We'll be arriving at SeaTac on a midsummer Saturday afternoon and driving to Anacortes for the ferry to Sidney the next day. What would be the best driving route?

Any suggestions for a place to stay in Anacortes and a good, local seafood restaurant--after a flight from the east coast, we're not looking for anything fancy.

Thanks.

Clousie,

We also live on the east coast. A few years ago, we flew into SeaTac - destination Orcas Island.
Rather than drive to Anacortes the same day as arrival, we spent Sat. night in a Seattle hotel, leaving early Sunday morning for Anacortes (traffic much lighter early Sun. AM vs. Sat. afternoon). My recollection is the drive to Anacortes was perhaps 1 1/2 hr. (I am just estimating). The concierge at our Seattle hotel gave us excellent driving directions and a map.

Clousie, the direct directions are simple enough - from Sea-Tac head north on Interstate 5 about 1 1/2 hrs. to the junction with Washington SR20, then west on SR20 to Anacortes, another 15 or 20 minutes. There are more scenic routes but after a transcontinental flight you probably just want to get there. If you do want to poke, then get a map and route yourself via LaConner, a cute (and it knows it) waterfront town a little south of Anacortes.

OR...

If you want, you might consider not staying in Anacortes (which IMO is far from the prettiest or most interesting town in the area - sorry, locals) at all, and instead take an afternoon or early evening ferry (maybe the 5 or 6PM sailing) to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. That way you'd have the evening to stroll around the town, and be able to sleep in a little and have breakfast before the international ferry picks you up around 9:30 the next morning. Beats the heck out of 7 AM in Anacortes (earlier to get in line) for the same boat. Just a thought.

Whatever your choice, I presume you know that you must have a vehicle reservation on the Sidney sailing, be it from Anacortes, Orcas or Friday Harbor. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/index.cfm

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you think the evening ferries are usually easier to get on or would we need reservations for both parts of the trip? Not sure we'll feel like hasseling with waiting in line after the long plane trip.

The only reservations they accept will be for the international portion of the trip, be it from Anacortes or the islands.

On a Saturday evening I'd be surprised if you have much trouble - it'd probably be different on a Friday night or Saturday morning.

It may be that the time change works in your favor for an oh-dark-thirty lineup in Anacortes if you choose that approach. It will be 9-ish for you when it's 6-ish for us. Of course the same goes for "evening" sailings from Anacortes to the islands - it will feel 3 hours later for you than it will locally. The air on the ferry deck might be refreshing, though, and the low sun angle will make an already beautiful trip that much nicer.