Located in San Juan County, Washington sits a beautiful island called Orcas Island. This island is of a horseshoe shape and has 57.3 square miles of gorgeous terrain. It’s the perfect mix of secluded nature and a quaint small town with incredible food. It is a perfect place to kick back and relax and is often visited by nearby Seattle executives for a weekend getaway. Among the activities on the are kayaking, cycling, hiking, and my personal favorite, eating. Along with all that, the island is rich with local musicians and artists. So, how do you get around Orcas Island? And is there an Orcas Island airport shuttle? All that and more, below!
Northwest Sky Ferry (Promo) © Jordan SteadOrcas Island Shuttle: Your Best Options
Car Rental
To explore this beautiful island, we suggest a car so you can get to all the fun places and hidden gems of the island. One of the best places to get a car is OrcasCars.com. OrcasCars has a variety of cars that you can choose from as well, from brand new Hyundai Elantras to Jeep Wranglers and convertible Mustangs coming soon.
OrcasCars, the premier Orcas Island Car Rental service, offers brand new cars, so you can travel in style, which is what makes them really stand out on the island. The site works like any other car rental service. Just choose the dates you need, then the car you’d like from the available choices. We then deliver the car to you! Whether arriving by ferry, boat, or seaplane – or even if you arrived by car with a group and want your own wheels for a day or so – we’ll bring the car to you.
Orcas Island Bus Service
If a car rental isn’t what you’re looking for, there is another option. The Orcas Island Shuttle, OrcaShuttle.com, is a daily service running from Memorial Day to Labor Day on Orcas Island. It makes stops at the ferry, Eastsound, Rosario Resort, Moran State Park, and more.
For more information about the route, schedule, and pricing, check out this Orcas Island Bus Service article on the OrcaShuttle website.
Where is Orcas Island Wa?
Orcas Island is located in San Juan County, Washington. It includes Moran State Park and has 38 miles of hiking trails. There are also numerous lakes at the park. Just off the coast of the island, you can also take excursions to see Orca Whales, also known as killer whales. Although the island wasn’t actually named after Orcas whales (Orcas is a shortened version of the Spanish explorer who discovered the island in 1791), they are native to the area!
How Do You Get to Orcas Island?
One of the best and easiest ways to get to Orcas Island is to go by ferry. The Washington State Ferries system services Orcas and surrounding islands with multiple ferries arriving and departing each day. The ferries can be accessed at the Anacortes, Washington terminal, which is about 1.5-2 hours north of Seattle, WA. Reservations are required for cars, but you can just walk on if you’re planning to rent a car on the island.
Another easy way to get to Orcas Island is by taking a plane. If choosing the plane route, you will depart from Seattle on Kenmore Air or from Anacortes or Bellingham via San Juan Airlines.
Reserve your car with OrcasCars.com in advance to have the car delivered to you when you step off the ferry or plane!
How Far is San Juan Islands from Seattle?
The distance between the San Juan Islands and Seattle is about 102 miles. From Seattle, you then have to drive to Anacortes, Washington. This takes about 1.5-2 hours and is about 81 miles. Most of your journey is done, and from there you take the ferry from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands. The ferry to any of the San Juan Islands ranges from 1-2 hours.
How to get to San Juan Islands from Seattle airport?
From the Seattle airport, you really have one reliable airline, Kenmore Air. Their seaplanes depart from a couple location in Seattle (take your pick) and arrive at Rosario Marina on Orcas Island. This is our top suggestion for those of you living in Seattle traveling to the island or if you’re flying into Seattle.
It’s such a hassle to drive up to Anacortes, take the ferry, yadda yadda yadda. When planning your trip, just book a Kenmore Air flight, reserve your Orcas Island Shuttle / Orcas Island Car Rental with OrcasCars.com, and your island vacation is set!
How long is the Ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island?
The ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island is about 22 miles and takes roughly 1.5-2 hours to get there.
The ferry requires reservations for cars, but it’s easier to walk on with no reservation and rent from OrcasCars.com (they deliver the cars to you!)
When to See Orcas in San Juan Islands?
Orcas Island is a beautiful place and a great experience if you choose to go. The best time of year to go is between late May to the middle of September. Summer is the best as it is very pretty this time of year and the Orcas whales can be best seen at that time of year too.
Orcas Island is one of the best-kept secrets in the US. Do your research before visiting and take in all the beautiful hiking. And don’t leave without trying the incredible food on the island. From Madrona Grill, for a good steak or Inn and Ship Bay for the most decadent scallops, you’ll ever eat. Oh, and of course, rent a gorgeous car from OrcasCars.com!
Sources
https://www.visitsanjuans.com/about-the-islands/orcas-island
https://www.orcascars.com/
http://visitorcas.info/
