Things to do on Orcas Island

Turtleback Mountain is a great place to hike and bird watch. The South trail is pedestrian-only. Take the hike up from here to Ship's Peak for a great view -- and great views on the way as well. Be prepared to stop and enjoy.

Mount Constitution is in Moran State Park. There's a hiking trail up the mountain, but there's also a road. At the top you'll find a stone tower which offers stunning views -- particularly at sunset, though the park closes at dusk.

Sucia is a small island just to the North of Orcas Island.

Transporation to Sucia is boat-only. If you don't have a boat of your own, Outer Island Excursions runs a water taxi and will (for an extra fee) bring along your ebike or kayak or let you rent one. There's also some camping spots on the island.

The address here is the one for Orcas Island Eclipse Charters or Orcas Island Excursions, but other whale watching opportunities abound in the San Juan Islands.

You may see orcas, humpback whales, or just have a lovely boat ride.

This is a small nature preserve near Eastsound. The trail here is easy and on a Summer morning there were quite a few joggers running through the trail. Mostly forested, with a few more open meadow areas. Good hike for families wanting a short hike.

Moran State Park is a great place to camp. You'll find plenty of hiking trails, Mount Constitution, and lakes for swimming, boating, etc. For camping, be sure to book reservations early on as it gets very crowded in the popular Summer months.

Mount Constitution is in Moran State Park. There's a hiking trail up the mountain, but there's also a road. At the top you'll find a stone tower which offers stunning views -- particularly at sunset, though the park closes at dusk.

The largest town on Orcas Island, you'll find the grocery store, restaurants, and many, many shops in Eastsound.

This is a nice place to launch a kayak. The paddle around Obstruction Island is a generally calm and relatively safe one as opposed to some other spots in the San Juans.

Doe Bay Resort offers walk-in and drive-in camping, cabins, yurts -- even a treehouse -- and has a small shop -- and a cafe that's open part of the time. They also have some events, music festivals, etc during the year. The hot tubs are still clothing-optional but in recent years are by reservation-only with preference given to guests of the resort. Walk-in camping offers the best views, depending on the site...but be aware that for many of them you will need to deal with getting your stuff up or down hills.