Anaco Beach

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• Beach
• 5 kmfrom Anacortes center
• 4.2 / 55 reviews
• Anacortes

What Makes It Special

Anaco Beach gets its character from its setting. It faces the Guemes Channel, a busy waterway between Fidalgo Island and Guemes Island that the Anacortes-to-Sidney ferry corridor threads through every day. Standing on the shore, you may spot the white-hulled Washington State ferries cutting across toward Lopez or Orcas Island, or pleasure craft heading out into the larger Salish Sea. The view westward toward Fidalgo Head — a rocky promontory about 1.6 miles away — frames a classic Pacific Northwest coastline of dark spruce, granite bluffs, and grey-green water.↗↗

Because the beach is hemmed by a residential neighborhood rather than a park or commercial strip, it stays uncrowded even in summer. Homes along Anaco Beach Road sit at an elevated grade, but the shore itself is low-lying at just 3 meters above sea level, meaning the feel of the place changes noticeably between high and low tide. At low water, the exposed tidelands attract shorebirds and offer room to walk; at high tide, the channel laps closer to the homes and bluffs.↗↗

What to Notice and Do

This is not a destination built for hours of sunbathing or water sports. It rewards a brief visit: a ten- or twenty-minute stroll along the tideline, a look at the channel traffic, and a sense of the quiet that the less-visited parts of Fidalgo Island still offer. On clear days, the higher summits of the San Juan Islands — particularly Mount Constitution on Lopez Island, visible about 15 miles to the north-northwest — can be picked out across the water.↗

If you want to extend the outing, Tugboat Beach is only a short drive away and has a small park area. Further afield, the community of Flounder Bay and the headlands around Burrows Island are close by for a broader sense of the island's western shoreline. The Deception Pass area is roughly six miles south, where the dramatic bridge and Rosario Beach provide a striking contrast to Anaco Beach's understated charm.↗↗

Getting There and Practical Notes

Anaco Beach is reached via Anaco Beach Road, a short residential street on the western side of Fidalgo Island, a few minutes' drive from central Anacortes. There is no dedicated public parking lot; access is from the roadside in a neighborhood setting, so visitors should be respectful of residents and park only where clearly permitted.↗

There are no lifeguards, restrooms, or concession stands. The beach is unmanaged and natural. Bring anything you need and pack it out when you leave. The nearest NOAA tide-prediction station is at Ship Harbor on Fidalgo Island, about two miles away — worth checking before a visit, as the exposed area at low tide can make the experience considerably more pleasant.↗

Summer (June through August) brings the warmest and driest conditions, with average highs around 65 °F and minimal rainfall. Late-summer evenings stretch well past nine o'clock before sunset at the solstice, making golden-hour walks along the channel a particular pleasure in July.↗

Nearby to Pair With Your Visit

Anaco Beach works best as part of a Fidalgo Island loop. Combine it with the Washington Park scenic drive in Anacortes for elevated views of the San Juan archipelago, or with a visit to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal to catch a boat to Lopez or Orcas Island. The Tommy Thompson Trail, a rail-to-trail pathway along the waterfront near downtown, offers a pleasant walk and a closer look at the town's maritime culture.↗↗

For a full-day itinerary, head south to Deception Pass State Park — six miles away — to pair Anaco Beach's quiet tideline with the park's famous bridge, rocky beaches, and old-growth forest trails.↗