Things to Do on the San Juan Islands

Art enthusiasts will find excellent galleries and studios on San Juan and Orcas islands. And the region is becoming increasingly popular with foodies, with bistros and cafés favoring local and often organic seasonal produce and ingredients.

Cycling is highly popular on the San Juan Islands, where there are multiday, island-hopping bicycle tours. Lopez and San Juan are delightfully bucolic (and relatively flat), while Orcas offers scenery as beautiful as its roads are hilly.

In summer, the San Juans are a can't-miss sea-kayaking destination; outfitters offer paddles as brief as two hours or as long as a week.

Whale-watching, whether from a charter boat, sea kayak, or ferry, is breathtaking, and the waters of the San Juans provide ample opportunities to view the majestic animals as they make their migrations.

Beach walking is also a relaxing diversion, and is especially pleasant on San Juan Island.