Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America: What to pack, what to wear, and when to go [2024]

Empty Lighthouse is a reader-supported site. This article may contain affiliate links to Amazon and other sites. We earn a commission on purchases made through these links.

Ready to pack for Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America? If you're planning to go to Friday Harbor, here is some important information about when to go, what to wear, and what to pack.

Contents

When to go to Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America

Based on the climate and weather in Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America, the best time to go is August. See below for details.

What to wear/what to pack for Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America

Already know when you're traveling?

Here are some general tips on what to wear in Friday Harbor, as well as several items to remember to pack when traveling there.

What to wear/what to pack for Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America by month

January

In January, Friday Harbor can be very chilly and very rainy. Temperatures routinely are in the 40s F (single digits C) and 5-10 days this month jump into the low 50s F (single digits C) range. At night, lows are in the 30s F (single digits C). During your visit, you can expect several inches of snow. This is also a rainy time for Friday Harbor, with more than half of the days of the month having rain. In January, humidity reaches as high as 80%.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little protection, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airports repeatedly losing things nowadays, an AirTag can find it anywhere on earth: AirTag for iPhones.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge huge penalties for overweight luggage. Save money with this

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Travel neck pillow

    What we like is this one

  • Travel voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Be sure to get the correct type. The vast majority of adapters available are just plugs and expect your devices to convert the voltage themselves. If your devices can't do that they could burn up. This one works in most areas.

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

February

If you are traveling to Friday Harbor in February, you will notice that it is brisk and somewhat rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time. Daytime temperatures are in the high 40s F (single digits C).

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airports frequently losing luggage recently, an AirTag can locate it anywhere anywhere: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a bit of peace of mind, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Ensure that you pick the necessary kind. The vast majority of adapters available online are just plugs and require your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If yours can't do that they could get fried. This one works in most places.

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge excessive amounts for overweight luggage. Avoid surcharges with this

  • Travel neck pillow

    Our fave is this one

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

March

March in Friday Harbor can be very chilly and somewhat rainy. The average overnight temperatures in the area are in the high 30s F (single digits C). It tends to rain about half of the time. But the colder weather doesn't bring low humidity, which is in the 60% to 70% range on average.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airports constantly losing things nowadays, an AirTag can locate it anywhere anywhere: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a bit of protection, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Travel neck pillow

    A great choice is this one

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge large amounts for overweight luggage. Save money with this

  • Voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Take care to get the correct kind. Most adapters for sale now are simply plug changers and require your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If yours can't do that they could burn up. This one should be sufficient for most countries.

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

April

April in Friday Harbor is chilly and somewhat rainy. The average overnight temperatures in the area are in the low 40s F (single digits C). It tends to rain about half of the time. But the colder weather doesn't bring low humidity, which is in the 60% to 70% range on average.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little protection, an anti-theft backpack protects your stuff.

  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airlines frequently losing things recently, an AirTag can locate it anywhere on earth: AirTag for iPhones.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge huge prices for overweight luggage. Save money with this

  • Travel voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. It's important that you find the correct type. Many adapters available online are simply plugs and require your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If your electronics can't do that they could get destroyed. This one works in most areas.

  • Travel pillow

    An excellent option is this one

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

May

May in Friday Harbor is crisp and somewhat rainy. Temperatures average in the low 60s F (high 10s C) during the day. It rains about a third of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airlines always losing bags these days, an AirTag can help you locate it anywhere on earth: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little protection, an anti-theft backpack protects your stuff.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Travel neck support pillow

    A good option is this one

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge huge penalties for overweight luggage. Save money with this

  • Travel voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Take care to find the necessary kind. The majority of adapters available are simply plugs and expect your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If yours can't do that they could get fried. This one works in most areas.

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

June

June here is crisp and somewhat rainy. Temperatures average in the 60s F (high 10s C) during the day. It rains a bit less than half of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a bit of peace of mind, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airports frequently losing bags these days, an AirTag can find it anywhere anywhere: AirTag for iPhones.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Voltage step down adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. It's important that you choose the correct kind. The majority of adapters available are simply plug changers and require your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If your devices can't do that they could burn up. This one should be appropriate for most locations.

  • Travel neck support pillow

    A versatile choice is this one

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge huge prices for overweight luggage. Avoid penalties with this

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

July

July is balmy. Temperatures average in the high 60s F (low 10s C) during the day. It rains once in a while.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little peace of mind, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airlines constantly losing things recently, an AirTag can help you locate it anywhere anywhere: AirTag for iPhones.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. It's important that you find the necessary type. Most adapters currently available are simply plugs and require your electronics to convert the voltage themselves. If yours can't do that they could get destroyed. This one should work in most locations.

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge excessive prices for overweight luggage. Avoid penalties with this

  • Travel neck support pillow

    What we like is this one

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

August

Traveling to Friday Harbor in August, you will notice that it is balmy and dry with little rain. Expect it to rain once in a while. Daytime temperatures are in the high 60s F (low 10s C).

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airlines repeatedly losing things recently, an AirTag can find it anywhere anywhere: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little peace of mind, an anti-theft backpack protects your stuff.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Travel adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Make sure to find the necessary kind. Many adapters currently sold are just plug changers and expect your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If yours can't do that they could get destroyed. This one works in most locations.

