Welcome to San Juan Safaris

To Do And See On San Juan Island

Featured | Art Galleries | Parks | Orcas Island

FEATURED
San Juan Vineyards It is the only commercial vineyard and winery on the island. Started in 1996, had first harvest October 2000. They also have a great gift shop. Located on Roche Harbor Road.
Roche Harbor Village See an 18 acre sculpture garden of original works, artist booths, walk the docks and see 100's of boats, eat breakfast, lunch or dinner at the restaurants, grab a latte or ice cream cone, shop in one of the 3 boutiques and a great deal more.
San Juan Island Historical Museum. Learn all about the British and the Americans and a famous pig too! 360-378-3949.
The Whale Museum You will not want to miss the educational and artistic experience. Their gift shop is irresistible. Something for everyone.
Island Dive & Water Sports Dive the San Juan Islands! See amazing sea animals like colorful corals, huge octopus, starfish two feet across, basket stars from outer space, gnarly wolf eels, secretive tiger rockfish, and a menagerie of other creatures and plants. Daily dive trips, multi-day packages, diving instruction, air and Nitrox tank fills, as well as equipment rental and sales.
Christina's Carriage Company When is the last time you had a BUGGY RIDE! Phone:360-378-2872 for prices and details. Enjoy an old fashioned carriage ride or hayride for special occasions or just for fun! A touch of class and romance for a memorable occasion.
  Saddle Up Trailriding will be open April for Lesson/trail riding, appointments only. $35.00 1 hour to 1 hour 20 min. May: Lesson/Trailride $35.00 or just a trail ride 50 min to 1 hour $25.00 By appointment only. June: Trailriding 39.00 + tax. Rides go out at 11:00 1:00 &3:00 everyday. Winter phone 378-1364 - Summer phone 378-4243
Pelindaba Lavender Farm's handcrafted products made here on the island and a wonderful lavender farm. Do not miss this! Located on Wold Road. 360-378-4248
  Biking in the San Juan Islands - San Juan County Public Works Dept Information. Bring your own or rent one here on the island. Read this first before you bike here in the islands. You will be glad that you spent the extra 3 minutes.
Susie's Mopeds offer mopeds, Scootcars and bicycles. Located in Friday Harbor walk one block up the hill from the ferry landing. Open daily 9:00 to 6:00 late March thru mid October. Second location at Roche Harbor airport, open late June thru Labor Day. Also on Orcas Island at the Orcas Landing. Open late June thru Labor Day.
Island Bicycles
Located in downtown Friday Harbor, just two and a half blocks from the ferry landing! Next time you come to the islands; leave your car, walk onto the ferry and rent a reliable, high quality bicycle from Island Bicycles!
San Juan County Fair A real "local" event not to be missed. Farmers, agricultural groups planning educational showcase,horses, cows, goats,chickens, llamas, alpacas all cleaned up &on their best behavior. Rides and entertainment too! Fair dates: 2nd week in August annually.
The San Juan Community Theatre for the Performing Arts. Lots of local talent, but we also have the privilege of hearing and seeing some great, world renown artists too. Located near the Court House. 360-378-3211
San Juan Golf & Country Club
360-378-2254
Full service 9 hole golf course. Includes driving range, tennis courts, practice green Bar and Restaurant with Banquet facilities.
Farmers Market. No, I really mean it this time. DO NOT MISS going to this. Starts about Mayish and goes to about Septemberish, held in the parking lot of the Court House. Fresh everything you can image, grown, pickled, baked, raised right here in the islands. Just show up around 10 am for the best pickings, goes to around 1 pm or whenever they run out of stuff.
Vintage Air Tours operates a beautiful Great Lakes biplane out of Friday Harbor on various kinds of flights from scenic to simple biplane rides.

ART GALLERIES
Micheal Bertrand on display at Roche Harbor, Island Studios Friday Harbor, in Bellingham, Port Townsend, La Conner . . . . Our most creative photographer.

Rachel Blagden
Family, Wedding, Pet, Boat, Home and Individual Portraits

Westcott Bay Institute is located on a nineteen-acre microcosm of the San Juan ecology: forests, meadows, freshwater wetlands, saltwater wetlands, and rocky outcroppings. The trails throughout the Reserve are interspersed with interpretative displays about nature and with installations of over 80 sculptures.
  Arctic Raven Gallery
Fine Native American art and more. Located at Roche Harbor.
Front St near the Ale House, across from the water.
360 378-3433
  Friday Harbor Art Studio
One of our most talented island artists, Howie. Many awards. Specializes in nautical, but has many other themes such as orca and wildlife too. He is tucked back on Web Street near the upper ferry parking lot.
360 378-5788
Island Studios
Showing over 50 island artists work. Jewelry in class, sterling, stones, photography, works in oil, water color and multi-media, woven and knit clothing, furniture and functional art works for the home. Located between Dukes Sporting Goods and The Sweet Retreat on Spring Street 360 378 6550, open daily 10 - 5.
Napier Sculpture Gallery
Jason is amazing. He is a natural artists, born with the instinct for size, shape and dimension. Even if you do not collect, you owe it to yourself to find your way to his gallery. A st. (the same street where the cars line up to catch the ferry)360 378-2221
  Pemberton Sculpture Studio
Tom Pemberton originate of the bull kelp "holdfast bell" necklace, cast bronze. Recently commissioned to do an out-door sculpture for the Friday Harbor High School. They are also sold at Island Studios. Realistic pieces, whimsical pieces.
  Waterworks Gallery
Considered upper crust by the locals. Great.
Spring St at Argyle 360 378-3060
  Dolphin Arts
This is sort of a gallery too. Vivien is the graphic artist who does her thing on all cotton, casual clothing. Screen printed art on clothes, cards, prints and original watercolors by local artist Vivian Burnet. Original jewelry design by Deborah Johnsen and Possiko
165 1st St 360-378-3531
  The Garuda & I
A gallery featuring unique artifacts from all over the world, plus original work by area artists. An exceptional array of beads from all over the world. All pieces are handmade and many are one-of-a kind. 360-378-3733
First St next to Elephants Crossing.

