Victoria Express

Even summer in the Pacific Northwest can be hot, and when you're hot, the best thing to eat is not ice cream but hot, spicy food. It's true. Four stars in a good Thai, Indian or Mexican restaurant bring sweat to the brow, which is cooling. Think of it as instant, portable, air-conditioning that tastes good.

The San Juan Hot Shop and Flavor Emporium is the place to taste and purchase a great variety of hot sauces, spice rubs, and fiery tasty treats. For owners Eddie and Genie Williams, their work is a labor of love. They bring a seasoned palate and appreciation for foods from all cultures to their shop in Friday Harbor. They enjoy helping spice foodies find the best sauces for dishes, and like nothing better than exposing customers to new flavors. Their shop has a festive air, with music to shop by that will set your toes-a-tapping.

$85.00 Round Trip San Juan Island Day Cruise

Don't wait any longer than you must before visiting Friday Harbor and the San Juan Hot Shop and Flavor Emporium. Victoria Express Passenger Ferry to Friday Harbor runs Fridays to Mondays through September 6, 2010. The trip is an ideal day excursion, and the perfect way to beat the heat. Depart Port Angeles at 8:10 am, pick up passengers in Victoria, and arrive in Friday Harbor by noon. Travelers have a good three hours to poke around this charming island town before boarding the ferry back to Victoria and Port Angeles. Have lunch at one of the many fine Friday Harbor restaurants and browse the eclectic shops in town. Be sure to allow plenty of time for the Hot Shop, and load up on a plethora of tasty and uncommon hot sauces, spice rubs, appetizers and more.

Victoria / Friday Harbor **SideKick** Special - Buy One Get One At Half Price

The San Juan Island Day Cruise is a delightful way to spend a hot summer day. Temperatures are always cooler out on the water, and stunning scenery of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Baker and the islands will take your mind off the heat, anyway. Once in Friday Harbor, head to the Hot Shop, and cool off from the inside-out.

Call 360-452-8088  from the United States, 250-361-9144 from Canada, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Pacific Northwest is known for many things; Microsoft and Starbucks. Salmon. Kurt Cobain and Grunge. Rain. Most people who have never visited the region can tell you this much.

Ah, but anyone who has ever been to the Pacific Northwest will also speak of mirroring mountain ranges, snow capped volcanoes, large bodies of water, islands and ferries. They'll tell you that when it was gray they felt downcast and compelled to drink espresso, and when the skies cleared, they were floored by the mountain views.

It is practically an obligation for travelers to the Pacific Northwest to hop on a boat and head to an island. It's fun for residents, as well.

With this in mind, we heartily suggest a Scenic Day Cruise to San Juan Island aboard the Victoria Express ferry to Friday Harbor.

In the last couple of decades, small boutique wineries have blossomed all over Washington State, and indeed all over the country. Some grow their own grapes, some partner with vineyards east of the mountains, and some do both. Each winery brings the wine makers' own personality and experience to the bottle. For all, it is a labor of love.

The mushrooming of boutique wineries has been a boon to wine lovers. No longer must they travel great distances for the lovely experience of visiting a new vineyard, tasting a new wine. Since many of these wineries produce only small amounts of their wine, these bottles can be hard to find. For the true wine aficionado, the quest to discover new tasting rooms can become an obsession.

Does this sound like you? If so (or even if not), hop on board a passenger ferry to Friday Harbor and head to San Juan Vineyards. There is no better way to travel to this picturesque winery located in an historic schoolhouse about 4 miles from Friday Harbor.

Art & Lavender Fairs are the perfect excuse to take the ferry to Friday Harbor and spend the day or an extended weekend. This weekend has something for everyone: come up for  the San Juan Island Lavender Festival, the San Juan Island Summer Arts Fair, the whale museum, the harbor restaurants and more, all in one fun-filled weekend.

Take the Victoria Express ferry to Friday Harbor and stay for two nights. You'll arrive in Friday Harbor around noon, after a scenic cruise across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, along the coast of Discovery Island and into the waters of the San Juan Islands (keep an eye out for whales). Two nights allow ample time to explore San Juan Island by bike, moped, Scootcar, or San Juan Transit.

