sailboat is another option, though
not always necessary.
The
Bottom Line
The San Juan
Islands are often described as a boater’s destination and paradise. That’s true
— but it’s incomplete.
With water
taxis and experienced outfitters operating throughout the region, marine parks
and secluded coves are accessible to anyone without owning or renting a boat.
No boat.
No problem.
Just plan a destination, a date, and go.
Note: On this website. To keep posts evergreen and relevant, names, prices, and phone numbers are left out.
Let’s start with a disclaimer—at the helm, you are the captain. No book, guide, app, or article can replace good seamanship and sound judgment. Whether you bring a family cruiser, a daysailer, a kayak, or even a bicycle, the adventure is yours to shape.
Conventional wisdom: Buy the biggest, best, and most expensive chart plotter. Reality: While a high-end multifunction plotter is nice, it’s far from necessary. At minimum, a first-time visitor should have a NOAA navigation chart #18421, a compass, and a basic GPS—or even just a smartphone. At some point, you’ll find yourself staring across miles of open water at an unfamiliar shoreline, only to realize you’ve drifted off course. A simple compass and chart will keep you pointed in the right direction, saving time and frustration.
Extra tip: A colorful road map is handy for identifying landmarks—something navigation charts won’t show.
Currents & Tides
Newcomer’s fear: Treacherous 15-knot currents, whirlpools, and impassable passages. Reality: While strong currents do exist, they’re entirely manageable with a little planning—just like avoiding rush hour traffic. Most horror stories come from winter storms, poor seamanship, or bad decision-making.
During the summer cruising season, inner-island currents rarely exceed 1.5 knots, and in the straits, 2.5 knots. Understanding the tides makes all the difference.
Here’s what you need to know:
Currents are always moving. There’s rarely a moment of slack water, except for brief pauses at tide changes every six hours.
Fast boats can ignore currents, but slower boats must work with them. A sailboat doing 4.5 knots against a 2.5-knot current is effectively crawling along at 2 knots. But ride with the same current, and you’re cruising at 7 knots. Plan wisely, and a 10-mile passage could take 90 minutes instead of five hours.
Narrow Passes funnel water, increasing flow speed only within the pass. Smart sailors time their arrival at passes so the water pushes them in the right direction, rather than fighting the tide.
Current forecasting books and programs are available, but a simple tide forecast and a chart will do the trick.
As a rule of thumb:
A flood tide (incoming) generally flows north.
An ebb tide (outgoing) generally flows south.
With just a tide table, a clock, and a chart, you can plan your day—maybe delaying departure until 11 a.m. for a favorable current or setting out early at 7 a.m. to get ahead of the tide, is all you need to do.
Tip: You don't need an annual book. Simply go online and print a page or two of the tides forecast during your voyage.
