Anacortes is the crown jewel of Fidalgo Island, easternmost of the San Juan Islands and jump-point to the rest of the world-renowned archipelago. Fidalgo, the “drive-to” island, is accessible by bridges from the east and from Whidbey Island to the south. It is also home to the Washington State Ferry terminal, serving the rest of the San Juans and Sidney/Victoria, British Columbia. The weather is milder than other areas of the Pacific Northwest, because it lies within the Olympic Mountain rain shadow. Fidalgo Island gets 21" of rain per year, only half as much as Seattle.
Anacortes boasts a myriad of recreational activities for all ages, interests and skill levels. Here you can enjoy sailing, power boating, whale watching, hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, golf, camping, sport fishing, bird watching, scuba diving, beach combing and much more. Anacortes is homeport for numerous sailing and power yacht charters.
The population was 14,557 at the 2000 census.