The San Juan Island Lavender Festival is at Pelindaba Lavender Farm. It features workshops on cultivating lavender, cooking with lavender, and creating your own lavender essential oil. Take a tour, participate in a craft workshop, or relax to music. Drink lavender lemonade when you're thirsty, and eat lavender ice cream when you're hungry. The festival runs Friday and Saturday between 10am and 5pm (July 17 and 18, 2010).

The San Juan Island Summer Arts Fair is on Court Street in Friday Habor. Many local and regional artists will be on hand with their art. Look forward to art demonstrations and live music by local musicians throughout the day. Families will enjoy the Children's Area, and everyone will find good food to eat at the Food Court. The Art Fair runs Saturday July 17 between 10am and 5pm, and Sunday July 18 between 10am and 4pm.

You'll depart Friday Harbor at 3:30pm, and arrive at Victoria around 6pm. Folks continuing on to the Olympic Peninsula will depart from the Inner Harbour of Victoria at 6:15pm. If whales are spotted during the voyage, the Captain does his best to help passengers see them.

Treat yourself to a Weekend Adventure on San Juan Island. It's delightful for couples in need of a romantic getaway, or families looking to treat themselves to something fun. For more details, call 360-452-8088 from the United States, or 250-361-9144 from Canada.

Traveling from Port Angeles to Friday Harbor? Bring a passport or enhanced driver's license so you can explore Victoria's Inner Harbor during a lay-over.

We saw whales this weekend on the way to Friday Harbor and even more as we were returning to Victoria/Port Angeles during the Saturday San Juan Island Day Cruise. Of course the weather was perfect complete with sunny skies and a slight breeze. It was an ideal summer day for cruising to one of the most beautiful islands of the Pacific Northwest.

The San Juan Island Day Cruise is the perfect way to spend a day for anyone who wants to explore the bountiful waters and scenic islands of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The journey starts in Port Angeles with a very brief layover in the historic Inner Harbour of Victoria to pick up fellow Island explorers. The journey continues past Oak Bay and along Discovery Island. We even had a chance to view a large colony of seals sunning on a remote beach before heading into the waters surrounding San Juan Island.

And then there were the whales....The captain made a point to stop the boat allowing all of us ample time to follow the large orca pod as they skimmed the surface close to the beaches of the San Juan Island.

Among the many activities we had available to us once we arrived in Friday Harbor, on the other side of the island, was a trip to the Whale Museum several blocks from the harbor.

In the museum, you can explore the habits of these magnificent creatures and discover the interaction we have had over the centuries. The museum provides great whale artifacts (including complete skeletons), videos, historical information and a great souvenir shop.

Of course there were many other great things going on during our day trip to the island including a variety of restaurants....some with great harbor views....You can rent kayaks, bicycles, mopeds and even 'Scootcars' by the hour to experience 'Island Time' on the go.

San Juan Transit makes it very easy to explore the island on foot and their day pass will get you almost anywhere on the island and back including all points in-between for only $15 for the entire day....Since we were 'day-trippers' there were also plenty of shops and galleries to keep us busy before our 3:30 departure to Victoria and then to Port Angeles.

If you are planning to make the San Juan Island Day Cruise from Port Angeles, please be certain to bring proper ID for the journey. We will stop in Victoria just long enough for the passengers from Victoria to join us before we continue on with the sailing to San Juan Island. Great photo opportunities of all of the action in the Inner Harbour will certainly keep you occupied during your brief visit.

Let Victoria Express make all of your travel arrangements - There is a excellent selection of lodging options available to you, not to mention our special island packages - Call today and place your San Juan Island Day Cruise 360-452-8088 or 250-361-9144 from Canada.

Our Friday Harbor sailings start next week. Be among the first to leave the car behind and enjoy a relaxing, scenic trip across the Salish Sea.

