Recommendations for Vacation to San Juan or Orcas Island.
April 23, 2024 8:49 AM Subscribe
I'm thinking about a trip to the Pacific North west and am looking for hotel recommendations on the San-Juan or Orca Islands. A bit rustic is OK but we're traveling with my older mother so no camping. I want something upscale cabins or resort, preferably part of a larger complex with a spa. What do you suggest?
Rasario Resort would be an obvious choice, but they have new ownership, and it seems like a lot of their things, (spa, restaurant) and much of the rooms are closed for renovations.
Only place I've ever stayed there is Doe Bay Resort, (and we camped in a random field), but it does look like they have actual cottages and such. And amenities.
posted by Windopaene at 10:05 AM on April 23 [1 favorite]
Only place I've ever stayed there is Doe Bay Resort, (and we camped in a random field), but it does look like they have actual cottages and such. And amenities.
posted by Windopaene at 10:05 AM on April 23 [1 favorite]
Will you have a car? And are you going peak season? I ask because some things do shut down off-season in the San Juans, and it's hard to get around beyond the ferry landing towns without a car. And, they just aren't that big of places -- think of them as rural communities with a few commercial, tourist centers -- so there aren't a ton of options.
The San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau website was quite helpful when I was planning a trip there last summer. They indicate only a few spas, and only a few associated with lodging. As Windopaene noted, the spa at Rosario on Orcas is closed. So that leaves you with Roche Harbor Resort and Earthbox Inn near Friday Harbor, both on San Juan Island. Earthbox is an old motor lodge, so probably best to go with Roche Harbor.
Maybe there are more places that aren't listed by the visitor bureau, but I suspect most of the major hotels would be part of the bureau.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:28 AM on April 23
The San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau website was quite helpful when I was planning a trip there last summer. They indicate only a few spas, and only a few associated with lodging. As Windopaene noted, the spa at Rosario on Orcas is closed. So that leaves you with Roche Harbor Resort and Earthbox Inn near Friday Harbor, both on San Juan Island. Earthbox is an old motor lodge, so probably best to go with Roche Harbor.
Maybe there are more places that aren't listed by the visitor bureau, but I suspect most of the major hotels would be part of the bureau.
posted by bluedaisy at 10:28 AM on April 23
I'd go for Roche Harbor.
posted by jgirl at 1:46 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
posted by jgirl at 1:46 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
If you go to the San Juan islands by car, be sure to schedule your ferry ride departing Anacortes ahead of time.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 2:26 PM on April 23 [2 favorites]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 2:26 PM on April 23 [2 favorites]
One of the neat things about the San Juans is that once you're out on the islands, you can ride the ferry to island-hop all you want (free, for walk-ons; there's a fee for westbound vehicles). Once you get back to Anacortes, you'll need another ticket. Orcas is a lot more sparse, has a neat museum and some art galleries; San Juan Island has the Whale Museum, and Friday Harbor (on San Juan Island) is where most of the walkable touristy stuff is; all pretty walkable from the ferry landing.
If you want a sort of all-in-one stay, probably Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island is a good bet. They have a day spa (or, used to) and the resort is pretty nice. But, it's a fair distance from the ferry terminal at Friday Harbor, so you'll want a car or will need to arrange transportation.
There's also the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas, but I have not stayed there and can't comment one way or the other.
Nearby Guemes Island is not part of the San Juans ferry system; it has its own ferry. There's a very nice resort on Guemes with cabins and houses of various sizes, but AFAIK no day spa sort of thing. A few of the cabins and houses have hot tubs.
The advice about making reservations for your ferry trip (if you're driving a car) is no joke. Arrive early, too. I live in Anacortes, and the ferry terminal is very busy, especially durning morning & evening commute hours. Especially in spring and summer, without a reservation you may see delays of 1- or 2-sailing-waits. (The ferry you wanted is full, and the next ferry, and possibly the next ferry, will also be full, before you get to the front of the line and can board.)
posted by xedrik at 3:20 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
If you want a sort of all-in-one stay, probably Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island is a good bet. They have a day spa (or, used to) and the resort is pretty nice. But, it's a fair distance from the ferry terminal at Friday Harbor, so you'll want a car or will need to arrange transportation.
There's also the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas, but I have not stayed there and can't comment one way or the other.
Nearby Guemes Island is not part of the San Juans ferry system; it has its own ferry. There's a very nice resort on Guemes with cabins and houses of various sizes, but AFAIK no day spa sort of thing. A few of the cabins and houses have hot tubs.
