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Throughout Anacortes’ 125-year history there have been attempts to find a name or a theme to best describe the community of Anacortes. Anacortes has been referred to as “The gateway to the San Juans,” or the “Heart of the Island Empire,” or “The Magic City.” The community could best be described today as “The City within a Park.” Anacortes is proud to boast 12-1/2 miles of saltwater shoreline, four freshwater lakes, surrounded by and inclusive of 3000 plus acres of city-owned forestlands and city-owned parks. There are 20 different parks within the city limits of Anacortes, from a skate park, (The Ben Root Memorial Skate park), to parks with commanding views and beautiful overlooks including, Mt. Erie (160 Acres), the highest point on Fidalgo Island) and Cape Sante (37 Acres), with a remnant amphitheatre. Washington Park (220 acres) is perhaps the locals’ favorite park jutting into Rosario Strait on the western edge of Anacortes and offering territorial views and outstanding sunsets. This park has day use areas, boat launches, and 75 overnight camping sites. Picnic sites and car pullouts provide beach access along Green Point, the western shoreline of the park. A two and three tenths mile loop road on the park perimeter provides access to several shoreline areas with a premier viewpoint of Burrows Bay. Cars, joggers and walkers share this road with a few hours each day assigned to foot traffic only.
Two new parks have been developed in Anacortes these past two years, the “Tommy Thompson Parkway Trail,” a 12’ wide paved trail developed on the five-mile-long rail bed of the former Burlington Northern Railroad originates at 4th Street and winds its way south along Fidalgo Bay finally crossing the bay over a trestle, from Weaverling Spit to March Point. Kiwanis/Guemes Channel Park next to the Guemes Ferry Landing was improved in 2003, offering commanding views of Guemes Channel and its maritime traffic and island backdrops.
Anacortes is a “Gateway to the San Juan Islands and Sidney, British Columbia.” Viewers participating in a survey with television station, (King 5) picked Anacortes as the “Best Ferry Ride” in the Washington State Ferry Fleet with its daily trips to the San Juan Islands and Sidney, British Columbia.
Anacortes boasts many outdoor activities, fishing, boating, kayaking, whale watching, bird watching, and hiking/biking along the trails of our 3,200 acres of community-owned forestland.
Anacortes is home to the Anacortes Arts Festival that attracts over 100,000 people the first weekend in August, the Waterfront Festival and to the annual “Oyster Run,” an event that takes place in September and attracts thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts. Anacortes offers these festivalgoers and all other tourists the opportunity to visit a first class museum; the W.T. Preston, a historic stern wheel snag boat located next to a historic train depot; and many flourishing art galleries.
When your activities are finished for the day, Anacortes is home to many fine eateries in a business sector that has been growing steadily.
Anacortes spent the past decade investing heavily in infrastructure with newly remodeled schools, a new police station, a new community center, and a new library that is now the pride and joy of Anacortes.
We have found a way to refurbish our oldest historic building, the “New Wilson Hotel” (built in 1890) located at 804 Commercial Avenue, by securing tax credits and grant funding. This upgrade has brought an underutilized building back to life with revamped commercial retail space, and with 26 new housing units.
Boat building and boat repair continues to expand. Anacortes is now home to many successful boat-building and boat repair companies who employ over 1000 workers in skilled jobs. Custom yachts from 38’ to 130’ are being built, as have been fast-passenger-ferries and ocean-going tugboats.
With all that is happening in Anacortes today we remain committed to being a small working community with a 2025 build-out population of 19,300. Culture and quality of life remain our number one priority in Anacortes.
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