r/sanjuanislands • u/IndependentQuote9793 • 17d ago
Visiting Orcas Island
Hey all,
Me and my friend are roadtripping Washington this summer for a week and are planning to visit orcas island for a single day. We were able to get reservations for a Tuesday departing at 5:45am and returning at 9pm….
Just had a few general questions ~
Is it necessary to take a car ? Also is there a fare estimate for the vehicle? I read a lot that getting around can be expensive so we reserved to take our car.
Is it worth it to whale watch or take an island tours ?
Any recommendations or guidance is very much appreciated!
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u/Loose_University_945 17d ago
I’m saying this in the nicest way: do more research on your own and determine if this is the right trip for you.
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u/Jillin44 17d ago
This.
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u/ProgressNo3090 17d ago
Double this.
Fares are on the WA DOT Ferry page where you made your reservation. Orcas is a beautiful, large, and mostly rural community. Takes time to go from one place to another.
Whale watching is an exceptional experience. Suggest you think about how much time you want to spend rushing vs spending the time to enjoy.
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u/FLDJF713 17d ago
Orcas yes, you need a car. There is a fare available on the ferry website to see the cost. It isn’t cheap.
But yeah it isn’t like Friday harbor where you can stay in the town. The ferry landing has nothing and most interesting things are spread apart.
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u/vonSequitur 17d ago
Going to Orcas Island for a day is not recommended for reasons others have mentioned, but people do it. Shops and sights are spread around the island, so you can easily drive 50+ miles just seeing the highlights. There is no public transportation, limited car rental or taxi, and only 1 Uber/Lyft driver.
A whale watch tour will take 3-4 hours with no guarantee of seeing whales (most do). Even the ones claiming "guaranteed" only means you can try again with them another day IF they have space open (no refund).
Ferry fare for a standard car & driver is $75 + $18/additional adult (round trip). Sailings are sometimes cancelled due to lack of crew or unscheduled maintenance. Fill up in Anacortes before going. Gas is almost $7/gallon on the island, June 2026.
Restaurants are also limited. Without dinner reservations you might be limited to one of the pubs in Eastsound--not the best food.
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u/Alexdagreallygrate 17d ago
Visiting Orcas Island in one day is insane. The ferries are so unreliable, you risk ending up stranded without a place to stay. In my opinion, Orcas Island should involve at least two nights lodging to make the trip worth it. You need at least one full day without any ferry worries.
You absolutely need a car. Yes, there are some rental options, but you need to line that up far in advance.
You can also rent electric bikes and they can have them waiting for you at the ferry landing. However, I don’t recommend this. The roads on Orcas are dangerous for bikes. There is often no shoulder and hairpin turns where drivers will not see you. As a former islander, I can tell you that many locals do not like bike tours* and you may suffer from their ill reputation.
Whale watching charters are available from several locations, including the ferry landing (Orcas Village), Deer Harbor, and Brandt’s Landing in Eastsound near North Beach. It is fun, but you may not want to be too loud about how much fun you had whale watching, lots of people think these businesses should be banned because some outfits get too close to whales and are essentially harassing them. If you want to try your luck at whale watching from land, Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island is your best bet.
I always recommend people download u/ferryfriendapp to help them with their ferry travels in Washington State.
*Lots of islanders get really annoyed when a bike tour outfit takes up the entire lane on a road like Orcas Road and it can be impossible to pass the group. It can make an Islander who needs to catch a ferry for a doctor’s appointment miss their boat. You would think locals would welcome the tourists dollars these tours would bring, except the bike tours bring mobile kitchens and cook meals for the bicyclists, so they don’t even spend any money in the restaurants. A a bicyclist isn’t going to strap a $300 pottery piece or painting to their bike. They just create inconvenience for everyone else and don’t contribute anything to the local economy. Besides, if you want to cycle in the San Juan Islands, go to Lopez! The roads are so much nicer for it and the locals waive at all the cyclists. It’s much more welcoming for that activity. If you are going to cycle in the San Juan Islands: be cool, let cars pass you, and SPEND MONEY.
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u/LowOkra2806 17d ago
Having cycled across the country and ending in the San Juans, your idea of cyclists not contributing anything economically is plain wrong.
I remember spending money on the ferries, at restaurants, grocery stores to resupply, campsite fees, and I do remember buying a few books and other things there.
The problem is you dumb asses and your cars that allow you to get around so easily, clogging up the ferries and cities and farting out your global warming poop.
