Researching this topic raises the question: Is it better to visit a Friday Harbor bed and breakfast - or run one? This charming town on beautiful San Juan Island looks like the perfect place for a peaceful getaway or for a peaceful life. There are gorgeous views of the water, the mountains, and of flower-filled gardens everywhere you look.
San Juan was claimed by the Hudson Bay Company, which used it not for the fur trade but for a salmon cannery. An early settler came to work in the cannery but stayed and gave the town its name. Later residents raised vegetables and fruit for export to the mainland, as well as continuing with commercial fishing. Today the islands, including San Juan, are prime tourist attractions.
The town has a permanent population of between 2,000 and 3,000 people, according to census records. The pace is slow; visitors are encouraged to take time to stroll along the beaches, look at the sea and the sky, gaze at the mountains, and take a deep breath of serenity.
Visitors can take a ferry to the island, fly into the busy airport, hop on a seaplane, or come by private boat. For getting around town, there are taxis for those who didn't bring their automobiles over by ferry. There are bicycles and mopeds for rent, and most things are accessible to pedestrians. The whole town is about two miles square. B&Bs are among the most popular accommodations; reservations are pretty much required, especially for the summertime.
There are quite a few B&Bs in town. One establishment offers one fabulous suite to provide the height of privacy and individual attention. Others have up to seven. Several appear to actually be hotels, but they promise an authentic B&B experience, with comfort, privacy, and gourmet breakfast food.
It's actually a lot of fun to search the B&Bs in Friday Harbor. There's a great interactive site that rates the different establishments, posts photo galleries of each so you can see for yourself, and includes customer reviews. You'll find Victorian mansions and accommodations that are very contemporary. You may opt for a private suite with its own balcony overlooking the water or the garden, or you may prefer to enter into a home and share the common areas with your hosts.
There is even one place to stay that's in a marina. That's because it's a commodious boat. Go online to check this one out; there are several bedrooms that look as spacious and elegant as you could wish, as well as decks with views of the busy waterfront.
Although the town prides itself on being quiet and peaceful, there's a lot to do. Watching wildlife is very popular; you can do this from one of the many beaches, from a special whale watch boat, from your own kayack, or while hiking or cycling around the island. You may see two species of whales, wild turkeys, deer, eagles, Trumpeter swans, rabbits, raccoons, and seals, as well as many western songbirds. The downtown area has great restaurants, galleries and museums, shopfronts and an open air market, and views of the water almost everywhere.
San Juan was claimed by the Hudson Bay Company, which used it not for the fur trade but for a salmon cannery. An early settler came to work in the cannery but stayed and gave the town its name. Later residents raised vegetables and fruit for export to the mainland, as well as continuing with commercial fishing. Today the islands, including San Juan, are prime tourist attractions.
The town has a permanent population of between 2,000 and 3,000 people, according to census records. The pace is slow; visitors are encouraged to take time to stroll along the beaches, look at the sea and the sky, gaze at the mountains, and take a deep breath of serenity.
Visitors can take a ferry to the island, fly into the busy airport, hop on a seaplane, or come by private boat. For getting around town, there are taxis for those who didn't bring their automobiles over by ferry. There are bicycles and mopeds for rent, and most things are accessible to pedestrians. The whole town is about two miles square. B&Bs are among the most popular accommodations; reservations are pretty much required, especially for the summertime.
There are quite a few B&Bs in town. One establishment offers one fabulous suite to provide the height of privacy and individual attention. Others have up to seven. Several appear to actually be hotels, but they promise an authentic B&B experience, with comfort, privacy, and gourmet breakfast food.
It's actually a lot of fun to search the B&Bs in Friday Harbor. There's a great interactive site that rates the different establishments, posts photo galleries of each so you can see for yourself, and includes customer reviews. You'll find Victorian mansions and accommodations that are very contemporary. You may opt for a private suite with its own balcony overlooking the water or the garden, or you may prefer to enter into a home and share the common areas with your hosts.
There is even one place to stay that's in a marina. That's because it's a commodious boat. Go online to check this one out; there are several bedrooms that look as spacious and elegant as you could wish, as well as decks with views of the busy waterfront.
Although the town prides itself on being quiet and peaceful, there's a lot to do. Watching wildlife is very popular; you can do this from one of the many beaches, from a special whale watch boat, from your own kayack, or while hiking or cycling around the island. You may see two species of whales, wild turkeys, deer, eagles, Trumpeter swans, rabbits, raccoons, and seals, as well as many western songbirds. The downtown area has great restaurants, galleries and museums, shopfronts and an open air market, and views of the water almost everywhere.
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