We met this guy once years ago. Great looking boat, Pearson 44. Charters out of Bainbridge, Island, which is just west of Seattle. They do a San Juan trip that maybe you could tailor to your plans, like get picked up in Port Townsend or something so the trip to the islands would be a little shorter.
Ayup! I think the crewed charter option would be the most enjoyable for you. I don't 'do' tourist very well. Lines, walking, waiting, booking, reserving, walking, wasting time waiting on your next 'event', walking, hurrying to get to your next event, too hot, too cold... (While walking is 'good' for you, it's a heck of a way to be 'on vacay') If you're not walking, you're driving, parking, driving, looking for a parking spot, over paying for a parking spot, hoping that the next restaurant you see won't be too busy, wondering why it's not busy...
See Level has it right*
The CWB is in the South Lake Union neighborhood. The waterfront construction is on the saltwater Puget Sound side, so you're good there. I'll second Ish's suggestion of the Chihuly exhibit at Seattle Center (where the Space Needle is). If you can, schedule your visit around twightlight. After the sun sets and they turn on the lights, the outdoor portions are even more dramatic.
In normal times, we would just sail you over to Roche Harbor, you taxi to Friday Harbor and catch the Anacortes ferry as walkons. It's a nice day trip. Who knows what the schedules and regulations will be, but we could find out what's involved.
Can't get by ferry from Victoria to the San Juans directly. As I recall you couldn't even when the Washington State Sidney ferry was running - east bound I think I recall it went straight through to Anacortes, where you would have to clear customs and get back on a ferry to the San Juans. But if you can get someone to run you over on a boat.... it is a short and beautiful trip. Even back through Port Angeles it will be a little circuitous - ferry to Port Angeles, drive to Port Townsend, ferry to Coupville, drive to Anacortes, ferry to San Juans. I think that is how it has to be done these days. I've travelled between Seattle and Victoria/Sidney I think every possible way: all three ferries, the Clipper, airliner, float plane, sailboat, motorboat. Haven't done kayak or swim it yet. But most of those have not run since early 2020.
I would say if you’re going to travel that far, skip Seattle —sure, it’s got its cool things, but it’s really just another big U.S. city you can always go see—and go to the San Juans/Gulf Islands, and the west coast of Vancouver Island, Ucluelet/Tofino. The west coast is spectacular and unique. Big whales, big waves, big eagles, big weather, big trees.
Go out salmon fishing. Kayak Barkley or Clayoquot Sound. The Olympic Peninsula is ruggedly beautiful, but to experience it well you need to walk the coast and camp (and it’s basically totally undeveloped on the Pacific Ocean side north of La Push).I wouldn't count on that ferry coming back next year - WSDOT barely has enough boats and doesn't have enough crew to service its domestic routes. Things got feral in the San Juans (and everywhere else too) around Christmas, I think we were down to 2 boats on no known schedule. They can't build boats fast enough to get more in service by the summer, and politics (and shitty hours and pay for new hires) seem to be clogging up the process of hiring enough staff.
Speaking of Orcas - go pay Karl Kruger of Kruger Escapes a visit. He’s “the dude”! (He has stand up paddle boarded solo to Ketchikan, AK, and is an experienced sailor and all around waterman.) If you’re looking for a sailing charter. https://krugerescapes.com
This did not work out. They seem to have a minimum charge for 4 people, which I understand. No one else in our party are not interested, and that's too much of a premium.