Friday, June 25, 2010, we depart from Victoria at 9:30. Ride up for the day, just for the island views. If you can resist having too many snacks on board the passenger ferry to Friday Harbor, you'll have a good appetite when you arrive. Stretch your legs a bit in town and visit the museum, art galleries and shops, then pick a spot for lunch in Friday Harbor.

Try the San Juan Brewing Company, just steps from the passenger ferry. The food is good and the beer is great. Take in great views of the harbor while lunching at The Place. Tuck into a plate of tasty lamb at Mahoula Restaurant.

Make your reservation for the passenger ferry to Friday Harbor today. If you are a resident of Vancouver Island you can take advantage of our 2010 "SideKick Special" - buy one ticket, and get a second ticket at half price.

For more information about travel between Victoria and Friday Harbor, call Victoria Express at 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Travel between the United States and Canada requires a passport or enhanced driver's license.

Our passenger ferry service to Friday Harbor on Washington's San Juan Island starts soon, on June 25, 2010. Start planning your trip now, and if you are a resident of Vancouver Island you can take advantage of our Victoria / Friday Harbor SideKick Special - buy one ticket and get a second ticket at half price. Spend a day, a weekend or the entire week exploring the island.

Half the fun of visiting Friday Harbor is getting there. Our scenic day cruise to San Juan Islands offers approximately 2.5 hours of sightseeing up the coast of the Saanich Peninsula, through Haro Strait, past Roche Harbor and Spieden Island on your way to Friday Harbor. Be sure to bring your binoculars and a camera and be prepared to be inundated by the magnificence of the waters, the islands and the Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges.

Once on the island you have over 3 hours to explore the whale museum, art galleries, restaurants and shops. You can even take a shuttle bus and explore the island during your day visit. One thing is certain - you'll be ready to sit back and relax during the return trip on Victoria Express San Juan Island ferry.

There are wonderful overnight accommodations should you choose to make it a weekend adventure - Let Victoria Express take care of all travel arrangements. Be sure to bring proper ID for your Friday Harbor cruise. Call 360-452-8088 US / 250-361-9144 CANADA or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Okay, there are plenty of good restaurants in the world, However, not every island has good restaurants, and when you're on one that doesn't, you know it. San Juan Island is an island with good restaurants.

After riding the ferry from Victoria, BC to Friday Harbor, you'll undoubtedly want to stretch your legs and explore. This will stimulate your appetite. Then you'll be confronted with a difficult decision: where to eat.

Are you in the mood for "fresh, sophisticated Northwest cuisine"? Try the Duck Soup Inn. The setting is beautiful, in the woods overlooking scenic ponds. The food has been praised by Bon Appétit and Gourmet. The atmosphere is cozy and elegant.

The Coho Restaurant serves locally grown Pacific cuisine with an international flair. You'll find simple fare in a tastefully decorated historic Craftsman house, just blocks from the ferry.

The Backdoor Kitchen is the perfect place for folks with an adventurous palate. It bills itself as having "multi-ethnic menus". Enjoy a meal of Thai Style Fresh Salad Rolls and an East Indian Vegetarian Platter. On the flip side, Downriggers is a great place to bring your less adventurous children. It is right on the waterfront and has amazing views. The food is good, and the staff is friendly.

The 19th Annual San Juan Island Artists' Studio Tour takes place June 5 and 6, 2010. This is a wonderful time to start thinking about visiting San Juan Island this summer!

Artists are drawn to the San Juan Islands because of their natural beauty and slow pace of life. There is room and time to be creative here. Truthfully, more of us would live up in the San Juan Islands if our livelihood allowed for it. Artists are a lucky bunch.

Each year during the Artists' Studio Tour, the artists of the island open their studio spaces to the public. There is no charge for this event - it is merely a wonderful opportunity to see where art is made and to speak with the artists. Fourteen studios and over 35 artists will participate on June 5, 6, 2010. San Juan Transit can help you travel to each of these studios.

