The San Juan Islands beach hotels aren't prolific in number, as this island chain off the Washington coast is not exactly known as a major beach vacation destination. Sure, there are some sandy shores in the San Juans, though many are privately owned pieces of coastline. That being said, you can find some good San Juan Islands beach accommodations if that's what you're after. A few simple San Juan Island resorts can be found on a beach, for example, and there are also some tantalizing inns that boast easy beach access. If you can't find your ideal lodging fit among these resorts and B&Bs, there's always the San Juan Islands vacation rentals. Many of the rental properties in the chain are waterfront and have their own private strip of sand.

The majority of the San Juan Islands beach hotels can be found on Orcas Island, and they include the wonderful West Beach Resort. This resort on the west side of Orcas Island offers well-equipped cottages that are found right on its private beach. If you can't manage to secure one of the beachfront cottages, there are oceanview cottages that are found near the water, and it's not a far walk to the sand if you stay in a garden cottage. Tent cabins that are made of canvas are also available for rent, and if you prefer tent or RV camping, that is possible as well. As is true of the other San Juan Islands resorts, the West Beach Resort offers some good facilities to go with its accommodations. These facilities include a marina and an activities kiosk that can help you plan fun things to do.

Other San Juan Islands beach resorts that can be found on Orcas Island are the Beach Haven Resort (pictured), the Lieber Haven Resort, and the Doe Bay Resort. The Beach Haven Resort offers rustic yet well-equipped cabins, the largest of which has four bedrooms, and you can also stay in an apartment unit with a kitchen or secure the cozy cottage unit. It's not much different at the Lieber Haven Resort. There are cottages with kitchens, studio units with kitchenettes, and rooms that are equipped with microwaves. Both of these resorts offer a variety of fun activities, including kayaking, so staying busy won't be hard.

San Juan Islands Map

The Doe Bay Resort also manages to provide a variety of accommodations for its guests to choose from, and it is arguably the best beach hotel for those who appreciate liberal environments. Clothing is optional, for example, and the word "hippie" is often used in the overall description. If this doesn't prove to be a bother, you will be happy to know that the waterfront location is sublime. The hostel units and the campsites provide the most affordable lodging options at the Doe Bay Resort, and you can always splurge for a cabin or an even more spacious house rental.

If resorts like these aren't what you have in mind when trying to find San Juan Islands beach accommodations, you can always see what the bed and breakfast inns have to offer. The MacKaye Harbor Inn on Lopez Island, for example, offers a beachfront location that is hard to beat. If you still can't find a beach accommodation to suit your fancy among the San Juan Islands bed and breakfasts, the vacation rentals might have what you're looking for, and camping enthusiasts will be happy to know that there are beachfront campsites choose from.