SAN JUAN ISLAND – Sitting on a picnic table at Lime Kiln State Park hoping to catch a glimpse of a whale frolicking in Haro Strait, Bryn Chowchuvech had only one gripe about his visit to the island.
“Wow, that ferry ride cost more than I expected,” the Seattle resident said, referring to the $50 vehicle-and-driver fee to travel from Anacortes to Friday Harbor.
But by going whale watching for free at the park rather than taking one of the popular boat tours (usually $75 or more), Chowchuvech more than made up for the ferry ticket.
A trip to San Juan Island, one of the most popular destinations in the cluster of islands that bears the same name, can be a rather expensive getaway, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
“We certainly do hear that a lot,” said Robin Jacobson of the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau. “But in reality, there are a lot of ways to visit and spend less money and you are still seeing the same beautiful island.”
While it might cost $400 or more per night to stay at the Roche Harbor Resort on the north end of the island, those willing to sacrifice a little luxury can stay at a hotel such as the Orca Inn for as little as $84 per night. Or you can camp at one of two campgrounds on the island for as little as $10 per night.
“If you look around a little bit, there are ways to save money all over the place,” said Jan Close, who owns San Juan Island Marine Center with her husband, Mike. “There are a lot of reasonably priced things to do and a lot of activities that are free once you get here.”
With that in mind we asked local outfitters to share their tips for budget travelers wanting a trip that includes the island’s most famous outdoor activities: cycling, kayaking and whale watching.
GETTING THERE
Big Spender: For those who don’t want to drive all the way to Anacortes to ferry over to the Island, the Victoria Clipper shuttles visitors from Seattle for $80 per person ($120 for trips including stops to watch whales). San Juan Airlines flies to Friday Harbor five times a day for about $100 per person round trip. And Kenmore Air offers flights from Lake Washington to the Friday Harbor Marina for about $240 roundtrip.
Save a little: The most common way to reach the island is Washington State Ferries. Round-trip tickets from Anacortes are $52.55 for a driver and car on weekdays.
“A lot of people take little trailers or a bigger vehicle that they don’t really need and that will cost them more,” Jacobson said. “If you come in a normal vehicle (20 feet or shorter) you’ll get the best rate.”
Save a lot: Leave the car in Anacortes. Walk-ons pay $13.45 and cyclists pay $17.45.
LODGING
Big spender: Roche Harbor Resort is arguably the most luxurious place to stay on the island. The resort offers everything from a marina to park your yacht to a spa and one of the island’s most popular restaurants, McMillin’s Dining Room. A night this summer will likely cost at least $350.
Save a little: If that resort is too expensive and camping sounds too rustic, Lakedale Resort on the north end of the island offers the ultimate compromise: Glamping. Its glamorous camping is a “canvas cabin” furnished with a bed, table and chairs for $149 per night. Some small inns such as Juniper Lane Guest House (rooms starting at $85 per night) offer even less expensive indoor amenities.
Save a lot: There’s no cheaper way to stay on the island than camping at one of the two campgrounds, San Juan County Park or Lakedale Resort. Campsites go for $22-$57 at Lakedale Resort and $10-$42 at the park.
WHALE WATCHING
Big spender: For $75 per person, you can all but assure you’ll see a whale. Companies like San Juan Safaris and San Juan Excursions offer whale watching trips that usually includes talks by a naturalist and a hydrophone than can pick up the noises made by the whales.
San Juan Excursions claims to spot whales on 95 percent of its trips and offers a free second trip if you don’t see a whale.
Save a little: If you have a group, you can rent a 17-foot boat for as little as $175 for half a day from San Juan Island Marine Center. Of course, you won’t have a naturalist to answer your questions, a hydrophone to hear the whales and you could get your self in trouble if you get too close to the massive mammals.
Save a lot: Bob Otis, a volunteer with the Whale Museum, says there is a 1-in-5 chance of seeing a whale if you visit Lime Kiln Point State Park during the day.
“You’ll see breaches and tail slaps and you can get some pretty good pictures,” he said. Otis, who is stationed at the park’s historic lighthouse were he talks to visitors about the whales, also uses a hydrophone when whales are present.
