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Major city · United States

AnacortesAnacortes, Washington

Give Anacortes 1–2 nights as the San Juan Islands ferry base; skip it as a sightseeing town unless you hike Mount Erie or Deception Pass.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (wet, grey, many seasonal businesses closed)
Airports
OTS · BLI · SEA
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Anacortes sits on Fidalgo Island in northwest Washington and is the mainland terminal for Washington State Ferries to the San Juan Islands. The town itself is small: a walkable Old Town on Commercial Avenue, a working harbour, two free museums and a network of forest trails. Most travellers use it for one night before an early ferry, or as a base for Deception Pass and Mount Erie.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Anacortes, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, main course$18–35
  • Street or quick mealBreakfast or lunch in a café$12–22
  • BeerDraught beer at a brewery$7–9
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30
  • Museum or sight ticketW.T. Preston sternwheel steamboat entrySeasonal: closed Nov–Mar$5
  • Budget bedHostel or motel bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range motel or inn, a night, per roomUS$190
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid-range motel or inn, a night, per roomUS$380

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$160 · High US$300

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

San Juan Islands ferry terminalDeception Pass State ParkMount Erie and the Community Forest LandsCap Sante Marina and working harbour
Airports
OTS Anacortes Airport (Small propeller flights to the San Juan Islands and general aviation; between town and the ferry terminal.) · BLI Bellingham International (Nearest airport with out-of-state flights; about 1 h by car.) · SEA Seattle–Tacoma International (Nearest major international gateway; about 1 h 45 min–2 h by car, or a shuttle to the ferry terminal.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Anacortes: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

16 rd

Feb

9°C

2°C

13 rd

Mar

11°C

3°C

15 rd

Apr

14°C

5°C

12 rd

May

17°C

8°C

10 rd

Jun

20°C

10°C

8 rd

Jul

23°C

12°C

5 rd

Aug

23°C

12°C

5 rd

Sep

20°C

10°C

8 rd

Oct

15°C

7°C

14 rd

Nov

10°C

4°C

17 rd

Dec

7°C

1°C

17 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Downtown is walkable, but the ferry terminal is 3 mi west and the trailheads are further out, so a car is the practical choice. Skagit Transit route 409 loops through town, and route 410 links the ferry terminal with March's Point Park & Ride, where you transfer for Mount Vernon, Burlington and Bellingham. Buses do not run at night.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Deception Pass State Park

go

Door to door: About 30 min

WA-20 north over the Deception Pass Bridge, about 20 min by car

Go early for parking at the bridge; the north shore trails are the draw.

San Juan Islands (Friday Harbor)

overnight

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Washington State Ferries from the Anacortes terminal

A day return leaves little time ashore; sleep on the island instead.

La Conner

go

Door to door: About 40 min

WA-20 east and the Rainbow Bridge, about 25 min by car

Small waterfront town; pairs with the spring tulip fields.

Whidbey Island (Oak Harbor, Coupeville)

go

Door to door: About 1 h

WA-20 north over Deception Pass, or Island Transit route 411W to March's Point

Coupeville's waterfront is the stop worth making.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Old Town / Commercial Avenue

Walkable main street north of 12th Street with cafés, shops and the historic inns; best for one or two nights without a car.

Ferry terminal area (Ferry Terminal Rd)

Practical for early sailings; 3 mi west of downtown, little within walking distance.

Swinomish / Highway 20 corridor

Casino lodge and motels with parking; car needed for everything.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$150–240 excl. bed
High
$260+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid-range motel or inn1 × 1 night × US$190US$190
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$160US$320
Ferry, walk-on return to Friday Harbor2 × US$30 · checkUS$60
Car on the ferry, return to Friday Harbor1 × US$100 · check; summer vehicle space needs a reservationUS$100
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$71
Trip total≈ US$391 per person per day, bed includedUS$781

2026 estimate in US dollars; ferry fares and car rental excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Breakfast or lunch in a café$12–22
Sit-down dinner, main course$18–35
Draught beer at a brewery$7–9
W.T. Preston sternwheel steamboat entrySeasonal: closed Nov–Mar$5
Museum entry (Anacortes Museum, Maritime Heritage Center)Free
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Anacortes is a low-crime small city; the real hazards are cold water, fast tides and winter storms on the water, plus deer on the roads at dusk.
  • Ferry vehicle space sells out on summer weekends: reserve ahead or arrive as a walk-on.
  • The Sidney (BC) route is suspended and not expected back before 2030.
  • Boaters arriving from Canada must clear customs at a designated dock before any other stop; fines for skipping it run high.
  • Cell coverage and fuel are thin on the outer islands; fill up and download maps before you sail.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

AnacortesAnacortes, Washington

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

2100 Ferry Terminal Rd, Anacortes, WATo the ferry terminal, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No consulates in Anacortes; nearest are in Seattle.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Ferry, walk-on Anacortes → Friday Harbor: about $15 one way (check)
  • Ferry, car and driver, return: about $100 (check)
  • Skagit Transit route 410, ferry terminal → March's Point: local fare, exact change (check)

Walk-on passengers should be at the terminal at least 30 min before sailing; vehicles with reservations about 60 min.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Anacortes. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (wet, grey, many seasonal businesses closed) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources