The San Juan Islands are magical. Cast between Vancouver Island and Washington State’s northern mainland, they range from surprisingly sophisticated to off-the-grid hideaways.

Congestion is unknown. There isn't a single traffic signal in all of San Juan County. One hundred seventy-three islands of varying size make up the archipelago on the ancient Salish Sea. Protected behind the Olympic Mountains, the San Juans enjoy a temperate climate with less than half the rain of nearby Seattle, and over 275 days of sunshine a year.

The native Indians call this place the birthplace of man. Evidence of their inhabitancy dates back more than 5,000 years.

Seventeen years ago, I was drawn to the San Juans because of the water. As a fourth-generation San Franciscan, I grew up bashing about in boats on the Bay. If it wasn’t foggy and blowing thirty with white caps, it wasn’t summer. Here, because of the protection of the Olympic Mountain range we usually have calm waters with mild breezes. The San Juans are the gateway to the Inside Passage, some of the best cruising waters in North America.

I moved to Friday Harbor to give my kids a safe place to grow up and enjoy the quiet rural lifestyle. Despite the relaxed pace, we are close to Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria BC. The islands are inhabited by friendly natives and part timers that winter in Arizona or California.  Properties range from funky little beach shacks to multimillion-dollar estates. 

If this has piqued your interest, please check out to the property search feature and let me know if I can be of service. As an owner of Island Group Sotheby’s International Realty, I look forward to making your island dreams happen.

Paul LeBaron
Owner-Agent