Nothing smacks of summer quite like sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands. Kayaks allow us to intimately experience the waters of the Salish Sea, with the sun warming our backs and splashes of water from our paddles cooling our faces. What a great way to explore this amazing island landscape carved by ancient glaciers and eroded by eons of waves. Who knows? You may get eye to eye with curious seals and sea lions, watch porpoises leap or have a chance encounter with a local pod of orca whales. Summer is fast approaching - plan your San Juan Island kayaking excursion today.

Victoria Express can book your San Juan Kayaking experience. This includes afternoon tours, sunrise or sunset tours, and tours that last more than one day. You may arrange a custom family tour, or join up with a larger group. All organizations have competent, experienced guides who look out for your safety while creating an enjoyable experience.

Travel by Victoria Express to your own kayak vacation. Victoria Express ferry to Friday Harbor is a delightful way to reach the San Juan Islands. Passenger ferries between Victoria and Friday Harbor start June 25, 2010, and run Fridays - Mondays throughout the summer. That's perfect for an extended weekend getaway.

You'll find Friday Harbor and San Juan Island easily accessible by foot and public transportation. So leave your car at home and spend your free time enjoying the Salish Sea and the waters of the San Juan Islands.

Please call 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information about Friday Harbor. Let us make all your travel arrangements.

San Juan Island is one of the greatest gems of the Pacific Northwest. The San Jan Islands tend to be sunnier than much of the Pacific Northwest, thanks to the Olympic RainShadow, and the weather is generally more mild. You'll find a strong arts community, good restaurants, and excellent lodging. There is outstanding outdoor recreation: miles of hiking trails, ideal conditions for biking, and extraordinary kayaking.

Many folks would visit San Juan Island much more often if they didn't fear the ferry lines. Time spent in long car lines during a weekend getaway feels like precious minutes lost.

When you travel by Victoria Express ferry to San Juan Island, you may breathe a sigh of relief and leave your car at home. Once in Friday Harbor, your island transportation needs will be met by San Juan Transit.

San Juan Transit will meet you at the ferry dock and whisk you away to your lodging. Once settled, you may call upon San Juan Transit to take you just about anywhere on the island, from Westcott Bay Sculpture Park near Roche Harbor, to San Juan County Park, to the San Juan Vineyards for a little wine tasting. You need not feel constrained by not having a car, plus San Juan Transit has a great day rate!

San Juan Transit will drop you at a hiking trail and pick you up at an allotted time. They'll take you to the point of departure for a kayak trek, or a whale watch tour. If you feel like simply sitting back and taking in the sites, try one of their narrated tours of the island.

This summer, don't let the ferry lines cramp your style. Hop on board the Victoria Express ferry to Friday Harbor, and travel throughout the island on San Juan Transit. Scenic travel between Victoria BC and Friday Harbor begins June 25, 2010. It's easy.

For more information, please call 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Travel between the United States and Canada requires a passport or enhanced driver's license. Visit our ID Requirements for more details.

Photo compliments of the San Juan Island Visitor's Bureau.

Let's be frank. Everyone wants to catch a glimpse of an orca whale. It may not be at the top of the list of things you want to do in life, but you wouldn't shut your eyes if one swam past. Orca whales are amazing creatures, and those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest are fortunate to live by their habitat.

One pod of Orcas typically resides near the San Juan Islands from mid-April to early October. That's one really good reason to visit Friday Harbor.

Once there, you will find several options to view Orca whales. They are often spotted from shore, and it is fun to travel around San Juan Island by moped, trying to predict where they will be next. You may want to rent a kayak and try for a closer look. Or participate in one of several Whale Watching excursions.

It is easy to get to Friday Harbor from either the Olympic Peninsula or Victoria B.C. Victoria Express will take care of all your San Juan Island travel arrangements, including lodging and special activities. Call 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

This may be your lucky summer and you may get to see the orcas while on your San Juan Island-Friday Harbor journey. This whale image was taken by Julie Lawrence, a professional photographer from Sequim, while on the Victoria Express.

Please see our ID Requirements for details about travel between the United States and Canada.