  • Travel pillow

    A great choice is this one

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge huge penalties for overweight luggage. Save money with this

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

September

If you vacation in Friday Harbor during September, you might find that it is balmy. Temperatures tend to hover around the 60s F (high 10s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the high 40s F (single digits C). Humidity is generally around 60 during the day. In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain about a third of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airports always losing bags these days, an AirTag can help you locate it anywhere in the world: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a bit of peace of mind, an anti-theft backpack protects your things.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge large penalties for overweight luggage. Avoid penalties with this

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Travel neck support pillow

    What we like is this one

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Travel adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Be sure to find the correct type. The vast majority of adapters for sale now are simply plugs and require your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If your electronics can't do that they could get fried. This one should be appropriate for most locations.

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

October

In October, Friday Harbor is chilly and somewhat rainy. Temperatures routinely are in the high 50s F (mid 10s C) range. At night, lows are in the 40s F (single digits C). This is also a rainy time for Friday Harbor, with several of the days of the month having rain. In October, humidity reaches as high as 70%.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a bit of protection, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airlines constantly losing luggage recently, an AirTag can find it anywhere on earth: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Travel neck pillow

    A great choice is this one

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge large amounts for overweight luggage. Avoid penalties with this

  • Plug adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Be sure to get the necessary kind. A lot of adapters for sale now are simply plugs and expect your devices to convert the voltage themselves. If yours can't do that they could get fried. This one should work in most areas.

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

November

If you vacation in Friday Harbor during November, you are likely to see that it can be brisk and very rainy. Temperatures tend to hover around the low 50s F (low 10s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the low 40s F (single digits C). Humidity is generally between 70 and 80% during the day. In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain about two thirds of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little peace of mind, an anti-theft backpack protects your stuff.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airports frequently losing luggage these days, an AirTag can help you locate it anywhere in the world: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Travel neck pillow

    A top rated pillow is this one

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

  • Travel voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Check that you find the right kind. The majority of adapters available are just plugs and require your devices to adjust the voltage themselves. If your electronics can't do that they could get fried. This one is sufficent for most places.

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge huge penalties for overweight luggage. Save money with this

  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

December

Traveling to Friday Harbor in December, you will notice that it can be very chilly and very rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time. Daytime temperatures are in the high 40s F (single digits C).

What to wear/what to pack:

Clothes + Footwear
Health
Safety + Security
  • Anti-theft backpack

    For a little protection, an anti-theft backpack protects your belongings.

  • Money/passport pouch

    A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.

  • AirTag to track your luggage

    With airlines constantly losing bags these days, an AirTag can help you find it anywhere in the world: AirTag for iPhones.

  • Voice and data SIM card

    A SIM card that works in Friday Harbor. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying.

Comfort + Essentials
  • Airplane phone mount

    Make your flight more comfortable with an airplane phone mount

  • Travel pillow

    Our favorite is this one

  • Travel voltage adapter

    A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. Be sure to pick the right kind. Many adapters available online are just plugs and require your electronics to change the voltage themselves. If your devices can't do that they could burn up. This one is sufficent for most countries.

  • Luggage scale to avoid fees

    Airlines charge large amounts for overweight luggage. Avoid surcharges with this

  • Power bank for devices

    A portable power bank, like this one

If you see the Whale Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

What to do in Friday Harbor, Washington, United States of America

Friday Harbor, located in San Juan Island, is known as one of Washington's most popular tourist destinations. Its stunning natural beauty and charming small town vibe attracts visitors from all over the world. This quaint town is home to numerous tourist attractions that will leave you amazed and awe-inspired. Here are some of the top tourist attractions in Friday Harbor.

San Juan Island National Historical Park

Located on the southern end of San Juan Island, the San Juan Island National Historical Park is a must-visit tourist attraction for history buffs. The park commemorates the 1859 Pig War, a bloodless dispute between the British and American military over the killing of a pig on one of the farms. The park offers a scenic landscape, breathtaking views of the island's wildlife, and great hiking trails.

Whale Watching Tours

One of the main attractions in Friday Harbor is whale watching tours, where you can see Orca whales in their natural habitat. Several local companies offer boat tours to see these majestic creatures up close. You can also see other marine life on these tours, such as seals, sea lions, dolphins, and so on.

Pelindaba Lavender Farm

Pelindaba Lavender Farm is a 25-acre farm located on San Juan Island. The farm boasts of having over 25,000 lavender plants of more than 20 varieties that bloom from June through August. Visitors can tour the fields and learn about the distillation process, which produces lavender oil. The farm has a gift shop that sells lavender products such as soaps, oils, and candles.

The Whale Museum

The Whale Museum is located in downtown Friday Harbor and is a place where visitors can learn about the history of San Juan Island's orca whales. The museum houses a research library, several exhibits, and a skeleton of a killer whale. The museum also offers daily tours and educational programs for children.

Zip Lines

If you want a thrill, try the zip line tours available in Friday Harbor. You can soar through the lush forests and enjoy stunning views of the island. The zip line tours offered are both family-friendly and adventurous.

Conclusion

Friday Harbor is an excellent tourist destination that offers something for everyone, whether you are a history buff, nature lover, or adventure seeker. If you are planning a trip to Washington, do not miss out on visiting Friday Harbor and experiencing all that it has to offer.

About your travel guide

Hi! I'm Dev. I've traveled all over the world and in my travels, I have made many packing lists. In this series, my team and I have compiled the most useful information, as well as things we couldn't live without, to help you plan your trip.

Check out our guides for these other locations: Verona, Wisconsin, United States of America, Uppsala, Sweden, Sri City, India, Benton, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Elsthorpe, New Zealand, Mid-Atlantic, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mae Sot, Thailand, Beijing Capital International Airport, China, Puno, Peru, Marigot, Saint Martin, and Steinfeld, Austria.