Overview
Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juan Islands, off the northern coast of Washington State, at about . About 5,000 call this horseshoe-shaped island home, though many more visit by ferry to enjoy the harbors, resorts, parks, galleries and other natural beauty the island is immersed in.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 70°F; winter lows dip to about 33°F. Wettest: Dec and Nov. (climate data from nearby Port Angeles)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ESD Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound — 4 mi away. Directions
- FRD Friday Harbor Airport, Friday Harbor — 11 mi away. Directions
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 87 mi away (major hub). Directions
Washington State Ferries operates the Anacortes / San Juan Islands route:
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day trip
- Day 1: Eastsound — Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Moran State Park, Mount Constitution.
- Day 2: Orcas Village — explore the town.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Food for you
Most of the island's restaurants are on the two main streets of Eastsound. The other harbor towns each have one or two places to eat.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Places in Orcas Island
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The name is a shortened form of Horcasitas, from the Viceroy of New Spain Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, who sent an exploration expedition to the region in 1791. Back then, the island was a summer shellfishing grounds for the Lummi Indians. As European Americans (and Canadians until the Pig War) settled the island from the mid-1800s, it went through waves of farming, fishing and logging, until becoming primarily a center of tourism.
Cities
- Eastsound — the largest populated area on Orcas Island. This article also covers the smaller communities on the east side of the island:
- Doe Bay
- Olga
- Rosario
- Orcas Village — built around the island's ferry terminal. This article also covers the smaller communities on the west side of the island:
- Deer Harbor
- Westsound
Get in
By ferry
Washington State Ferries operates the Anacortes / San Juan Islands route:
The ferry also makes stops at:
- Anacortes Terminal on the mainland, about 1½ hours north of Seattle. This is the only easy way to take a car to the islands. Anacortes Terminal is connected by public bus to Mount Vernon and the rest of mainland, and by private shuttle directly to Seattle and SeaTac Airport.
- Lopez Island, at its northern tip, about 4 mi from Lopez Village.
- Shaw Island, at the northeastern corner, near the island's only services.
- San Juan Island, at Friday Harbor.
The ferry schedule is complicated. There's a sailing about once an hour in the summer, a little less often in the winter. One vessel makes several interisland loops, while the other vessels run from Anacortes to one or more islands and back.
Reservations are strongly recommended for vehicles, especially for summer weekends, when the wait for loading cars can be notoriously long. It is not unusual to wait in line for many hours, and missing the last ferry can mean a desperate search for accommodations to spend an unplanned night on the islands.
Walk-on passengers should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to sailing. Vehicle traffic with reservations should arrive about 60 minutes prior to sailing. Vehicles without reservations should prepare to wait several hours during peak afternoon and weekend sailing.
By seaplane
Place Kenmore Air
Kenmore Air seaplanes make several flights daily from downtown Seattle's Lake Union to seven locations in the San Juan Islands including Orcas Island. Kenmore Air Express also offers daily land plane service between Seattle's Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI) and Friday Harbor Airport (FRD). Complimentary shuttle transfers are available to/from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) for passengers on either Kenmore Air service. A quick and spectacular, though not cheap, way to arrive.
Get around
By car
Orcas Island is large enough that most travelers will want a car for exploring. You can bring your car on the ferry, but there are also a few local options for renting.
By bike
Perhaps the most pleasant way to get around the island, especially if you aren't in a hurry, is by bicycle. You can bring your own bike on the ferry, or rent one at various outlets around the island, including in Eastsound.
By taxi
See
- Moran State Park, on the eastern side of the island, has an amazing view atop Mt. Constitution, from a stone tower built by the public works of the Roosevelt era.
Do
- Go sea kayaking with biologist guides in the prime orca whale watching waters. Abundant seals, eagles, and other marine wildlife are seen on day tours or camping trips from 2, 3 or 5 days to the smaller islands.
Buy
Eastsound and Orcas Village have well-stocked grocery stores. The other harbor towns have small general stores.
Art galleries are clustered in Eastsound and scattered throughout the rest of the island.
Eat and drink
Most of the island's restaurants are on the two main streets of Eastsound. The other harbor towns each have one or two places to eat.
Sleep
With a variety of Inns you are able to pick what suits you the most. From new to vintage, small cottages to your traditional Inns, as well as resorts and hotels.
Moran State Park has four campgrounds.
Go next
- Lopez Island — A flat and bikeable island with a tight-knit rural community.
- San Juan Island — Whales frequent the shores where a farmer once nearly triggered a war.
Nearby
Shaw Island
Rural area · 5 listings · 6 mi away
Waldron Island
Rural area · 1 listings · 7 mi away
Blakely Island
Rural area · 2 listings · 7 mi away
Friday Harbor
City / town · 27 listings · 10 mi away
Decatur Island
Rural area · 4 listings · 10 mi away
Lummi Island
City / town · 2 listings · 10 mi away
Lopez Island
City / town · 25 listings · 12 mi away
Roche Harbor
City / town · 11 listings · 12 mi away
My experience
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