PARKS on San Juan Island
In 1859 an American shot an Englishman's pig which kept breaking through a fence and rooting in his potato patch. This incident erupted into the Pig War, an international dispute over whether Great Britain or the United States owned the islands of what is now San Juan County.

From 1860-72 both countries occupied the island - the American Army at American Camp and the Royal Marines at English Camp. The Pig War was conducted in a very civilized manner at conference tables with final arbitration by Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany awarding the island to the United States. Thus the only casualty of the war was - one pig! And that's the story behind the island's two largest parks, American Camp and English Camp (also called British Camp).

AMERICAN CAMP
1220 acres - 5 miles of beach - Day Use Only.
Picnic tables, fire pits, privies. Bluffs, lagoon, sand and driftwood. Interpretive Center at Entrance - Get map here for unique hikes.
CATTLE POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Walk over windswept fields to the Lighthouse. Picnic on the beach or, on a rainy day, in the restored Coast Guard Radio Station. Day Use Only, Picnic Tables, Privies.
EAGLE COVE BEACH PUBLIC ACCESS , just before American Camp, turn right. This is in amongst homes. Please be respectful of privacy and the area.
Park your vehicle at the trailhead, off Cattle Pt. Rd. - walk to beach. Day Use Only , No facilities.
EGG LAKE
Day Use Only, Fish and Birdwatch, No Facilities
Dock and Launch Ramp on Egg Lake Road,
No gas motors.
ENGLISH CAMP
See the formal garden, 1860's guardhouse and the parade ground now home to wild turkeys and Canada geese.
530 acres - 2 miles of shoreline - Day Use Only
Picnic tables, privies. Boaters - Small dinghy dock - anchor in Garrison Bay Barracks - Visitor information and slide program - Get map for: Bell Point - Saunter wooded trail to Bell Point on Westcott Bay.
British Cemetery - Visit this grassy knoll with sheltering trees.
Mt. Young Hike up 650' and feel on top of the world.
FOURTH OF JULY BEACH
Wade in Griffin Bay on a warm day, picnic, or fly kites or Frisbees in the large grass field.
JACKSON BEACH
Picnic and go wading, Sandy beach, play volleyball, skimboard. Day Use Only, Boat Launch Ramp
LIME KILN STATE PARK - WHALE WATCHING SITE
Hike trail to lookout points - see the displays describing whales, porpoises and dolphins. The narrow high bank trail along the shore at Lime Kiln lets you see a broad view of the water and an occasional whale and then return on a path under fir, cedar and madrone. The park estimates you have about a 23% chance of seeing a whale on any given day between May and August. (For a 90% chance of seeing orcas, book a whale watching tour.) Day Use Only - High rocky banks - no beach, Drinking Water, Picnic Tables, Privies.
A bit past south beach, parking for 6 cars, on left.
MT. FINLAYSON - NATURE TRAIL (a work out)
Hike the trail up 290' Mt. Finlayson - see American and Canadian mountains on the horizon, seascape below; return on the nature trail above Jakle's Lagoon.
SAN JUAN COUNTY PARK
Pebble beach, woods, trails, snorkeling, diving, views of the Olympic Mountains, whales and Victoria, British Columbia. Sometimes a wild turkey meanders through too! For phone reservations call (360) 378-1842 (hours vary). Public Park. Overnight Camping, Picnic tables, Restrooms, Drinking Water,20 campsites (No RV hook-ups) Boaters - Launch Ramp, First come, first served for any unreserved spaces.
SAN JUAN ISLAND NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Includes the American Camp and English Camp,(some say British Camp) plus the Friday Harbor visitor center.
REUBEN TARTE PICNIC AREA
Roadside parking - walk down steep trail to a pebble beach. Day Use Only, No facilities.
SOUTH BEACH
Walk the beach, find a tide pool, marvel at the complexity of life in a small hollow of rock, or hike a 3/4 mile trail on the bluffs to the Hudson's Bay Farm site above Grandma's Cove.
SPORTSMAN'S LAKE
Launch ramp on Roche Harbor Road only access to lake - Fish or birdwatch. Day Use Only, No facilities.
TURN POINT PARK
Launch kayaks/canoes only - carry from the parking area.
Day Use Only, No facilities.


To Do On Orcas Island:

Orcas Spa & Athletics

We are proud to be active members of The Whale Watch Operators Association North West, Audubon Society, People for Puget Sound, The Nature Conservancy, The Whale Museum,, San Juan Preservation Trust, San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce, Center for Whale Research, San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau &Wolf Hollow Orca Network

sanjuansafaris.com is the copyrighted intellectual property of San Juan Safaris, Inc.,
Friday Harbor, WA, USA
updated:
whale diving, pair of kayakers spyhopping whale

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