Vacation help in Seattle

[gecko10x]

We are planning a vacation (10th anniversary) this spring - flying into Seattle and spending a couple days on San Juan Island, then doing some hiking in the mountains.

I'm having a bit of trouble with transportation logistics though: we need to get from the Seattle airport to the ferry near Anacortes, but then won't need a car for a couple days. The best I've come up with is rent a car through Enterprise at the airport, return it in Anacortes... take a cab? to ferry... then rent another one when we leave. It's not ideal though... I think it's a couple miles from Enterprise in Anacortes to the ferry and we will have luggage, so it would be difficult to walk. I could keep the car those couple days, but we don't really need it and I'd hate to spend and extra $100-$200 I don't need to.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Lans Holman]

Airporter Shuttle:

http://www.airporter.com/schedules/schedules-western-wa#ana

[seattlecyclone]

The shuttle Lans Holman mentioned costs $37/person one way from Sea-Tac Airport to the Anacortes ferry terminal. You might save some money by doing this, but the extra cost to drop off a rental car at a different place than you picked it up might make it a wash. It's hard to say.

Alternatively, you can take an epic transit journey that involves a light rail train to Seattle and then four buses after that. It will cost you much less than the airport shuttle, but it will also take you four hours and involve switching buses in unfamiliar locations. Keep in mind that you're already spending money on the plane tickets to Seattle for your vacation, so this might not be the best use of your limited vacation time unless riding local transit for 100 miles is your idea of a fun adventure.

[gecko10x]

Awesome, thanks for the info!

[orcas50]

Are you sure you won't want a car on San Juan Island? Will you have bikes so you can explore? We spend a lot of time on Orcas Island (family home there) and wouldn't want to be there without a car or bike, since there are so many great spots to visit on the island, and it is rural and quite spread out.

The advantage of walking on the ferry without a car, though, is huge. Waiting in the ferry lines with a car can take hours during the busy summer season (6+ hours is not unheard of, I once waited 10 hours coming off Orcas back to Anacortes), whereas walking on the ferry you can get on any boat, no wait involved.

Have fun, it's a beautiful part of the world.

[gecko10x]

Are you sure you won't want a car on San Juan Island? Will you have bikes so you can explore? We spend a lot of time on Orcas Island (family home there) and wouldn't want to be there without a car or bike, since there are so many great spots to visit on the island, and it is rural and quite spread out.

The advantage of walking on the ferry without a car, though, is huge. Waiting in the ferry lines with a car can take hours during the busy summer season (6+ hours is not unheard of, I once waited 10 hours coming off Orcas back to Anacortes), whereas walking on the ferry you can get on any boat, no wait involved.

Have fun, it's a beautiful part of the world.

Thanks! And good info about the ferry!

We are planning to get access to bikes for exploring, whale kayak tour (transport provided), zip tour (transport provided), and will stay within walking distance of Friday Harbor. So, I'm thinking we won't need a car (and I'd hate to wait that long for a ferry!)

[KulshanGirl]

There is also a shuttle bus that scoots around the island.  There is a schedule but depending on who's riding and where they want to go, they deviate from it a bit.  Or at least they used to.  Don't count on it to get you to the ferry just in time.  :)

http://www.sanjuantransit.com/

Absolutely go to Lime Kiln. The orcas often go by there, sometimes daily, and if you're there when they do, it's better than the boat tours, they come right up near the shore.     

[ArcticaMT6]

+1 on going to Lime Kiln, though the best time is mid-summer. You get much closer standing on the shore than the whale watching boats do. I've had good luck in that both times I went last year I saw them go by. The second time had 2 pods go past, one right after the other.

Crappy cell phone photo, since I left my camera back home.