Island recommendations
Outdoors, dining, farm, travel info
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Saturn's (no password)
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818-933-1831 (preferred)
310-962-4785
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8:30-10am daily
Here’s our map of favourite trails and parks. You have to scroll down on the Google Maps list in order to see the full list. Nothing on the island is a “difficult” hike, most are picnic-appropriate, and all are jaw-dropping stunning in different ways. That’s why we live here!
Saturn’s Return is a ~10 minute walk (easy to do, but not pleasant because you’re on the road) or a ~2 minute drive to Horse Trail and the National Park Trailhead, which connects to Young Hill’s panoramic views and oak savannah, which connects to English Camp and the water.
Our favourite ocean parks are Lime Kiln (where we got engaged), Deadman Bay (where we hosted our wedding ‘rehearsal’ dinner), and Westside Preserve. On a clear day, you'll see the entire Olympic Mountain Range and Victoria, Canada (a 400K person city just across the water).
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We highly recommend visiting the other islands and enjoying the magical ferry (schedule). Watmough (Lopez) and Turtleback (Orcas) are our favourite spots to visit.
Watmough Bay feels like you've been transported to the cliffy Mediterranean coast. At different points along the trail, Turtleback offers views of the Olympics to the south, Mount Baker to the east, Vancouver to the north, Canadian Gulf Islands to the west.
Whale watching, kayaking, fishing, renting fun little scooters, and charter boat excursions to outer islands are all quite popular. We're still building our list of recommended recreation partners, so you’ll be best served by doing your own google searching. Our Visitors Bureau is a great resource!
Here’s our map of favourite restaurants, markets, and parks. You have to scroll down on the Google Maps list in order to see the full list.
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Our primary joy on these islands is buying incredible fresh ingredients from our farm store and directly from others' farm store, bringing a blanket, and going to one of the many stunning beaches and parks for a picnic.
Where to shop: Our farm store (Open Fri–Mon to the public, always open to guests —just ask). the weekly farmers markets, the organic grocery co-op, the food hub (order by Sunday evening for Weds pick-up), and farm stands: Aurora, Sweet Earth, and others.
Our favourites are Tenth House for natural wines and great local food. Market Chef for weekday lunches. Westcott Bay, just a few minutes down the road, is your classic oyster farm + restaurant, and Oystertale in town. Walden has extraordinary pastries in the morning, and tasting menu dinners. Honourable mentions include Duck Soup for the coziest setting on the island and Downriggers for its marina view.
Last, there are a few good coffee shops, Bakery San Juan (weekdays only; also good pizza!) and Riptide being our favourites.
We highly recommend stopping by Serendipity Used Books (the only place on the island open 7 days/week!) and Funk & Junk Antiques in Friday Harbor. Serendipity has an excellent selection, and friends have been known to cram stacks of books into their suitcases at the end of a visit.
Also check out Alchemy Art Center's calendar of classes & workshops!
Our favourite restaurants in the San Juans are Setsunai + Ursa Minor (Lopez) and Matia + Houlme (Orcas). We've heard great things about Seabird Bakeshop, a daytime pop-up at Houlme on Saturdays.
Riding the ferry is magical (schedule / no res for inter-island trips). We recommend day-trips to Orcas and Lopez islands while you’re here on San Juan. Don’t miss some of their unique beaches and parks.
We lived on Lopez Island for a season and have a soft spot for The Perfect Saturday that you can enjoy there:
Please let us know if you'd like to help out for an hour on the farm with planting and harvesting.
Occasionally we host farm-to-table dinners (ticketed events) and broader community dinners (free or donation-based) and skill-building workshops (fibres, dyes, farming, cooking, writing, and more). If any of those coincide with your stay at Saturn's, we'll invite you to join!
42 acres is a lot of land, and our spot at the valley's headwaters is particularly immersive. Enjoy strolling for what feels like miles on (1) a wide, grassy country road (friendly for strollers) and (2) the network of skinny trails that jump off from it. All trails circle back to the road, so you can explore knowing you'll return.
Start by walking south on the road that continues past the vegetable farm and greenhouses. Bring a picnic into one of the upper meadows, and spend time listening to the buzz and colour of the world around you.
We'll be planting over two thousand berries and trees over the coming years! For now, you'll see the market garden & flowers (green dots) and trial orchard block (white rectangle) in progress.
Saturn's Return: 2687 West Valley Road, Friday Harbor WA 9850
We are 12–15 minutes from Friday Harbor's ferry and downtown. See you!
Fly to Seattle (flights). Alternatively, you can fly to Everett or Bellingham. After landing at Seattle, go to Boeing Field, the nearby private terminal, via an Uber/Lyft or Kenmore’s shuttle (15 min).
Fly to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island (35 min). Kenmore Air, Point to Point, and San Juan Airlines offer a great experience with no security and stunning views for about $200 one-way. Kenmore has 4+ flights per day, and P2P schedules around you (call them). San Juan Airlines primarily operates out of Bellingham and also offers affordable charters from Boeing Field. Alternatively, fly to Roche Harbor, a mere 7 minutes from Saturn's Return.
In Friday Harbor, renting a car gives you the fullest flexibility to explore the island. The two best options are M&W Auto and Susie's Mopeds, which is a few-minute walk from the ferry landing. Bikes and e-bikes are an option, too, if you're an ambitious cycler. Alternatively, call a taxi (Taxis) — no Uber/Lyft — but wait times are typically long.
Drive to the Anacortes ferry terminal from Seattle airport via a rental car (1:45 hr) or the Bellair shuttle (2:30 hr, requires 1 transfer). If shuttling, we prefer the Island Airporter shuttle, which runs only M-F but will drive directly between Friday Harbor and SeaTac, with no stops or transfer and includes the ferry ride.
Ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor (Ferry Schedule). The schedule can be tricky to read — please double check you're looking at the correct direction, day, and season.
If you are driving a car onto the ferry, book a reservation and arrive at least 45 minutes before departure. The ferries fill quickly in the summer, so be sure to book round-trip tickets well in advance! They release additional spots at 7am PT two weeks before sailing and again two days in advance; we recommend hopping on right at 7am. If walking or biking onto the ferry, it's free between islands and about $15 from the mainland.
Waiting for the ferry is fairly pleasant. There's a little beach and park to walk around, concession stand, and other travellers walking their dogs and having picnics.
We look forward to hosting you!
Emma + Wiley
