It's a ferry terminal right on the water. With a large grassy area with picnic tables. You can even…read morewalk down to the waterfront and soak in the beautiful view before heading out. Any interaction I've had with any ferry workers has been nothing but outstanding. Thank WA for having such an amazing ferry service so everyone can enjoy the islands. Be kind and be safe. SYOY!

Make sure to book both ways for your trip. The wait on Orcas to get back is ridiculous. The u…read morereliable ferry is always full and has a schedule that doesn't work, with long gaps and only 15 car spaces for people who don't book ahead.

Busy ferry terminal & marina. Cars & boats are coming & going. Clean bathrooms, maps & boat…read moreschedules are posted here.

Rather than make this a referendum on the entire ferry system in Washington (short version: more…read moreexpensive than you think, pretty inconvenient, sometimes unreliable, and the only game in town), it's more going to be a few words about the terminal here on San Juan Island. This was my first trip to SJI, despite having been in the islands a few times before. I finally made it to Friday Harbor and it was a lovely town. The terminal, however, is quite modest and not anything to write home about. What is great, however, is that it's located in the heart of town. Unlike other islands where you get off and have to drive elsewhere (looking at you, Orcas) this is totally walkable if you want to leave your car and just go into Friday Harbor to walk around for the day. I came in vehicle, so I drove off the boat and into town, and chose to drive the entire perimeter of the island, which is also a totally great way to do SJI. On the flipside, that location is also great on the way out. You should plan on arriving an hour or so before your departure. The lanes to load are on a steep hill, so be sure you have a good parking brake. You can get out of your car and then walk over to get ice cream, or look for souvenirs, or whatever you please, just do keep an eye out for the ferry. Unfortunately, loading lanes enter straight from the road so look for the person in the orange vest to get your lane assignment. This part is a bit chaotic, and our return trip was backed up behind a very late ferry so we had to park in town, then repark in the loading lane.

This was my first time riding the Washington State Ferry, and the Anacortes terminal made the…read moreexperience easy and enjoyable. The terminal itself isn't huge, but it's well-organized and has all the essentials. There are restrooms (note: the entrance is outside), a snack bar with some hot food made to order, grab-and-go snacks, and vending machines for quick bites or drinks. Inside, you'll also find travel brochures, maps, and multiple ticket counters where you can buy ferry tickets or ask questions. I was a walk-on passenger and found the process very straightforward. Parking is nearby--just a short walk from the terminal--and costs $13 for the day. You can either scan the QR code posted on signs or use the pay station machine. Just a tip: if you're walking on, stay in the far left lane when entering the terminal--all other lanes to the right are for vehicles boarding the ferry. Overall, everything was clearly marked and staff were helpful. It was a smooth first-time experience, and I'd definitely ride again!

This is not my favorite ferry terminal. I was SHOOK that 2 people and a trailer was $350. When I…read moremade the reservation (which you have to do months and months in advance...) it had NO pricing. We would not have brought a trailer if we had known. We have taken it on other ferries and it is more expensive, but $350 is insane. You have to get there 30-60 min early, but there isn't much to do here. The snack shop just has unhealthy fried food and packaged snacks. I am gluten free and vegetarian and a $6 water bottle was my only option. Luckily I had low hopes going in and brought some snacks of my own. The bathroom was pretty rough to. It is next to a lovely beach down kind of a steep hill. Good for the 'gram, bad for the wallet.

I have been to the Lopez Island Ferry Terminal/Dock a few times, both on my own and with my family…read more Part of why I enjoy this ferry terminal so much is because there is not much to do. It has less to do in the immediate surroundings than the other Washington State Department Of Transportation (WSDOT) ferry terminals in the San Juan Islands. On a recent day adventure on Lopez Island on the 29th of April 2020, I arrived a little under two hours in advance of the ferry to Anacortes. My phone had very little battery left and I didn't bring a book so I had to figure out something else to do. I looked over my paper Washington State map, stared at the trees for a while (I love tall trees), and then saw a small furry critter scamper across some cement blocks (the blocks kind of looked like stone guard rail pieces for reinforcement to keep dirt from falling). I grabbed my camera (not camera phone) and spent the rest of the time watching for this little furry critter and trying to get pictures of it. What was it? It was a chipmunk! It was running back and forth collecting food and other things. So cute, and filled me with joy. Then M/V Kitsap arrived to take us back to Anacortes and I thought I was going to burst with happiness (I love it when I get to ride the ferries built in Seattle). It was the perfect end to the day's Lopez Island adventure. There is a restroom if you need to go while you are waiting. The entrance is turned away from the holding lanes to provide maximum privacy while using. The Lopez Island Ferry Terminal is a good place to sit back and relax and take in your nature surroundings.

I take my rare opportunities for ferry travel very seriously, and that's why I appreciate it when…read morethere's a nice, big, sturdy dock to securely hold the big metal floating behemoth in place while my vehicle (and others) are loaded/unloaded. And I can safely say that the Lopez Island Ferry Dock does the job quite well. While it's been years since I visited Lopez, it was a stop on my recent superferry trip from Friday Harbor to Anacortes, and I found myself enthusiastically hurrying to the front (er, back?) of the ship to watch the vehicles pull out onto the island. Well, the one vehicle that was pulling out onto the island on this particular Sunday evening journey. Still, the ferry did its duty as the car left the boat and traveled over the oft-scary-sounding "kerplunk" ramp that serves as a temporary bridge between the vessel and land. And - aided by recently-upgraded pillars on both the port and starboard - the ferry stayed firmly in place while several cars loaded for their journey back to the mainland. My only complaint about the Lopez dock is that there are no services available. So make sure to bring a snack and some water if you think you'll be hungry. 'Cuz it's a long drive back to town (well, really only a few miles) if you forgot anything.

