Anacortes Travel Guide

Introduction

75 miles N of Seattle, 39 miles S of Bellingham, 92 miles S of Vancouver, British Columbia

For many people, Anacortes is little more than that town you drive through on the way to the San Juan Islands ferry terminal. Actually, Anacortes has much more to offer than a driver late for the ferry could ever know. The route to the ferry sticks to roads that are fine examples of commercial and suburban sprawl -- strip malls, gas stations, aging motels, housing developments. However, if you have time to detour off the main road, you'll find a town that, while not nearly as quaint as those on the San Juans, does have some historic character and, perhaps best of all, plenty of good places to eat. A restored downtown business district; residential neighborhoods full of old Victorian homes; a large, forested waterfront park; and a mountain-top viewpoint are all worth a look. If you can, slow down and take a look at Anacortes before or after a trip to the San Juans.

Anacortes made its...