Built in 1904 and refurbished in the 1990s, the rather pokey interior and small rooms of the Orcas Hotel are like something from the pages of a Jane Austen novel, with narrow corridors, patterned wallpaper and a manicured garden. Perched on a bluff above the ferry terminal, it's not in the luxury bracket but has a certain old-world vitality.
Orcas Hotel
San Juan Islands
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.02 MILES
Far more than just another pretty flower arrangement, Butchart is a national historic site and a triumph of early-20th-century gardening aesthetics. With…
23.05 MILES
Arguably the finest museum in British Columbia and carrier of a ‘royal’ prefix since 1987, Victoria’s flagship sight mixes the cream of BC’s provincial…
22.04 MILES
More ostentatious country mansion than fortified castle, Craigdarroch, with its turrets, stained-glass windows and palatial interior, looks like it might…
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5.95 MILES
Spencer Spit State Park is one of only four state parks on the San Juan archipelago. Two sand spits have formed a marshy lagoon that is a prime spot for…
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28 MILES
Halfway between La Conner and Mt Vernon, this renowned bulb producer has color-drenched fields of blooms as well as a truly spectacular display garden…
7.45 MILES
In 1911 Robert Moran donated 7 sq miles of his property to create this park on the eastern saddlebag of Orcas Island. The park is dominated by 2409ft Mt…
23.17 MILES
This dramatically handsome confection of turrets, domes and stained glass is British Columbia's working legislature and is also open to visitors. You can…
22.89 MILES
It’s not big, nor are its resident critters (although some of them are alarmingly colossal by insect standards); however, this diminutive indoor ‘zoo’ is…
Nearby San Juan Islands attractions
1. Shaw Island Library & Historical Museum
2.03 MILES
This little history museum about Shaw Island shares space with the library.
4.5 MILES
Set in the Rosario Resort & Spa, these rooms around the hotel's lobby tell the life and times of former Seattle mayor, shipbuilder and groundbreaking…
4. Turtleback Mountain Preserve
4.53 MILES
Saved from possible development when it was bought for $18.5 million as public land in 2007, Orcas' second mountain (rising to 1519ft) was in private…
4.84 MILES
Turn Island is a hit with beach campers and especially kayakers. The marine park is part of the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
5.48 MILES
The restored 1917 schoolhouse is run by the local historical society and offers a good photo op. To get to the schoolhouse from Lopez Village, take the…
5.53 MILES
If you have time for only one sight, visit the excellent Whale Museum, a small but cleverly arranged space dedicated to the life of the orca (killer whale…
5.55 MILES
In an 1890s farmhouse on the outskirts of Friday Harbor, the San Juan Historical Museum commemorates early pioneer life on San Juan Island. While the…