Walkable Anacortes is the heart of the community—and an easy place to spend an evening. Historic buildings now house restaurants, bars, shops and galleries, with lodging options just a short stroll away.

Start with dinner. Options range from waterfront seafood and cozy Italian to sushi, farm-to-table fare, old-fashioned burgers, smash burgers, fish and chips and classic pub food. Then keep your evening going with live music, theater or an art walk.

Music Hot Spots

Live music is a big part of the Anacortes evening scene, with several downtown and waterfront venues offering regular performances. Schedules change, so check each venue’s calendar for current dates and times.

Summer Concert Series: The Port of Anacortes presents free outdoor concerts at Seafarers’ Memorial Park, typically 6–8 p.m. on select Wednesdays and Fridays in July and Fridays in August.

Rockfish Grill: Live music typically Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Heart of Anacortes: Check the current music calendar.

Brown Lantern: Live music typically Saturdays.

The Globe: Formerly Buxton’s, The Globe hosts a variety of live performances. Check the schedule at the Anacortes Music Project.

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If you are searching for a weekend getaway or trip centered on exercise and outdoor activities, Anacortes offers a terrific formula. Its compact location is on Fidalgo island, where you arrive with no need to fight ferry traffic and schedule.

Walking is one of the best ways to get to know Anacortes. Various self-guided tours make your outing easy to organize and follow:

• Historic Building Walking Tour
  Offered by the Anacortes History Museum, this map highlights 30 historic downtown buildings. Enjoy it as a single 90-minute walk or two shorter loops.
• Bill Mitchell Mural Project Walking Tour
  A smartphone-friendly tour showcasing iconic murals throughout town, also presented by the Anacortes History Museum.
• Public Art Tour
  More than 50 artworks are displayed across Anacortes and Fidalgo Island. An easy-to-use online map guides you to sculptures, murals, and installations in public spaces.
• Music Map of Anacortes
  An interactive map from the Anacortes Museum and Parks & Recreation pairs music with place. Listen to songs written by local musicians as you walk to the locations that inspired them.

 Museums & Maritime History

• Anacortes Maritime Heritage Center & W.T. Preston
  This compact but engaging museum explores the town’s working waterfront. Tour the W.T. Preston, a National Historic Landmark steamboat, and view vintage films, large-scale historic photographs, and newly added artifacts.
  Free admission; steamboat tours require a small ticket fee. Open weekends in May.
• Anacortes Museum
  Housed in a 1909 Carnegie Library, the museum tells the story of Anacortes through rotating and permanent exhibits. Artifacts, photographs, and interactive displays explore maritime life, logging, pioneer settlement and Indigenous heritage.
  Free admission.

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WALK FEST DATES SET FOR 2027

Thanks to your enthusiasm and participation, the Anacortes Walk Fest steering committee voted last night to bring Walk Fest back in 2027.

Mark your calendars now:
Friday, April 30–Monday, May 3, 2027

We are reviewing the many thoughtful suggestions shared in our participant survey, and several ideas will help shape next year’s event. Stay tuned for updates as plans develop.

And a big thanks–to our sponsors and partners for helping make this first Anacortes Walk Fest such a success:

• City of Anacortes Lodging Tax Program
• Anacortes Rotary
• Anacortes Parks Foundation
• Island Health
• Anacortes Parks and Recreation
• Skagit County Parks and Recreation
• HF Sinclair

We are also grateful to the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce, which will continue its key role in registration and event support as we aim to expand both local and visitor participation in 2027.

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Come for the views. Stay for the walks.

Anacortes is the kind of Pacific Northwest getaway where you can spend the morning on a forest trail, the afternoon exploring a waterfront downtown, and the evening enjoying a great meal.

Set between saltwater and the forested hills of Fidalgo Island, Anacortes packs a remarkable amount into a small, walkable town. Scenic marinas, interesting shops, locally loved restaurants, lively bars, galleries and accommodations ranging from luxurious to laid-back, all providing visitors lots of reasons to linger.

And if you want to explore beyond town, Anacortes makes an ideal base. Highway 20 and the Washington State Ferries put a surprising variety of adventures within easy reach. Hop the small ferry to Guemes Island, cross Deception Pass Bridge into the southern reaches of Deception Pass State Park or head into the hills for spectacular views of islands, water and forest.

But no need to go far at all.

