Recognition for the San Juan Islands

San Juan Islands sea and land routes have become Washington’s newest scenic byway. It is also the state’s first scenic byway to include a “marine highway”. Wildlife, hikes, whale-watching, gourmet restaurants and B&Bs are all reachable via a scenic cruise aboard a Washington State Ferry. The route includes the ferry Anacortes – San Juan Islands route with stops at Lopez, Shaw and Orcas as well as county roads on Orcas and San Juan Islands.

Washington was one of the first states in the country to establish a system of scenic byways and has 61 routes presently in its scenic system. Scenic byways pass through the varied terrain of Washington reflecting the depth of its scenic, cultural and historic landscape. For additional information visit the state’s scenic byways website.

The San Juan Islands recently received accolades from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which honoured Friday Harbor as one of a “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” this year. This honour list has been issued annually since 2000 honouring communities across the US that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical holiday destination.

Friday Harbor, a well-preserved community on San Juan Island is ideal for outdoor adventures, wildlife enthusiasts and history buffs. There are many places to hike, leading to beautiful views. Sailing, kayaking, fishing, whale-watching, water skiing and scuba diving are a few of the things that make San Juan Island so popular.

For more information, visit Nationaltrust.org; historicfridayharbor.org; byways.org and experiencewa.org.