This was my first time going on a whale watching boat tour! I will be differing from my usual…read moreorganization of information and just delivering bullet points about the experience! Read on to hear my thoughts. * I took this whale watching guided tour in March and it was pretty cold and windy. Make sure you bring extra warm clothes!! * If you're bringing a camera, bring a good long-distance lens. When I went, we couldn't get very close to the whales and orcas, so the photos on my phone didn't turn out too well. * The people leading the expedition are very, very knowledgeable and extremely helpful!! Kudos to the team at San Juan Safaris and thank you for sharing your knowledge! * There are places to sit/be sheltered on the boat. * The trip is roughly 4-5 hours out on the water. * Very fun overall!! Final thoughts: It was SO fun, and I got so many cool photos (even without my camera and long distance lens lol). Dress warmly, be prepared to be out on the water for a while, and have fun!!

We went on a kayaking tour and whale watching tour and had a great experience! The crew was…read morefriendly and great with my kids.

We went online to get instructions. Our first stop was to open up the Saturday Market in Anacortes…read moreon Saturday that opened at 9AM. The people were super friendly to us and our dog. At the ferry, the person who scanned our digital ticket was super nice. We went over, drove around, check out the labyryth, and went to the store, more friendly people. When we took the ferry the friendly blond lady remembered us. I do not think there is a bathroom on the ferry, but fortunately, there is one at the store. There is a small area to sit on benches inside I think. I wanted to take a photo but didn't think the people would necessarily want me to photograph them. I love the ferries in Washington. They each have their own personality and this one is fun too. I wish I had researched what to do on Guemis Island better.

Great service to a local PNW Island Paradise for exploration and fun day trip out of dodge!…read more One of my wife's favorite places to explore and learn about the history and mystery of living alone, on a private island with very distant neighbors. We stayed at an amazing resort that was comfortable, cozy, with lots of interesting homes and beach front to explore. SFTS "Short funny true story." After we arrived and checked in I decided to take a short nap on the couch when I was suddenly awakened by a lady asking me..."what I was doing in her cabin?" What she didn't realize. was, she mistakenly thought she was in her cabin, right next to ours, and we had a laugh, and fireside chat later that evening. You know...you meet the most interesting people on the beach...and learn so much about the locals...what a fun anniversary getaway for anyone who likes to explore and have some quiet time/beach time, nap time!

A gorgeous Ferry Terminal adjacent to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands. A perfect stop off on…read moreyour San Juan getaway, or destination for a quiet and peaceful escape!

I am writing to share my daughter's experience trying to get on the 12:45 sailing to Anacortes…read moretoday. She got to the landing over an hour early and was number 8 in line. Turns out that they did not load her nor did they load the number 7 car. So I guess you take your chances whether WSF chooses to overload at Orcus and screw the little island. We've been coming to Shaw for over 65 years and we think our WSF experience has reached a new low.

We had a Wonderful experience and the staff is friendly with great service! Would definitely…read morerecommend them!

Oh my! This ferry is just lovely! There is an adventurer area for kids, a gift shop filled w neat…read moreclothes and high end quality items. The ferry is upscale and very comfortable. Windows are easy to see out of. They have delis and bars, lots to choose from. Time flew as we enjoyed the boat...so sad to get off!

I've taken this ferry from Victoria to Vancouver a handful of times over the years. This was the…read morefirst time I had reservations. Because of an accident, I had to change my reservation to a day earlier. We needed to get off the island ASAP and get back to the states in case my wife needed to see a doctor or be hospitalized. Customer service was good to work with. They listened to my story and helped me change my reservation a couple of times. No waiving of fees, not that I was hoping for fee waiver. They did their job and was able to make reservations on the ferry that my wife wanted. Car boarding instructions was a little unclear. I wanted to keep my wife in the car as we made our crossing. I was told that we were supposed to go up to the seating area. Later on I found out that she could've stayed in the car. It was a nice ferry ride from Victoria to Vancouver. It was very smooth compared to the Port Angeles to Victoria ferry ride where it was a little rough. Also, the BC Ferry to/from Victoria and Vancouver is scheduled for almost every hour. BC Ferries is like a well oiled machine. I most likely will take it again to make up for what our medical emergency made us miss.

The Swartz Bay terminal is really well organized and labeled. I have used both the vehicle side and…read morethe walk-in side many many times. For walk-on, the waiting area is very close to the entrance to the terminal and so you can arrive quite late and still make it on to the ferry. There is a free luggage check-in service from Swartz Bay to Tsawassen that I use all the time. Just weigh the bag, attach a heavy tag if necessary and slide it down the baggage slide! I love it as I don't have to carry luggage onto the ferry. Luggage arriving from Vancouver get put on the carousel outside - it can sometimes take awhile to arrive. From the vehicle side, it's very easy to get on with a ferry reservation. If arriving early enough, there is very little lines to get in and service is very fast. There is a small cafe once in the waiting area to use the washroom and grab snacks. The terminal staff are all very nice and informative. Everything is well labeled so visitors won't get lost. It is also pretty clean considering how many people travel through each day. On holidays and weekends, it can be crowded. There are two bus lines that go to downtown which are very slow and get crowded quickly. Sometimes it won't even be able to fit everyone and people have to wait at least an hour for the next one. There are taxis that typically wait outside the terminal, but there are usually very few so be sure to get outside quickly.

Terry was very agreeable to all requests. Helped work out our timing, was prompt in arrival times,…read moreknowledgeable, skilled, etc. Can't go wrong with OISS. See photos for contact info.

Would highly recommend! Terry is fantastic and knows the island inside and out. We spent a lot of…read moretime with him as we got a flat tire the first day we were out exploring. My daughter said meeting Terry was the best part of our trip.