- The San Juan Islands are a scattering of forested islands in the serene waters to the north of Puget Sound in Washington state, adjacent to Canada’s Vancouver Island. Ferries, private boats, kayaks, and orcas (killer whales) criss-cross the waters, while float planes and bald eagles soar overhead. The islands are rural, with a few small towns on the largest islands. The year-round population is small, but swarms of summer visitors come to for the scenery and outdoor life, and a lucky and wealthy few have vacation homes tucked into the islands.