Washington Resources – San Juan Islands

 I think one of the most beautiful regions in the United States is the San Juan Archipelago in the state of Washington. The islands have incredible waterways, gorgeous views, abundant wildlife and unspoiled forestlands and open space in addition to having really great weather.
Whether you’re just coming for a visit or looking for a location for a second home or full-time residence, the San Juan Islands are an area you don’t want to miss!
Each island has its own personality so plan enough time to visit as many as you can….and bring your camera. You’ll be glad you did!
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Sylvan Cove, Decatur Northwest

Relocating to Washington State and the San Juan Islands

Relocating involves lots of questions and research and one of the first things people often ask is “Is it true it always rains in Washington?”  Well, they don’t call us the Evergreen State for nothing…..however…. Washington has many micro climates that provide a great variety in our weather. For example, the San Juan Islands gets about half the rainfall of Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula can get 400″ a year!

If weather is a consideration for you, it’s helpful to research records of weather conditions for the various communities around this state. 

If you have children, you probably want to know about our schools.  The first place I like to start is the Washington State Department of Education.  They have lots of information about each of the different school districts and links you can follow for more information.


Washington State Department of Tourism

The Washington Department of Tourism has a wonderful site if you’re just starting your exploration and want to see what the various areas of the state have to offer. 
There is such diversity, especially between the east and west side of the Cascades.  Each is very beautiful in it’s own way.

Visiting the San Juan Islands

If you are looking for information that’s specific to the San Juan Islands, there are a couple of web sites that might be helpful. 

For general information about the ferry served islands, there is a site called Guide to the San Juan Islands.  It addresses four of the islands but there are over 300 islands in the San Juan Archipelago.

Many of the islands are state parks that can be only accessed by private boat or plane. There are water taxi companies that can take you to those if you love hiking and exploring.

I can give you an “insiders” look into life on the non-ferry served islands as I’ve been a resident of Decatur Island for many years.

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Washington State Ferry to the San Juan Islands

Transportation and Weather for San Juan Islands

Seaplane Operations / Washington State Ferry and Weather Conditions
Kenmore Air operates float planes that fly out of Seattle to many of these other islands. San Juan Airlines has regular service to the ferry-served islands and Blakely Island.
Washington State Ferry has a schedule / reservation website for all of your needs to ferry serviced islands.

A Healthy Lifestyle

San Juan County recently received recognition as being the “healthiest county” in the nation.  See how some of the other counties in Washington rank in terms of health.