San Juan Islands, Washington

The San Juans are an archipelago of a few hundred islands in the strait between Washington and Vancouver Island, four of them served by ferry. They sit in a rain shadow, so they get noticeably better weather than Seattle, and they are one of the best places in the lower 48 to see orcas from land. A charter bus to the San Juan Islands is, in practice, a charter bus to Anacortes — and that is usually the right way to do it.

Walk onto the ferry

Washington State Ferries run to the islands from Anacortes, and vehicle space in summer requires a reservation booked well in advance. Space for a full-size coach is limited and expensive, and for most group visits it is not worth it.

The standard arrangement is a charter to the Anacortes terminal, the group walking on as foot passengers, and island transport at the other end. Walk-on tickets need no vehicle reservation, the crossing to Friday Harbor takes about an hour, and Friday Harbor itself is compact enough to explore on foot.

The coach either waits at Anacortes or returns to collect in the evening. Tell your operator which you want when you ask for a price — the two arrangements produce quite different numbers.

Which island

• San Juan Island: the most visited, with Friday Harbor as the main town, the Whale Museum, and Lime Kiln Point State Park on the west side. The default choice for a group.
• Orcas Island: the largest and most rural, with Moran State Park and the road up Mount Constitution for the best view in the archipelago.
• Lopez Island: flat, quiet and the cyclists' island, with far fewer visitors.
• Shaw Island: tiny, with almost no visitor facilities. Not a group destination.

The whales, honestly

Lime Kiln Point on the west side of San Juan Island is known as Whale Watch Park and is one of very few places in the world where orcas are regularly seen from shore. It is a genuine possibility, not a guarantee.

The Southern Resident orcas that made the islands famous have declined and now spend less time in these waters. Transient orcas, humpbacks and minke whales are seen regularly, and boat-based tours have far better odds than standing on a headland. If whales are the reason your group is coming, book a tour rather than relying on the park, and set expectations either way.

Which charter bus fits the mainland leg

• Forty to fifty-six: a full-size charter bus for the run from Seattle or Bellingham to Anacortes, with luggage bays for an overnight group.
• Twenty to thirty-two: a mini bus is the practical size if you genuinely want a vehicle on the island, and far cheaper on the ferry.
• Ten to fourteen: a sprinter van crosses easily and suits a small corporate retreat.

Corporate retreats to the islands are a steady part of our shoulder-season work, handled by our corporate travel team, with ferry-timed transfers at both ends.