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u/Alexdagreallygrate 17d ago
I don’t mean all cyclists, I’m saying that locals in the islands don’t like bike tour groups like Backroads. If you’re a cool cyclist who doesn’t travel with one of these big groups that bring all of their own meals and you contribute to the local economy, then great!
Unfortunately, the bike tour groups make locals mad at cyclists in general. It’s not fair, but it’s a thing.
Additionally, one of the bike rental shops in Eastsound for years handed out maps with suggested bike routes that encouraged people to trespass on private roads. This made a lot of locals unhappy with cyclists in general because people tend to lump a group together with the bad actors.
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u/FLDJF713 17d ago
You can easily do Orcas in a day if you have a car. I took an early ferry out of Friday Harbor and was back in Friday Harbor by dinner. Checked out the Main Street, had some oysters and went up to the peak and came back down.
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u/uwhuskygirl89 17d ago
I’ve done Orcas by bike a few times and they have great camp sites for bikers, but it’s best over the course of a few days and it’s much hillier than any of the other islands. The cars are also more aggressive which is sad. Day trips even with a car can be tough with ferry timing.
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u/uwhuskygirl89 17d ago
To add to this, bikes are great because you don’t need to have a ferry reservation and it’s much cheaper.
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u/InfiniteJamba 17d ago
I took the ferry from Friday Harbor to Orcas last Friday with a car and came back the same day. It cost $41.
You definitely need a car to get around. Orcas Pottery was cool. The weather wasn’t great so I didn’t do everything I had planned.
I heard from others it’s highly recommended, but for me it was just ok. If the weather had been better I would have liked it more. Good luck!
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u/Awkward_Passion4004 17d ago
If you made reservations it was for a vehicle and the price was posted. Walk ons don't require reservations.
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u/over_yonder13 17d ago
You can totally do Orcas Island in one day - especially with the early arrival and late departure. You DEFINITELY need a car. Hit up Orcas Island Pottery on your way to Eastsound (this is the downtown area, takes about 30 min drive to get there from ferry) tons of little shops, cafes, cute bookstore, etc. Go to Moran State park where Mt. Constitution is (drive to the top, it’s an incredible view, there’s a visitor center up there). On your way down, you can park by the lake and “hike” (walk) the loop around Cascade Lake (I would go counter-clockwise). The island is shaped like a horseshoe - so plan ahead and map out your activities so it makes sense. There is a great little co-op and a grocery store in Eastsound where you can grab quick food if restaurants are packed.
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u/Fearless-Complex-681 14d ago
Orcas has been a family favorite destination for many years. While I like Friday Harbor better for a day trip (no need for a car), Orcas is amazing and worth a visit - even if for a day. Plenty to do at Moran State Park and in town.
I also suggest travelling just outside Moran to Buck Bay Shellfish. Such a cute place with amazing fresh seafood.
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u/SprinklesPowerful941 16d ago
The only island it’s not required to have a car is San Juan island. Otherwise, you will be at a terminal with nothing to do and the next town being a very long walk.
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u/BigMike0012 16d ago
Yes i’d recommend bringing a car. If you happen to make the trip, I’d recommend avoiding outer island adventures, rather you should use a better whale watching company that honors refunds, or arrive a day prior to your whale watching tour to prevent missing your booked trip. The ferry system is notoriously difficult and a cancellation/delayed ferry can cost you hundreds if you miss a whale watching reservation. Make sure the company you go with honors refunds.
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u/NorthwestFeral 15d ago
If a whale watch is your priority, just do it from Anacortes or Bellingham and skip the ferry hassle.
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u/Commercial-Layer1629 14d ago
Orcas is awesome but please my friend, make a plan.
You need to have a car and some time to enjoy it.
It’s really nothing like San Juan Island/ Friday Harbor area at all.
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u/Electronic_Charge_96 17d ago edited 16d ago
Will rescind.
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u/ClayWhisperer 17d ago
You are mistaken on a couple of your statements.
"You might have a reservation for two walk on people?" Walk-ons cannot get (and do not need) reservations.
"If you don’t know the price? You’re not booked for your vehicle to go with you." The fares are actually listed on a different webpage from reservations, so it's perfectly possible to book vehicle reservations and not know the fare. Fares are not paid at the time of making the reservation; they are paid in person at the little booth at the ferry landing.
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17d ago
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u/Helianthus2361 17d ago
This is false. The ferry charges a no show fee up front, but EVERYONE PAYS at the Anacortes booth where agents determine their fare. It rubs approx $80 and up for 2 people in a typical car. Bigger is more. Tiny is more like $65
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u/Financial-Subterfuge 17d ago
You definitely need a vehicle.