The advice about making reservations for your ferry trip (if you're driving a car) is no joke. Arrive early, too. I live in Anacortes, and the ferry terminal is very busy, especially durning morning & evening commute hours. Especially in spring and summer, without a reservation you may see delays of 1- or 2-sailing-waits. (The ferry you wanted is full, and the next ferry, and possibly the next ferry, will also be full, before you get to the front of the line and can board.)
posted by xedrik at 3:20 PM on April 23 [1 favorite]
Also just a heads up that there have been a lot of ferry cancellations the past few years, and it tends to be the inter-island ferries that get cancelled the most. (I planned a day trip from Lopez to San Juan Island and back last year but only found out after being at the ferry terminal for a while that the ferry I wanted to take was canceled.)
posted by bluedaisy at 3:37 PM on April 23 [2 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 3:37 PM on April 23 [2 favorites]
I've stayed at Rosario, and it was great. I don't know about the spa but the indoor pool was delightfully old fashioned, and the food in the restaurant was good. I haven't been there since the change in ownership, though.
The Inn at Langley is fancy schmancy and I loved it (I'm a sucker for a nice hotel) but it's on Whidbey, not the San Juans.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:52 PM on April 23
The Inn at Langley is fancy schmancy and I loved it (I'm a sucker for a nice hotel) but it's on Whidbey, not the San Juans.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:52 PM on April 23
One of the neat things about the San Juans is that once you're out on the islands, you can ride the ferry to island-hop all you want (free, for walk-ons; there's a fee for westbound vehicles).
One thing I did was bring my bike on my car's rack. The ferry I took sailed from Anacortes to Orcas Island, where I camped. During my stay I would drive back to the Orcas ferry terminal and just park for the day, riding my bike onto the ferry to explore the other islands — for free!
Some ferries through the day would skip islands along the inter-island route, which I needed to keep an eye out for, depending on which island I was visiting for the day.
But so long as I made sure I was back at each island ferry terminal on time for a sail to Orcas, I would just hop on for a scenic and serene sail with my bike back to my car, and then back to the campsite I was staying at.
I hope one day to get to live on one of the San Juan islands — it really is a special place. I hope you get to enjoy it, too.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:36 PM on April 24 [1 favorite]
One thing I did was bring my bike on my car's rack. The ferry I took sailed from Anacortes to Orcas Island, where I camped. During my stay I would drive back to the Orcas ferry terminal and just park for the day, riding my bike onto the ferry to explore the other islands — for free!
Some ferries through the day would skip islands along the inter-island route, which I needed to keep an eye out for, depending on which island I was visiting for the day.
But so long as I made sure I was back at each island ferry terminal on time for a sail to Orcas, I would just hop on for a scenic and serene sail with my bike back to my car, and then back to the campsite I was staying at.
I hope one day to get to live on one of the San Juan islands — it really is a special place. I hope you get to enjoy it, too.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:36 PM on April 24 [1 favorite]
Roche has some swanky multi-unit houses clustered on a hillside above the harbor. They're lovely but $$$. I prefer the feel of Friday (and do your grocery shopping there! Roche has a little grocery but ouch!). Roche also has a restaurant (tasty for what it is) with mostly sit down but some take out and is famous(?) for their donuts(??). Weekends in-season there's a little "farmers market" with artwork cards, jewelery, coffee, ice cream, etc. They also have a fishmonger on the dock.
The restaurant/grocery/house rentals/hotel/flower gardens are a complex all owned by the same folks I believe. If you drive, stop and walk the art garden just before you enter Roche. Oh dear god- avoid those death-trap red scooters, they're not well suited to the rural roads (blind crossings, relatively fast speeds, etc) and you don't need one in Friday or Roche. They seem like a good idea but they're terrifying - biking otoh is very common and works far better and even has some nice picnic tables and water(?) stops.
There are taxis to cross the island if you walk on. I'm picturing one company out of Friday who seems to have 2 or 3 identical late-model brown minivans and at least one driver has a tiny dog) - don't recall the name but it's something basic - Bob's? They run year round and I've found them reliable and friendly (in a curmudgeonly way) and would recommend.
In the main season (I don't know dates but the ferry schedule changes so that's where I look) there's a little tour bus that loops the island and is easy to hop-on-hop-off to get between roche/alpaca/winery/lavender (I recommend the lavender farm but especially don't visit alpaca farm if you're traveling with a dog - eeesh the chewing out I got even though my dog was silent, well-behaved, uninterested in alpaca, and on-leash!). It sometimes runs slowly if there are large groups, so take the schedule with a grain of salt and wear a hat and bring water in case you need to wait somewhere remote mid-island.
If you're calling the taxi as you approach Friday or waiting in roche, be aware the cell service cuts out mid-island so no answer isn't a big deal- they'll get back to you quickly and chances are they're on their way already. They don't have a dispatch - the number is the driver's cell and he coordinates with the other drivers.