We all can picture tracker dogs saving earthquake victims in Haiti, but saving killer whales? Get real! On the evening of Tuesday, February 9 at 7:00 pm at Camp Orkila on Orcas Island, Katherine Ayres, a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Washington's Center for Conservation Biology will explain how and why she is using tracker dogs to save endangered southern resident killer whales.

Ayres uses whale scat to measure the health of individual whales and to ultimately assess the health of the overall population. But finding whale poop in the wild is not easy. That's were a trained scat detection dog can be a big help.

Just like tracker dogs that can be trained to detect live people under rubble or cocaine packed inside of a can of gasoline; they too can be trained to detect killer whale feces floating on the water at great distances. Ayers will talk about how detection dogs are being used and what valuable information can be gained from the scat, which unlike blubber biopsies, is collected without impacting already endangered animals.

The Marine Science Lecture Series was created to inspire the general public and to highlight the amazing fish and wildlife of our region. Lectures are free. Please park in the upper parking lot at Camp Orkila. Shuttle service from the parking lot to the talk is available before and after the lecture.

The 2009/10 Marine Science Lecture Series is presented by program partners The SeaDoc Society and YMCA Camp Orkila located in Eastsound on Orcas Island. It is made possible through generous sponsorship by Tom Averna (Deer Harbor Charters), and The Gould Family Foundation and co-sponsorship by Barbara Brown, Eclipse Charters, The Kingfish Inn, Shearwater Sea Kayak Tours, West Sound Marina and Jim and Kathy Youngren.

The SeaDoc Society is a non-profit program of the Wildlife Health Center, a center of excellence at the world-renowned UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

For more information contact Jean Spalti at the SeaDoc Society, 360-376-3910. Photo courtesy of S. Buckley.

If you are interested in exploring Friday Harbor on San Juan Island this summer, check out our 2010 sailing schedule. Victoria Express can make your Friday Harbor travel arrangements. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call 360.452.8088 for more information.

What, there is no such thing as a sea gull? On the evening of Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 pm in Camp Orkila on Orcas Island where biologist and writer Thor Hanson will engage you in the interesting facts about these opportunistic birds. You might not remember all the fascinating details or identification features for the dozen or so gull species we have, but you should walk away more fond of these birds and probably will no longer make the faux pas of calling them sea gulls.

Gulls belong to the Laridae family. They will eat just about anything, from fish or small rodents to ferry French fries and potato chips and a salt excreting gland enables them to drink either fresh or salt water. They nest in large, densely packed, and noisy colonies where they lay two to three speckled eggs. Larger gull species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, while two years is more typical for small gulls. They can live to be 15 years old and some have been known to live to be over 25 years old. 

The 2009/10 Marine Science Lecture Series was created to inspire the general public and to highlight the amazing fish and wildlife of our region. Lectures are free and this lecture is held at the YMCA Camp Orkila in Eastsound on Orcas Island. Please park in the upper parking lot at Camp Orkila. Shuttle service from the parking lot to the talk is available before and after the lecture.

The SeaDoc Society is a non-profit program of the Wildlife Health Center, a center of excellence at the world-renowned UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

For more information: Jean Spalti * SeaDoc Society * 360-376-3910

YMCA Camp Orkila – A Branch of the YMCA of Greater Seattle – Mount Baker Road, Eastsound, WA 98245 – (360) 376-2678

Charter an unforgettable adventure.

Holiday season is fast approaching, meaning that family will be flying to the Northwest from all over, and the calendar will soon fill with business parties and fun events.

Make your next event unforgettable. Charter a private cruise aboard the Victoria Express. Cruise under the stars or sail to great destinations throughout the Salish Sea and Puget Sound. Eat a delicious meal and feel yourself relax. Your guests will have an experience they will remember for years to come.

Let us take care of all of the details so you can relax and enjoy your guests. We can accommodate large groups, provide custom food & beverage services and offer a complete multimedia system for your entertainment. Your event will be the talk of the season!

Are you looking for party suggestions? We can customize your event plans with excellent cruise packages. – We can make all of your special event arrangements. Contact us today and start planning your own lasting memory. E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it -  360-452-8088