In September of 2020 I packed up my bike and took it to the San Juan Islands for a week. This story and video about my experience slipped through the cracks, along with a lot of other things in 2020. I’m finally digging it out to share with you…
I held out hope, all my fingers and toes crossed that the 2020 Croatia Bike & Boat Island Hopping adventure I was to lead in September would happen.
We all know this goes without saying: it did not.
Like nearly every other travel plan that was to be in 2020, it was postponed.
Rarely do I plan a trip a year in advance, and Croatia had been planned and sold out for nearly a year already. My disappointment stretched infinitely in so many directions. I wanted the adventure, I wanted to meet the participants, I wanted to revisit a country that stole my heart from the first minute I experienced it five years prior, I wanted the accomplishment of biking every day and exposing myself to the magic that encompasses all things adventure travel. Not to mention the fact that leading trips is part of my income; I needed it to work out.
But, Covid. When I made the impossible decision to postpone the trip, I was left with more than just a void in my calendar.
I travel as desperately and casually as one breathes air.
It’s part of me on both the inside and the outside. I have made travel my work. I have built my life around travel. I travel because it clears my mind, rejuvenates my energy, clarifies my desires. I travel because, like “a fountain and a magnum of french champagne,” it sets me right again. I’ve learned to be and stepped into who I am on the road ever since I was 18.
Travel is my foundation. Travel is my home.
And there I was, cancelling travel along with the rest of the world. Words could never be enough to describe what I was feeling.
In a desperate attempt to fill the void in my spirit, in my life, and in my calendar, I turned my eyes States-ward. There is a place I’ve been wanting to visit for decades, right here in our own beautiful USA backyard, and it happens to be within driving distance from my home in Montana.
I promised myself I wouldn’t postpone Croatia without having a Plan B. It’s a strange thing to say that the San Juan Islands was my Plan B, because it so easily deserves to be anyone’s Plan A.
I downloaded maps, started researching islands, and reached out to a friend (and JUMP Adventures participant) who lives in Anacortes, WA, which would be our jumping off point.
Since I’ve become nothing less than obsessed with bike tours in recent years, and because I had my heart set on it for Croatia, I designed this trip to be a bike tour.
It would be simple – get on the ferry from Anacortes and go island hopping, with bikes. We would visit three islands, spending two nights on each island, with goals of doing long rides on each island, eating well, and sleeping comfortably every night.
Since we would carry everything we needed in our bike panniers, we could leave these at our lodgings on the days of our longer bike rides.
It was a simple plan. And it turned out to be a simple trip. Even though it meant a deeply satisfying, deeply rewarding change in scenery and experience for me.
What I learned (again): We travel because we need it. Carve out time for travel, even during a pandemic, even into your own backyard. In simple words, travel is a culmination of simple acts, like marking the calendar, booking a hotel, and then another one, maybe buying some new gear, and eventually hitting the road.
Simple, close, safe, and so very deeply incredibly necessary for the soul.
San Juan Islands Bike Trip Video
San Juan Islands Itinerary 6 Days
(Links to all accommodations and lots of helpful resources are below)
Start: Anacortes, WA
We spent 3 nights camping at Washington Park Campground before we set off.
Washington Park Campground Review: Situated on a beautiful point that looks out at the San Juan Islands, it’s tucked into a gorgeous forest, yet minutes walk to the water, minutes drive from downtown Anacortes, clean bathrooms, overall highly recommended. Great starting point to visit Deception Pass State Park, hike up Mt. Erie, visit the town of Anacortes (eat at Gere-a-Deli, get any last minute bike-related gear at Bikespot).
Days 1-2: Lopez Island
2 nights glamping (in a “Camp Nest”) at Lopez Farm Cottages
Lopez Farm Cottages Review: We stayed in a Camp Nest (super fun, super affordable, def recommend). We were a bit late in the season, so the (rather large and sometimes alarming) spiders had moved in while the tourists (and as such, the cleaning crew) were away. Other than that, and fearing for our lives on a super windy night surrounded by creaking trees that did not, in fact, fall onto our tent, we actually really loved the place. Clean bathrooms, hot water, gorgeous countryside views, welcoming common areas (uncrowded in September), a bit more than a mile out of town and a few miles from the ferry. It was quiet and truly lovely.