According to the stats he’s kept for the last 21 years, the best time to watch whales is 3-4 p.m. “But they could show up any time,” Otis said.
KAYAKING
“You can’t go to the islands with going kayaking,” said Johannes Krieger, owner of Crystal Seas Kayaking. “It’s definitely one of the top things to do here.” The ultimate excursions are the multi day trips offered by local outfitters.
Big spender: Discovery Sea Kayaks offers three-day trips for $535 per person. “That’s the high end trip,” said owner Richard Swanson. “Just bring a toothbrush and the guide takes care of everything else.”
If you want to bring and cook your own food the rate drops to $350. A five-day trip is $875.
“Sometimes the multi-day trips save you money because you aren’t paying for a hotel,” said Krieger, who offers multi-day trips that include kayaking, biking and whale watching.
Save a little: Most outfitters on San Juan Island don’t rent kayaks because the waters around the island can be tricky to navigate and deadly for those who don’t know what they are doing.
“You’ll be OK if you go with a guide who understands the weather and the currents,” Swanson said.
Local outfitters offer half-day trips for as little as $75 and day trips for as little as $95 on the west side of the island. The tours typically include transportation from Friday Harbor.
Save a lot: While the outfitters might not rent kayaks, you can rent a pedal kayak from San Juan Island Marine Center for as little as $25. The stable sit-on-top kayaks move as fast as typical kayaks with less effort, Close said. However, the kayaks are only permitted in the harbors and bays where currents and sudden weather changes won’t endanger boaters.
If you bring your own kayak there are numerous places to put in for free.
TOURING THE ROADS
Big spender: Tacoma native Susie Doyle gives visitors a different way to tour the island by renting a variety of mopeds including two-seat “scoot coups” that look like tiny red sports cars. The mopeds rent for $30-70 per hour or $65-150 per day.
“It’s a fun thing to do and the speed limits are 35-40 mph all over the island, so you can go anywhere,” Doyle said.
Save a little: Paul Ahart owns Island Bicycles and rents various bikes for touring the island. The daily rates are $76 per day for a tandem, $50 for road bikes and $38 for a hybrid bike, his most popular rental. He also offers multiple-day and weekly rates.
Save a lot: Bringing your own bike to Friday Harbor opens the entire island to you for free. Whale watching on the west side of the island, the hiking trails, the alpaca farm (Krystal Acres), Roche Harbor and San Juan National Historical Park are all accessible by bike.
Most of the roads have wide shoulders and occasional rest stops built just for cyclists.
“Just take food and water because there aren’t a lot of places to stop,” Ahart said. “... But it is a great way to see the island.”
Craig Hill: 253-597-8497
craig.hill@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
SAN JUAN ISLAND ON A BUDGET
Ten tips for saving money on a trip to San Juan Island.
1. Leave the car and travel on foot or bike to save a bundle on ferry tickets.
2. Use one of the island’s two campgrounds.
3. Pack your own food or shop at the Friday Harbor Market Place. The locals typically use this grocery store over the larger but often more expensive store located near the ferry terminal.
4. Use visitsanjuans.com, the visitors bureau website that posts hotel deals weekly.
5. Go whale watching for free at Lime Kiln Point State Park.
6. Book kayak tours as a group to save 10 percent at Crystal Seas Kayaking. (Or get the same discount with military identification).
7. If you drive, fuel up in Anacortes where gas can be 50 cents cheaper per gallon than the island.
8. Skip the expensive sunset dinner cruises and pack a dinner and head out in an electric boat from San Juan Island Marine Center. The covered boats rent for $80 per hour and hold up to 12 people.
9. Go midweek when hotels are sometimes less expensive.
10. Don’t ferry back and forth between islands. Each return trip to Friday Harbor will cost you. You can stay as long as you want on Orcas, Shaw and Lopez islands (or all three) without paying for an additional ferry ticket if you stop on your return from Friday Harbor to Anacortes.
Craig Hill, staff writer
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