Road Trip in Washington’s San Juan Islands

For a special splurge at dinner, drive 5 miles northwest (primarily on Roche Harbor Road) to the Duck Soup restaurant. Sit beside the fieldstone fireplace — or the outdoor firepit — and delight in sophisticated Northwest fare. Think scallops with walnut gremolata, and chickpea madras curry with butternut squash and mushrooms. Or stay in Friday Harbor and hit the more moderately priced San Juan Island Brewing Company. Menu standouts include the black-bean burger and Pig War pizza with Italian pork sausage, prosciutto and pepperoni.

Where to stay: For a cozy perch in Friday Harbor, try Bird Rock Hotel, located three blocks from the ferry terminal. This 1891 building has 15 rooms, which range from European-style shared bathrooms to a suite with an outdoor hot tub and gas fireplace. Need ADA accommodations? Turn to Lakedale Resort, located 5 miles northwest of town, primarily on Roche Harbor Road. It has a classic Western log lodge, plus a cottage, cabins, glamping, vintage Airstream trailers and yurts, along with sites for tents and RVs.

Friday Harbor on San Juan Island

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Day 4: San Juan Island (45 miles)​

Today begins with a history lesson at American Camp in San Juan Island National Historical Park, 6 miles south of Friday Harbor via Cattle Point Road. In 1859, the U.S. and U.K. garrisoned troops there, after a Yank shot a rogue British boar repeatedly marauding his potato patch. Over the next 13 years, the opposing forces became bored enough to start socializing with one another at picnics, parties and horse races. Diplomacy by mediator Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany finally ended the standoff, with, ultimately, the only casualty being the hog. Start at the visitor center for an introduction to the fascinating, peaceful Pig War. Its new, fully accessible building opens in spring 2022 and will include comprehensive storytelling about the Coast Salish, the Indigenous peoples who have inhabited the archipelago for about 11,000 years. Archaeologists have uncovered traces of their once-thriving prehistoric villages throughout the park and islands.

While at the camp, hike up to 9 miles of trails along prairie-covered bluffs, watching for 18 varieties of raptors. Foxes often part the grass along Pickett’s Lane and gawk back at visitors. Help keep them wild by not feeding them and by staying at least 75 feet away, unless you’re taking pictures from inside a safely parked car.

For lunch, fill up on upscale pub grub (beer bratwurst, garlicky house-made hummus) at the San Juan Island Brewing Company back in Friday Harbor. Then head 10 miles northwest on Roche Harbor Road to the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, where more than 150 artworks grace 20 acres of gardens and woodlands. Pieces sell — or rotate out after two years on display — so this nonprofit always makes for an exciting stop, even for repeat visitors.

While you’re in this area, don’t miss the nearby John S. McMillin Memorial Mausoleum (also called Afterglow Vista). Amble the unpaved, half-mile forest trail that starts at Roche Harbor’s pioneer-era cemetery, where worn, mossy, hand-carved stones memorialize immigrants claimed by disease, drowning and dynamite explosions in the quarries. The path leads to a forest glade and the dramatic open-air rotunda housing the cremains of the mineral magnate and his family. It feels like stumbling onto the ruins of an ancient Roman temple that was transported to the Pacific Northwest.

Try ending your trip on a high note with the archipelago’s most charismatic critter: the orca. To maybe catch a glimpse, head 10 miles south of the sculpture park via West Side and West Valley roads to Lime Kiln Point State Park, one of the world’s top places to see whales from shore. An easy hike (1.25 miles round trip) leads to the park’s 1919 lighthouse on a rocky cliff, a great vantage point — and the perfect place for a sunset picnic.