Winters on San Juan Island are invigorating, quiet, festive and just what the doctor ordered when holiday planning, cooking and shopping gets you down. Our brisk, sunny days – courtesy of the Olympic Rain Shadow

Even if you have been coming to the San Juan Islands every year since you were a child, we have gathered some fun facts about this beautiful slice of paradise, some of which may surprise you. May we present, in no particular order, 10 little known facts about San Juan Island:

Residents of other islands in the San Juan Islands archipelago call Friday Harbor lovingly and with a little wink, “sin city”. You might think: nights lit like daylight while people dance half naked in the street and exclamations of the “what happens here stays here” kind. Rest assured, it simply refers to the fact that we have more than one bar.

There is nothing like a picnic on the beach overlooking the Salish Sea with only Orca whales and Bald Eagles watching.  San Juan Island’s astonishing beauty offers breathtaking places to stop and have a snack. Let me share my favorite picnic spots with you, along with some tips on what to bring and where to get it.

It’s Summer on San Juan Island. Orca whales and outdoor weddings. Art fairs and music festivals. Hiking, biking and kayaking. Where will you start? We’ve made a list of the fun activities and cool events you can experience in August, so you don’t miss out!

We San Juan Islanders love our island and we love to share this special place with our visitors.  And we especially love you to be well informed and totally excited about coming here and knowing what to expect when you get here.

The breathtaking natural beauty and serene pace on San Juan Island are deeply inspiring. No wonder the island has more working artists than any other county in Washington State. You’ll experience the creative spirit as soon as you set foot in the quaint coastal town of Friday Harbor and are greeted by the beautifully-carved Coast Salish house posts entitled “Interaction” created by Native artist Susan Point. There are seven galleries and four museums within easy walking distance to the ferry landing. We collected our 10 favorite ways to enjoy the arts on the isle and it’s still only a fraction of what all there is to explore. Have so much fun!

As soon as you step off the ferry in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island you are immersed in all things whales. Whale watch and research vessels are bobbing in the harbor. Kayak and whale watch tour offices line the streets together with cafes, restaurants and galleries.

There is something special about seeing Orcas from land. You can hear them breach, breath and sing and if you aren’t already, this will be the moment you  fall in love with them forever. San Juan Island offers some of the best whale watching in the world.

Hiking in our incredibly gorgeous State of Washington is its own reward. Every cell in your body gets energized, your heart is pumping and after an especially steep stretch, your body is flooded with endorphins, making you feel happy and giddy to be alive. Then there is hiking on San Juan Island with its clean, salty air, tons of wildlife and beautiful surroundings. Just when you think, it can’t get any better than this with the eagles, the foxes and the wildflowers, you come around a corner with such a spectacular view, it might just take your breath away.