Anacortes, WA

Anacortes sits in Skagit County in the northwestern part of Washington State, perched on the northern tip of Fidalgo Island overlooking the Salish Sea. With a population of roughly 17,000 to 19,000 residents, the city carries the feel of a working maritime town that doubles as a launchpad for outdoor adventure. Long known as the primary gateway to the San Juan Islands, Anacortes is also a frequent port of call for cruise ships heading to Alaska and a hub for the region's commercial fishing fleet. The city lies about 80 miles north of Seattle, roughly a 90-minute to two-hour drive depending on traffic, and about an hour south of Bellingham.

Just south of town, about a 15- to 20-minute drive, Deception Pass State Park anchors one of the most iconic stretches of Pacific Northwest coastline. The park sprawls across both Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands, joined by the dramatic Deception Pass Bridge, and offers tide-pooling, old-growth forest trails, rugged cliffside viewpoints, and a pair of intertidal lagoons. It draws photographers, hikers, and day-trippers year-round and routinely appears on lists of Washington's most-visited state parks.

Anacortes' ferry terminal, run by Washington State Ferries, is the jumping-off point for the San Juan Islands, an archipelago of forested isles known for kayaking, orca watching, art galleries, and small-village charm. Day-trippers can catch a ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island or to Orcas Island, while longer stays open up opportunities to explore Lopez, Shaw, and the more remote outer islands. The ferry terminal itself is a constant source of foot traffic during the warmer months.

Within the city limits, Cap Sante Park offers a short drive or a brisk uphill walk to a bluff with panoramic views of the marina, the Guemes Channel, and the surrounding islands. A bit further afield, Mount Erie rises about 1,500 feet and rewards visitors with one of the highest drive-up vistas in the region, especially at sunset. The Anacortes Community Forest Lands, a network of trails threading the hills above town, give hikers and mountain bikers a convenient option that begins just minutes from the historic downtown core.

Anacortes pulls in a steady stream of travelers year-round, from summer ferry riders and shoulder-season hikers to cruise-ship passengers seeking a quieter base than the larger port cities. Its compact waterfront downtown, deep-water marinas, and proximity to Deception Pass, the San Juan Islands, and the broader North Cascades region give short-term rental owners a versatile audience of nature lovers, ferry hoppers, and weekend escapees. For investors, the combination of year-round draw and a relatively limited supply of traditional lodging makes the city an unusually resilient corner of the Washington coast.