Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Friday Harbor, WA
Year Listed: 2008
Friday Harbor, located on San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest, is a picture-perfect historic seaport surrounded by spectacular mountain and marine views. With a natural grandeur that combines salty breezes, vibrant blue water, pebbled beaches and fragrant woods, it is a rare, unspoiled retreat ideal for outdoor adventurers, wildlife enthusiasts and history buffs alike. Friday Harbor, an antidote to city life, is a small, well-preserved community tucked between Seattle, Vancouver BC and Victoria BC. It’s a year-round destination, accessible only by ferry or seaplane, where visitors can easily get around on foot to indulge in the eclectic collection of art galleries, coffeehouses, boutiques and eateries. Nestled in the center of a “rain shadow cast by the mountains on the Olympic Peninsula, Friday Harbor enjoys nearly 250 days of sunshine each year and only half the annual rainfall of nearby Seattle, making it a place where kayaking, biking and walking are as common as driving. Though only one square mile in size, Friday Harbor boasts nearly 150 historic buildings reflecting the community’s civic, commercial and residential history. Friday Harbor is one of Washington’s few seaport villages to survive the turn-of-the-century fires that engulfed early Seattle and other cities. Its authentic downtown streetscape and postage-size Memorial Park are the gateway to discovering the rich history, rural character and pristine marine environment of the San Juan archipelago. "With its distinctive Pacific Northwest heritage and seaside activity, Friday Harbor is an inviting destination no matter what you look for in a vacation," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "In the face of ever-increasing tourism pressure, it has successfully preserved its historic fabric and safeguarded its natural environment to retain its authentic sense of place." In and around Friday Harbor, there are six National Historic Register sites. These landmarks transport visitors back in time and tell the story of the Territorial Northwest. From the historic village of Roche Harbor to the San Juan Island National Historical Park, where exhibits, historic buildings and re-enactors bring to life The Pig War - a 12-year standoff between British and American troops in the late 1800s - the wealth of historic resources belie the island’s small size. Just out of town, country roads are dotted with agricultural fields, open territorial views and rocky coastline vistas. From late spring to early fall, the 36-acre Lime Kiln Point State Park is the best place in the world to view from land the endangered species of Orca whales. This region is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the country as porpoises, sea lions, seals, river otters and more than 250 species of birds, including resident bald eagles, make their home here.