Thoughts on Lopez Island: This island is sparsely populated and you don’t really want to hit it in the off season, because almost all services are closed. Everything we were recommended to try or read reviews about online was closed, including coffee shops and restaurants. We opted for store bought salami and cheese for a picnic lunch on our long ride – which was actually the best ride we did on our whole trip. We had to rush to make it to the one store in town that was open, and we dined twice at the only open restaurant (Lopez Islander Resort) which was fine but left a little to be desired. If you go there, at least try the local red ale, which I enjoyed, and don’t miss the blackberries growing all along the road – it’s so easy to stop for a bite on the bike!
Days 3-4: San Juan Island (Friday Harbor)
2 nights at Earthbox Inn
Earthbox Inn Review: Earthbox Inn was just on the edge of downtown, giving it a fabulous location for walking the streets. If you go, definitely request a room in the newer (further back) buildings, as the closer, older ones proved damp and dark. Rooms are quite small but just barely big enough to fit bikes inside.
Thoughts on San Juan Island: We opted to go on a kayak tour with San Juan Outfitters out of Roche Harbor – we saw an eagle and a few seals, didn’t see any whales though. If you for sure want whales, I think you need to get on a whale watching boat. We enjoyed our beautiful sunny kayaking day regardless, said hi to Canada, which was so close to us (yet so very closed to us) I almost cried a few times. Friday Harbor is adorable and walkable. I recommend San Juan Island Brewing for pizza and beer, and Crows Nest Coffee.
Days 5-6: Orcas Island
2 nights at Landmark Hotel Orcas (as my friend Ryan kindly pointed out to me, “it’s pronounced ‘OR-cuss’ not like the whale”)
Landmark Orcas Review: This was a bright and clean space in downtown, close to everything. If you get a 2-bdr unit like we did, you’ll be right on the water. The manager was super nice and I would stay here again, in another waterfront unit. Eastsound is about a 9-mile bike ride from the ferry, but it’s gorgeous and you can take a back road to stay away from the main traffic.
Thoughts on Orcas Island: This might have been my favorite island. Eat at Buck Bay Shellfish Farm – don’t miss it, it was the best seafood we had on the entire trip, not to mention it is an experience in itself. Go to Island Hoppin Brewery and enjoy a brew on their cozy patio.
Day 7: Return to Anacortes
We biked back to the ferry and traveled back to Anacortes, truly sad to be leaving. We had a blissfully gorgeous experience and I would do it all again. As we did not work with an outfitter or guide but did all of our own planning, our entire trip (including 9 nights of accommodations, all activities, transportation – ferry and gas to and from Montana, and food) was around $850 per person.
We were fortunate enough to be able to leave our truck parked at our friend’s house in Anacortes, so we did not spend money on parking.
- A bike tour packing list for any weather
- Bike panniers for any weather
- Airport Shuttle SeaTac – Anacortes Fares: https://airporter.com/shuttle/fares/western-washington-airporter/
- Airport shuttle schedule: https://airporter.com/shuttle/schedules/anacortes-san-juan-islands/
- Ferry schedule: https://www.wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/scheduledetailbyroute.aspx?route=ana-sj
- Bike rentals if needed https://www.anacortes.info/transport/bike
- Bike shop in Anacortes for any last minute gear: Bikespot
- How ferries work for bikes: https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/bicycles/
- Washington Park Campground
- Landmark Hotel Orcas Island
- Kayak tour San Juan Island
- Lopez Farm Cottages
- Earthbox Inn Friday Harbor
- Whale watching (which we ended up not doing)
San Juan Islands Bike Rides to Explore:
- Lopez Island: Fisherman Bay Reserve, winery, town, 25-mile island loop.
- San Juan Island: 29 mi loop ride – Lime Kiln Point State Park, Roche Harbor, lighthouse, alpaca ranch, vineyards!, art sculpture park 40 acres.
- Orcas: ride to Eastsound, lunch in Deer Harbor – 23 mi loop, Mt. Constitution ride 25 mi, option to hike or run Turtleback Mtn (between ferry and Eastsound).