I took my dad and siblings a few years ago and we had a wonderful time, even without a car. Stayed in a rental in Friday, ate lots of fried fish, watched boats and ferry comings and goings, etc. Diner in friday is recommended. My dad (who does not walk anywhere if he can help it!) did ok because of how close the rental was to 'downtown' Friday (which =s the ferry dock too).
Sibs took a whale cruise and enjoyed it. If you can, I'd recommend a kayak trip (with guide) crossing to another island (many private islands there you have to have a boat to get to) out of Roche.
Nthing ferry reservations if you're taking a car, but don't worry about walking on - I've never seen a limit and there's always tons of room for people (work on one of the puzzles), even if you bring a wagon of food/drink/luggage.
Make sure you don't accidentally try to make reservations or walk on a ferry headed to BC - some ferries depart from Friday, stop in BC, and then head to Anacortes-- had that disaster with someone who couldn't cross to BC because of a DUI. We just waited for the next one - a slower inter-island but it was fine. Otherwise the ferry is shockingly (to me) relaxed, enjoyable, and one of my favorite parts of the trip.
posted by esoteric things at 1:50 PM on April 25
The restaurant/grocery/house rentals/hotel/flower gardens are a complex all owned by the same folks I believe. If you drive, stop and walk the art garden just before you enter Roche. Oh dear god- avoid those death-trap red scooters, they're not well suited to the rural roads (blind crossings, relatively fast speeds, etc) and you don't need one in Friday or Roche. They seem like a good idea but they're terrifying - biking otoh is very common and works far better and even has some nice picnic tables and water(?) stops.
There are taxis to cross the island if you walk on. I'm picturing one company out of Friday who seems to have 2 or 3 identical late-model brown minivans and at least one driver has a tiny dog) - don't recall the name but it's something basic - Bob's? They run year round and I've found them reliable and friendly (in a curmudgeonly way) and would recommend.
In the main season (I don't know dates but the ferry schedule changes so that's where I look) there's a little tour bus that loops the island and is easy to hop-on-hop-off to get between roche/alpaca/winery/lavender (I recommend the lavender farm but especially don't visit alpaca farm if you're traveling with a dog - eeesh the chewing out I got even though my dog was silent, well-behaved, uninterested in alpaca, and on-leash!). It sometimes runs slowly if there are large groups, so take the schedule with a grain of salt and wear a hat and bring water in case you need to wait somewhere remote mid-island.
If you're calling the taxi as you approach Friday or waiting in roche, be aware the cell service cuts out mid-island so no answer isn't a big deal- they'll get back to you quickly and chances are they're on their way already. They don't have a dispatch - the number is the driver's cell and he coordinates with the other drivers.
I took my dad and siblings a few years ago and we had a wonderful time, even without a car. Stayed in a rental in Friday, ate lots of fried fish, watched boats and ferry comings and goings, etc. Diner in friday is recommended. My dad (who does not walk anywhere if he can help it!) did ok because of how close the rental was to 'downtown' Friday (which =s the ferry dock too).
Sibs took a whale cruise and enjoyed it. If you can, I'd recommend a kayak trip (with guide) crossing to another island (many private islands there you have to have a boat to get to) out of Roche.
Nthing ferry reservations if you're taking a car, but don't worry about walking on - I've never seen a limit and there's always tons of room for people (work on one of the puzzles), even if you bring a wagon of food/drink/luggage.
Make sure you don't accidentally try to make reservations or walk on a ferry headed to BC - some ferries depart from Friday, stop in BC, and then head to Anacortes-- had that disaster with someone who couldn't cross to BC because of a DUI. We just waited for the next one - a slower inter-island but it was fine. Otherwise the ferry is shockingly (to me) relaxed, enjoyable, and one of my favorite parts of the trip.
posted by esoteric things at 1:50 PM on April 25
The lavender farm is great in the summer. They have a stand where they sell cold lavender lemonade. Watch out for the bees!
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 5:58 PM on April 25
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 5:58 PM on April 25
Make sure you don't accidentally try to make reservations or walk on a ferry headed to BC - some ferries depart from Friday, stop in BC, and then head to Anacortes
Not anymore. The service from the San Juan Islands to Sydney hasn't resumed since cancellation early in the pandemic. There are many fewer ferries now as well.
(And in general I'd say to verify any information folks are giving you here, especially if it's from pre-pandemic experiences.)
posted by bluedaisy at 10:31 AM on April 26 [1 favorite]
Not anymore. The service from the San Juan Islands to Sydney hasn't resumed since cancellation early in the pandemic. There are many fewer ferries now as well.
(And in general I'd say to verify any information folks are giving you here, especially if it's from pre-pandemic experiences.)
posted by bluedaisy at 10:31 AM on April 26 [1 favorite]
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posted by rambling wanderlust at 9:41 AM on April 23 [3 favorites]