We're going to Seattle and Vancouver in August and we're thinking of taking a ferry from Anacortes to Victoria on our journey to Canada. I see that the ferry will stop at Friday Harbor and Orcas island, but will we be able to get off the ferry? We will be traveling with a car. Do we get off the ferry with our car, or does the ferry stop for a couple hours? I'm thinking if we have to get off with our car we'd be waiting in line for ferrys all day instead of seeing any sights on the islands.

Is there another way to see the San Juan Islands on our way to Vancouver? We don't have to stop at Victoria. There are so many ferries it's hard to keep them all straight, and I haven't been to the San Juans since I was about 12.

Thanks.

The ferry stops at Friday Harbor and Orcas Island, just long enough to unload/load passengers and vehicles. There is no time to get off and look around. It is also true that during the summer, it will be difficult to get off on either of these islands with your car, and expect to catch the next ferry off. There are several interisland sailings each day, but only one boat goes to Sidney, B.C. each day.

Assuming that you have your car with you, and you don't necessarily want to go to Victoria, then I would park my car at the Anacortes ferry dock, walk onto a San Juan Islands ferry, then walk off at Friday Harbor and/or ORcas. Spend the day, then take a return ferry to Anacortes. You will be without your car, but there is public transportation on the islands.

The only other way to see the San Juans is via the Victoria Clipper passenger-only ferry from Seattle. This probably doesn't fit into your plan to drive to Vancouver.

You can book space on the international sailings of the WA ferries (2 a day in summer), so if you want to stop in the islands it's doable. But I would do it in reverse - cross on the mainland northbound where the lines are shorter than those entering the US, then cross to Vancouver Island from the Canadian side (either Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen) then return to the US via the San Juans. That way, if you get off the boat in Friday Harbor, you can catch one of the more frequent non-international boats back to Anacortes (the next morning - the Sydney - Friday Harbor boat is in the evening.)

The best non-car way to see the San Juans is to fly from Seattle on a floatplane. Not cheap, but not terrible, but you get a drop-dead wonderful view on the way, as opposed so bumping along in a high speed boat for a couple of hours. http://www.kenmoreair.com

Also you can go by boat for day trips or overnight from Bellingham (no cars) - see http://www.whales.com/

Jenjunum,
Another option would be to catch a passenger only ferry out of Bellingham. I live in the area and took my wife on it to propose to her. I think it is called the Victoria San Juan Cruises. Anyways you can go for the day or even spend the night. This way you will get to see the San Juans from the boat and then you can get off and walk around in Victoria. On the way home you get a salmon/Prim rib dinner. It is a really neat trip. We have seen the Orcas a couple of times and they stop and view them. The Ferry holds about 40-50 people so it is not all that large but I wouldn't hesitate to make that trip! I hope this helps!
Dave

Thanks for all the advice. I will check out all these options. I think we will most likely leave our car on the mainland and travel on foot. Getting on and off the ferry with a car doesn't seem like a great idea.