Family Day Trip to San Juan Island: Ferry, Fun, and Unexpected Adventures

While visiting my husband’s family in the Tacoma area this past summer, we decided to take a day trip to San Juan Island. This beautiful island had been on our bucket list for a while, especially since it’s one of the best places to see orca whales in Washington. Our main hope was to spot some whales. At first, we thought it would be a quick visit with not much else to see, but to our delight, the island offered far more than we imagined and turned into a memory-filled, adventurous day for our family.

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Taking the Ferry to San Juan Island

The only way to reach the island is by riding a Washington State Ferry. The main ferry terminal is located in Anacortes, WA. You can either walk on as a passenger or drive your car aboard.

Since we were traveling with extended family—and we are also a large family—we would have needed two cars, which meant higher ferry costs and advance reservations. The only car spots left were on the 6 a.m. ferry. Instead, we decided to walk on. Not only was it less expensive, but it also meant less waiting in line. We also decided that taking the 6 a.m. ferry would help us avoid Seattle traffic. Plus, exploring the island without a car seemed like more of an adventure.

So, we woke up at 3 a.m., piled the sleepy kids into the car, and drove to Anacortes. Yes, it was early, but it was completely worth it to avoid traffic and not stress about arrival times.

I do find a thrill in arriving somewhere in those early mornings, just as the dusk is beginning to lift. Traveling at that hour and watching the sunrise is the literal meaning of the phrase, “The early bird gets the worm.” We practically had the ferry to ourselves and enjoyed a gorgeous 90-minute ride. If you’re ever in the Seattle area, I highly recommend taking a Washington State Ferry—you won’t regret it.

First Impressions: Early Morning in Friday Harbor

When we arrived on the island, it was—well—so early that everything was closed except for a coffee shop. As we got our bearings, we saw a sign for the trolley…closed for the day. This was a moment where flexibility with traveling really came into play. We had to figure out how the heck we were going to get around the island. With three adults and nine kids—and no transportation, but we weren’t going to let it ruin our day.

We got some croissants for the kids and did some research on other ways to travel around the island. There was a bus system, but it didn’t start until 10 a.m.—and it was only 8 a.m. To pass the time, we walked about 20 minutes to a park. The kids did fantastic, and the walk itself was beautiful. We passed cozy island homes with manicured yards and felt like we had stepped into a little Pacific Northwest paradise.

Travel Tip: Always Stop at the Visitor Center

As the kids played at the park, we checked the bus schedule and planned our route and timing. It was more limited than we would have liked, but we thought it was our best option. Yet, Paul was insistent that we stop by the San Juan Island Visitor Center before making any final decisions—and this is one of the many reasons I love my husband so much: he’s patient and wise.

When we walked into the visitor center and shared our plan, the staff member kindly told us that with our large group, the bus wasn’t a good option – we realized later why this was as the “bus” was just an oversized van…- Instead, they recommended renting a car. To our surprise, a mom-and-pop rental shop had a 15-passenger van available for under $200—cheaper than bus fare for all of us. Plus, we now had complete flexibility with our schedule. Lesson learned—always stop by the visitor center!

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San Juan Island Highlights

San Juan Island is small—you can drive around it in about 30–45 minutes—but it is surprisingly packed with sightseeing opportunities. Here are the main stops we enjoyed on our family day trip:

Friday Harbor

The main harbor town of the island is full of shops, restaurants, and waterfront views. We didn’t spend much time shopping, but it was fun to stroll the streets. As always when traveling, we ended our day here with ice cream and coffee while waiting for the ferry.

San Juan Island Sculpture Park

This was a delightful surprise! The park is filled with unique sculpture artwork along flower-lined walking paths. Some of the art was definitely eccentric, but it was fun for the kids (and us) to admire and guess the value of each piece. Definitely worth a stop.

Roche Harbor

Roche Harbor is a more upscale area of the island with beautiful views. We hoped to grab pizza for lunch (our usual budget-friendly option), but the restaurant wasn’t open until later. The other spots were outside our price range, so we enjoyed a quick look at the harbor before moving on.

Lime Kiln State Park

Known as one of the best whale-watching spots on the island, Lime Kiln was high on our list. By the time we arrived, everyone was starving, so we settled for overpriced hot dogs (still cheaper than Roche Harbor!). We didn’t spot any whales and had to cut our visit short thanks to swarms of hornets, but the views of the coastline were still stunning.

American Camp – San Juan Island National Historical Park

The island has both an English Camp and an American Camp, due to its disputed history. With limited time, we chose to explore the American Camp. The kids were able to complete Junior Ranger badges—always a highlight for them! They’re a great budget-friendly souvenir with a mini homeschool lesson to boot. I wished we had more time to explore both sites, so a return trip is definitely in order!

Lessons Learned and Final Thoughts

San Juan Island is absolutely worth the trip, and is a great family-friendly destination. Here are a few takeaways from our adventure:

Pack extra food. Prices on the island are higher than we expected, and our few snacks didn’t go far. Next time, we’ll bring a backpack cooler with sandwiches.
Consider a rental car. Walking on the ferry and renting a vehicle gave us flexibility and saved money.
Visit the visitor center. Their advice saved us from wasting time and money.
Plan for whale watching—but don’t count on it. We didn’t see orcas this time, which just gives us another reason to return.
One last tip: don’t forget to pack your travel essentials! For us, our Ergo Baby carrier is always a lifesaver when exploring with little ones:

The ferry ride back was just as beautiful as the morning. We ended the day with two cars full of very tired but happy, contented kids, and hearts full of gratitude for the memories made.

San Juan Island is a Pacific Northwest gem—we can’t wait to explore again, and next time, hopefully with orca whales!