Anacortes rewards travelers who like to explore on foot. A stroll through downtown can lead to a waterfront park, a coffee shop, an art gallery or a great lunch. Scenic trails begin all around town, while kayaking, whale watching, cycling and mountain biking offer even more ways to get outside. Just add the welcoming community and a relaxed island-town atmosphere, and it’s easy to see why visitors often arrive planning to explore the region—and end up wanting to stay right here.

Anacortes day trip highlights—Stary active all day outside: Trails, Views and Fresh Air

Some of the area’s best adventures are only minutes from downtown. Hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers can choose from easy, beginner-friendly routes to challenging climbs in the hills above town.

Popular destinations include Mount Erie, Cap Sante Park and Washington Park, with spectacular views across the islands and surrounding waters. Just a little farther afield, Deception Pass and Sharpe Park offer even more trails, forests and dramatic coastal scenery. Or walk aboard the Guemes Island Ferry for an easy escape (in just 10 minutes) to an island with its own network of hiking and biking opportunities.

History and art lovers have plenty to explore, too, with self-guided walks that reveal the stories, people and places that have shaped Anacortes.

Keep your eyes open along the way. Trails, shorelines and waterways are beautiful places to spot orcas, seals, otters and an impressive variety of birds and waterfowl.

Anacortes Community Forest Lands: The Crown Jewel

For walkers and hikers, the Anacortes Community Forest Lands (ACFL) may be the crown jewel.

Spanning more than 2,950 acres, the ACFL offers more than 50 miles of trails winding through forests, wetlands, lakes and open meadows. It’s an extraordinary amount of accessible nature tucked into—and immediately surrounding—a small waterfront town.

A local nonprofit, Friends of the ACFL, helps care for this remarkable resource. Proudly self-described as “tree huggers,” the group also leads guided hikes and walks throughout the year, giving visitors a natural way to explore the forest with knowledgeable locals.

Friends of the ACFL hosts guided hikes and walks year-round, offering a straightforward way to explore with knowledgeable locals.

• Family hikes designed for families with young children are typically offered on the third Sunday of each month, 10am – noon.
• Senior hikes are offered on the third Thursday of each month, 10am – 12pm
• Community hikes now has staffing to lead walks on Sundays.

The ACFL is open to hikers throughout the park, with designated areas also allowing bicycles, horses and two-wheeled motorcycles. On ACFL trails, level 1 E-bikes are considered bicycles and level 2 & 3 are motorcycles (that’s per the COA Parks and Rec 2026 Forest Management Plan). Motorcycles are permitted April 1 through October 31.

City of Anacortes Parks and Recreation

City youth activities include an extensive offering of youth sports leagues, seasonal sailing program and various recreational classes. Adult activities include several recreational sports leagues and various recreational classes.

Special events include seasonal parties or celebrations, school vacation activities, special youth events and family events, including holiday events, fishing, celebrations and road runs.

 For information call Anacortes Parks and Recreation at 360-293-1918 or recreation@anacorteswa.gov

The result? You can come to Anacortes for an adventure almost anywhere—and find one waiting right outside your door.

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Anacortes is made for wandering. Whether you are in the market for a favorite gift idea, books for young and old, a new outfit or special Pacific Northwest gifts, you will find shops to cover every interest.

Browse boutique shops, hunt for treasures at standout thrift stores or settle into favorite gathering places like Pelican Bay Books (complete with its own coffee stand), Gere-A-Deli, Dad’s Diner, Rockfish Grill, Fidalgo Drive-in, Anthony’s and Penguin Coffee. Poke your head into a shop and you are sure to be greeted with a smile, in many instances by the business owner.

On Saturdays, the Anacortes Farmers Market brings together local produce, food vendors and community spirit.

Farmers Market Schedule & Seasons

• Main Season Market: Saturdays, May through October, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Depot Arts Center.
• Winter Markets: Second Saturday of the month from January through April, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Depot Arts Center.
• Holiday Market: Saturday after Thanksgiving in November, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Depot Arts Center

Key Highlights

• Just 80 miles north of Seattle (and 95 miles south of Vancouver, B.C.), Anacortes packs big charm into a small town—forest trails, lively arts and a welcoming downtown.
• Food lovers will find bakeries, coffee shops, fine dining, casual cafés, and bars—all within easy walking distance.
• Stay in style with a restored downtown hotel, cozy inns or vacation rentals.

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April 30 to May 3, 2027 will be here before you know it. So start planning your walking mini-break in Spring. Anacortes Walk Fest is sponsored by the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce and organized by a committed group of local volunteers.

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