Ferry Friday Harbor to Anacortes Looking at Mount Baker

I saw the photo you see above, on Facebook today. No credit was given as to who took the photo. What we are looking at in the photo is a Washington State Ferry, after it has left Friday Harbor, heading west through the San Juan Islands, eventually getting to the mainland, at the Anacortes ferry dock.

That is the Mount Baker volcano hovering over the scene in the background.

Friday Harbor is a town in San Juan County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,613 at the most recent census. Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island, is the commercial center of the San Juan Islands archipelago and is the county seat of San Juan County.

Washington has several towns which might be characterized as tourist towns, due to the throngs of tourists enjoying these towns. Friday Harbor is one of those towns. 

Equally touristy is La Conner, in the Skagit Valley, a short distance from where the ferry from Friday Harbor docks in Anacortes. 

Continuing east from La Conner, on Highway 20, you will eventually be driving over the North Cross State Highway Pass over the Cascades. This takes you through North Cascades National Park. After you get over the mountains you will soon come to another of Washington's themed tourist towns, Winthrop.

Take Stevens Pass over the Cascades and you will come to Washington's most touristy tourist town, Leavenworth. 

I'm likely forgetting some Washington tourist towns. Would Lynden be considered a tourist town? Lynden has a lot of Dutch theming going on...

Did You Know Washington Is Home To Many Incredible Things?

I found the following "did you know?" questions, on Facebook, and thought the questions to be shareworthy....

Did You Know?

Did you know? Washington is home to Mount Rainier, a towering active volcano that dominates the skyline and is one of the most glaciated peaks in the continental United States!

Below, that is me and my sister-in-law, Kristen's mom, Janet, hiking at Mount Rainer on a pleasant day in August of 2008.

Olympic National Park offers three distinct ecosystems—rainforests, rugged coastlines, and alpine mountains—making it one of the most diverse national parks in the U.S.

North Cascades National Park is nicknamed the "American Alps," with jagged peaks, turquoise lakes, and over 300 glaciers.

Me taking a rest on a granite slab after a long hike to Hidden Lake in North Cascades National Park.

Seattle, known as the Emerald City, boasts iconic attractions like the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the Amazon complex and the original Starbucks.

Below, my niece Ruby is showing me the Amazon Spheres, in downtown Seattle.

San Juan Islands are a paradise for whale watching, kayaking, and exploring quaint seaside towns like Friday Harbor.

The below photo was taken with my now ancient Casio digital camera. The location was Rosario Beach in Deception Pass State Park. The water here is crystal clear, but, even so, you cannot see the huge whale, which was making its way, slowly, along the shoreline, seeking food, we assumed. The slight wave action is the only visible sign of the huge whale. This location is at the east end of the San Juan Islands, in Washington's Puget Sound.

Washington’s Mount St. Helens, which famously erupted in 1980, is now a fascinating site for hiking, learning about volcanic history, and witnessing nature’s recovery.

The Hoh Rainforest, located in Olympic National Park, is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S., with moss-draped trees and serene hiking trails.

Leavenworth, a charming Bavarian-themed village, is a year-round destination for festivals, outdoor adventures, and cozy mountain vibes.

Here we see Wally and Wanda at an outdoor Leavenworth coffee bar.

Puget Sound offers stunning views and abundant wildlife, from bald eagles to orcas, making it a must-visit for nature lovers.

Nephew Theo, and me, building a sand fort at Birch Bay, at the far north end of Puget Sound. The shallow bay makes for warm water when the tide comes in on a Summer day.

Columbia River Gorge, on the state’s southern border, is a windsurfing hotspot with breathtaking waterfalls like Multnomah Falls just across the Oregon side.

Washington is the nation’s leading producer of apples, and its orchards come alive during the fall with U-pick farms and cider tastings.

The Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, one of the longest rail-trails in the U.S., takes adventurers through forests, mountains, and historic tunnels.

Well, there you go, some things you now know you can find in Washington, along with some illustrative photos...

Seattle's 2025 Waterfront

Saw that which you see above, on Facebook.

I've not seen the Seattle Waterfront since August of 2017. At that point in time the Alaskan Way Viaduct was still operational, moving vehicles, and being an eyesore of a barrier between downtown Seattle and the waterfront.

A tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct was almost finished when I visited Seattle in 2017. When that tunnel was finished, the Alaskan Way Viaduct came down, bringing on the massive rebuilding of the Seattle Waterfront into the pedestrian friendly, aesthetically pleasing reality we see in the 2025 photo of a section of the Seattle waterfront.

I am looking forward to an upcoming return to the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Tacoma, and my old home zone of the Skagit Valley.