Anacortes
Gateway and destination...

Getting There: Take exit 230 off I-5 and travel west. Ferries from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands run on a regular basis.

An honest, hardworking sea town, Anacortes is a study in contrasts. At the harbor you have the shipyards and the memorial to those lost at sea while on Commercial Avenue you have the high-end galleries and the upscale eateries. Anacortes pretty much offers something for everyone.

Located on Fidalgo Island and accessible by bridges, the town’s population is approximately 20,000. To get your bearings, drive or bike to the 1,300 foot summit of Mt. Erie towering over Anacortes. From here, you can survey the four points of the compass and get the lay of the land. Notice all the new homes going up on your drive? Software millionaires from Seattle and points south have discovered the area.

Alternatively, take a three minute drive up to the Cap Sante lookout. There are great views of downtown Anacortes and Guemes Channel in a nearly 360-degree vista. If you’re wondering about those military jets flying low and loud, you’re just a few miles from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Base. Once threatened with closure, the air base is home to 19 active duty squadrons flying EA-6B Prowlers, Orion patrol aircraft, Sea King helicopters and C-9 Skytrains.

In 1877, postmaster Amos Bowman named Anacortes after his wife, Annie Curtis. The historic downtown is painted with murals capturing moments and people of the past. Further north on Commercial Avenue, the dock area is a bustling mecca of fishing vessels, boatyards and shipbuilding enterprises. Take a walk through the historic Anacortes Marine Supply Hardware store (1913) – it’s the best store of its kind anywhere. While it’s fun to walk, visitors will cover more ground while still at a leisurely pace by biking or driving a scooter. Rentals are available. Restaurants and friendly inns are plentiful so don’t be in a rush to get to other places.

Recreational activities abound – whale watching tours, hiking, biking, scuba diving, fishing, beachcombing, boating, kayaking – you’re limited only by your imagination.

Highly recommended is a drive out to Deception Pass and Whidbey Island. There is a spectacular bridge linking Fidalgo to Whidbey Island with state parks to explore on a lazy day. Just before Deception is Pass Lake, a pretty little lake popular with trout fishermen. (It’s stocked by the state.) Cartop boats can put in at a convenient launch spot.

Anacortes is also a Washington state ferry terminus allowing travelers to jump off to the San Juan Islands. The San Juans are part of an archipelago extending into Canadian waters. In all, including the Canadian Gulf Islands, there are over 450 islands at high tide. The islands are actually the remains of mountain tops from a receding landmass, which certainly explains the hilliness of some of the islands.

Fortunately, Lopez Island is one of the flatter islands, making it ideal for the cyclist or stroller. Lopez is the first stop on the ferry from Anacortes, making it possible to go for a day trip. If you do, know you’re shortchanging yourself and resign yourself to making another, longer, return trip. Lopez is known for its arts and artisans. There are a number of very attractive parks where visitors can enjoy the ocean and its inhabitants. Not surprisingly, there are great restaurants and inns.

San Juan Island is the second largest of the island chain and has much to recommend itself to visitors. Friday Harbor is the ferry terminus and often the end destination for weekend visitors. Packed with shops and restaurants, it’s a place you can abide awhile. Feeling more vigorous? Hop on a bike or a scooter and explore a bit.

Head over to the British and American camps where the Pig War almost took place way back in 1859. A dispute over a pig, shot and killed by an American farmer who found it rooting in his potato patch, acerbated a running dispute between the U.S. and Great Britain over ownership of the San Juans. Not until Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany ruled in favor of the U.S. in 1872 did the matter get resolved. Every day park rangers raise and lower the British flag in commemoration of a war that wasn’t.
As well, mosey on over to Roche Harbor and take a look at the yachts in the harbor. Have lunch or dinner at the historic Haro Hotel. Whale watching and other marine-related activities are, once again, the obvious and popular activities on the island.

Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juans and is the third ferry stop from Anacortes. Mt. Constitution, 1200 feet or 800 meters high, is a favorite destination of cyclists and hikers (but you can drive to the top as well).

If the kids are getting bored, head to the Funhouse in Eastsound, a non-profit community center that has lots of hands-on kid-friendly science exhibits, complete audio and video production studios and much, much more. If you’re staying overnight, one place that comes highly recommended (such as 1001 Places To Visit Before You Die, for instance) is Turtleback Farm, a working farm and B&B. You can also camp in Moran State Park if you’re up to roughing it.

Something to consider for a longer trip is Moran Outdoor School The school provides environmental education programs for elementary and secondary age students. Program lengths range from 2 hours to five days and occur in the spring and fall.

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, check out Doe Bay clothing-optional hot spring resort just down the road. The resort offers a variety of campsites, yurts, and tubs. That all-over tan is yours for the asking.

Don’t miss:
• The climb up Mt. Erie for a 360 degree view of Fidalgo Island.
• A look through the oldest (and best) marine hardware store on the West Coast, bar none.