Friday Harbor The San Juans Most Popular Port
The perfect setting, museums, historical sites, galleries, shops and restaurants all packed into one square mile.
By Roy Stevenson With 15,000 sailing visits each year,
San Juan Island’s Friday Harbor is the Salish Sea’s most popular and lively marina (Yes, that’s right—the water around the San Juan Islands is no longer called the Puget Sound). And you’ll understand Friday Harbor’s appeal from the moment you glimpse this picturesque U-shaped harbor, tucked away between two expansive tree- covered fingers of headland. It’s not just the perfect setting that attracts sailors from all over the world—a solid line
up of interesting attractions, museums, historical sites, galleries, and shops, plus a plethora of excellent restaurants and cafes, all packed into one square mile, will keep you entertained and in fine dining for several days. Friday Harbor is the sort of town you can aimlessly wander around for a day or two, and eventually cover everything. Friday Harbor’s number one
attraction is the nationally rated Whale Museum. Opened in 1979, this museum has 25,000 visitors each year, and all
leave “wowed” by the professionally designed exhibits in the upstairs Gallery of Whales that superbly highlights the Salish Sea’s favorite marine mammals. This outstanding collection of exhibits, models, and artifacts includes enormous whale skeletons that span half the length of the gallery, and the Whale Phone Booth where you can listen to the whale songs. The 30-minute video on Pacific Northwest Orcas is beautifully filmed and well worth watching. The San Juan Historical Museum
isn’t your standard old building crammed with dusty artifacts. It’s a small pioneer village of eight antique buildings that take you back in time. Start at the King farmhouse, decked out with period furniture, decorations and kitchen utensils and appliances. If
Just step off the boat and you’re in the heart of Friday Harbor’s shops and services.
48° NORTH, AUGUST 2010 PAGE 48
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