Seattle Travel Guide

San Juan and the Gulf Islands

The San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf islands form one of the best boater paradises in the world. The hundreds of islands are separated by nationality but are part of the same scenic and rugged archipelago, located off the northwest coast of Washington State. Much of the area is in a rain shadow behind Vancouver Island, making a surprisingly dry and sunny reprieve in the northwest. Little island communities, great wildlife and the open water provide a real and intuitive disconnect from the mainland. Frequent government ferry services connect the mainland and larger inhabited islands to each other, but scores are only visitable by smaller shuttle boats and yachts. Friday Harbour is San Juan's largest town and an enchanting tourist destination, seemingly out of a Norman Rockwell painting. The islands contain many little farms and fisheries, and agri-tourism has become an important part of the island's tourist trade. For the most part, farms that take part in agri-tiurism are the
Website: www.visitsanjuans.com