San Juan Islands for Families on a Budget

San Juan Island is the easiest of the islands to visit without a car, and thanks to the tourist-friendly town of Friday Harbor, it’s typically the most crowded in summer (a great reason to visit in spring or fall). 

Depart the ferry and you’re smack-dab in the middle of a town with bustling restaurants, good hotels and indie boutiques. Bring your car if you wish to explore the island’s unique rural beauty beyond Friday Harbor, including a pretty lavender farm and some awesome coastal parks. Or you can get around via San Juan Transit, where an all-day pass will cost you $15 ($10 for 12 and younger).

What to do on San Juan Island

Take a hike! Kids will love exploring the tide pools and interpretive nature trails at San Juan Island National Historical Park. On the island’s west shore, Lime Kiln State Park is known as a great spot to see passing orcas — more plentiful in summer — and it also boasts 1.6 miles of hiking trails through a hillside forested with madrone trees. Kids will learn all about amazing orcas at The Whale Museum.

At the south end of the island you’ll find American Camp, which was home to the U.S soldiers during the U.S./British occupation of the mid-1800s. A new visitor center is now open Wednesday–Sunday, 1–3 p.m. The center has books and guides to island history and wildlife, and offers nature and history walks led by local rangers. Walks take place on weekends through August.

Where to stay on San Juan Island

The best value for families is to book a hotel-style room at Discovery Inn. For a bit of modernist flair, book a room or suite with a kitchenette at Earthbox Inn & Spa in downtown Friday Harbor, a refurbished motor inn with an onsite spa and indoor pool, plus jewel-toned pedal cruisers for guests to take for a spin around town.

Lakedale Resort offers a family glamping option — wood-floored canvas tent cabins scattered in the woods along a freshwater lake, fully furnished to sleep four. Public campsites are scarce on San Juan Island, but if you’re lucky, you can reserve one with a killer view at San Juan County Park.

Where to eat on San Juan Island

Pick up some gourmet picnic fare at The Market Chef, maker of artisan sandwiches and healthy salads. Stop in at Van Go’s Pizza for delicious thin-crust pizzas the whole family will love, from good ol’ pepperoni to prosciutto and pear.

Next stop: Lopez