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 .

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.

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.

Victoria Express is available for private charters for any occasion.

This is your opportunity to enjoy a private afternoon or evening on the water....

Plan a day trip to the San Juan Islands.

Victoria Express features indoor and outdoor seating, a snack bar, multiple restrooms, and a multimedia center including video screens and a PA system. Victoria Express is perfect for a wide variety of cruises around Port Angeles Harbor, Sequim Bay, Port Townsend Harbor, the San Juan Islands and other points of interest in the Salish Sea. Consider Victoria Express when you plan your next event:

• Charter to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.
• Company Picnic on the Harbor
• Client Social
• Salish Sea Culture Cruise
• Business Luncheon or Dinner
• Sunset Cocktail Cruise
• Retirement Party
• Sales Meeting
• Wedding, Reception or Rehearsal Dinner
• Reunion or Anniversary Party
• Training Class or Workshop
• Private Eco-Tour
• Wine Tasting Cruise
• Or any other reason you want to get out on the water…

Call or E-mail today for more information:

Phone: (360) 452-8088

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