A trio of isles in the Pacific Northwest make charming vacation spots for the outdoorsy or those simply seeking peaceful, rustic life (and great food)
A WHALE OF AN ISLE | The terminal on butterfly-shaped Orcas Island, as seen from the approaching ferry, exudes Pacific Northwest charm. (Photo courtesy Andrew Collins)
ANDREW COLLINS | Contributing Writer
outoftown@qsyndicate.com
It’s amazing how easily you can feel completely removed from crowds, urbanity and the busy pace of modern life, even when you’re within 50 miles of several major cities.
Case in point: The San Juan Islands, a blissfully tranquil and picturesque archipelago in northern Puget Sound that’s just 65 miles north of Seattle, 40 miles south of Vancouver and 10 miles east of British Columbia’s capital city, Victoria. These lovely isles with a friendly vibe, a strong following with LGBT visitors and easy access — by ferry or plane — from all of these nearby cities make for a restorative summer (or even autumn) getaway.
Although there are more than 170 islands in the archipelago, only four have regular ferry service. On three of these — Lopez Island, Orcas Island and San Juan Island — you’ll find hotels and B&Bs, vacation rentals (a good option for longer stays), restaurants and other visitor services, including outfitters and tour operators offering whale-watching excursions, kayak and bike rentals (and guided rides), fishing tackle and gear rentals and other items related to outdoorsy endeavors.
Lopez Island
Lopez is the smallest of the main islands, with a sparse population and few formal attractions. This pastoral island is less hilly and has far less car traffic than its sister islands, which has made it a magnet for biking enthusiasts (you can rent bikes at several shops). If you’re seeking a peaceful getaway and don’t have much want of social interaction, Lopez Island is your ideal choice.
There are just a few accommodations on Lopez Island, including Lopez Farm Cottages (LopezFarmCottages.com) and Edenwild Inn (EdenWildInn.com). Most of the island’s restaurants are in the village of Lopez, a compact community on the west side of the island — about a 5-mile drive from the ferry terminal.
Don’t miss the Bay Café (Bay-Cafe.com) to enjoy lunch or dinner while overlooking the water from its large deck; the contemporary American fare here is first-rate. Another excellent option is Vita’s Wildly Delicious (VitasWildly Delicious.com), which has a few outdoor tables on a lovely tree-shaded patio. This little gourmet food-and-wine shop is also useful for picking up picnic supplies and prepared salads. Caffe La Boheme bakery serves tasty cookies and sweets, Vortex Juice Bar & Café (VortexJuiceBarAnd Cafe.com) is well-regarded for its affordable and healthy vegetarian cuisine and the Just Heavenly Fudge Factory store carries locally beloved Lopez Island Creamery ice cream, which comes in such delicious flavors as wild blackberry and toffee coffee crunch.
San Juan Island
The most populated of the islands, and the seat of county government, is San Juan Island, which boasts the region’s largest town (Friday Harbor), a lively center of shops, restaurants, bars and inns, and the site of a terrific farmers market on Saturday mornings.
Within walking distance of the ferry terminal, this is a great neighborhood for taking a stroll. Stop by The Bean Café (TheBeanCafe.com) for a cup of espresso, or Pelindaba Lavender store, which sells all kinds of lotions, soaps and edibles featuring lavender grown on the store’s farm a few miles away. San Juan Islands Museum of Art, which shows rotating exhibits, recently announced plans to move into a new, larger space.
Beyond Friday Harbor, the island has a few notable attractions, the most interesting of which is San Juan Island National Historic Park, which chronicles the strange (and now amusingly recalled) Pig War of 1859, during which the United States and British governments battled — some say bickered — over possession of San Juan Island. The American government ultimately prevailed, and the maritime border between the United States and Canada now cuts down Haro Strait, the body of water between San Juan Island and Vancouver Island.
The national park has two sections, the larger American Camp and the northwesterly English camp, and each offers both historical exhibits and numerous opportunities for hiking, bird watching and wildlife viewing. Overlooking Haro Strait, another highly popular destination on the island is Lime Kiln Point State Park, which has a short trail leading along the shore to an ancient, oft-photographed lighthouse. Visitors here are treated to great views across Haro Strait toward Victoria, B.C., as well as regular sightings during the summer months of orca, humpback, blue, gray and other breeds of whales.
San Juan Island has a variety of inviting accommodations. One of the region’s most popular venues for destination weddings, Roche Harbor Resort (RocheHarbor.com) has quickly become a favorite of LGBT couples exchanging vows, now that Washington state has legalized same-sex marriage. It’s a scenic place to stay for any occasion, with a huge marina filled with pleasure boats, a few restaurants overlooking the water and a nice mix of overnight options, from standard rooms in a historic hotel to spacious, multi-bedroom village homes.
Other properties on the island that are away from Friday Harbor and offer comfy places to rest your head in quiet, pretty surroundings include the stately Wildwood Manor (WildwoodManor.com) and the artfully designed, eco- minded Juniper Lane Guest House (Juniper LaneGuestHouse.com). In town, within walking distance of restaurants and shops, the economical Earthbox Inn & Spa (EarthBoxInn.com) is a good bet, as are the historic Tucker House Inn (TuckerHouse.com) and the sleek, contemporary Island Inn at 123 West (123West.com). An advantage to staying in Friday Harbor is that you can walk to your hotel from the ferry terminal, which is handy if you don’t bring your car over.
Notable restaurants include romantic and rustic Duck Soup (DuckSoupInn.com), a 15-minute drive from town, which is known for its house-smoked oysters and miso-ginger roast duck; and Coho (CohoRestaurant.com) which boasts Northwest-inspired Mediterranean fare in Friday Harbor. The Market Chef serves very good sandwiches and soups, and Cask & Schooner (CaskAndSchooner.com) is a fun gastropub for brunch, dinner or knocking back a few beers with locals.
Orcas Island
Regular visitors to the archipelago all seem to have their favorites, with Orcas Island — physically the largest of the bunch and second-largest in population — garnering quite a few votes for No. 1 destination.
What’s nice about this 57-square-mile isle, shaped a bit like a butterfly, is the tremendous variety: you’ll find the highest point in the San Juans, Mt. Constitution (elevation 2,398 feet, and with an observation tower at the top, which is reached by a scenic car ride), several gorgeous beaches and harbors, a couple of endearingly quiet rural villages (Deer
Harbor and Westsound), a quaint cluster of shops and eateries by the ferry terminal and a bustling main village, Eastsound, near the center of the island. Visitors seeking total relaxation and quiet can find it here, but there are enough lively bars and restaurants to keep more socially inclined visitors happy.
One of the favorite dining options, for lunch and breakfast especially, is quirky Café Olga, which occupies a historic building that once housed a strawberry-packing plant and has become renowned for its savory scallop-halibut (nicknamed “scallibut”) cakes and fresh-made, sweet blackberry pies. Be sure to check out the attached gallery, which carries works by some talented locals.
Also on this quiet southeastern side of the island you’ll find Doe Bay Resort (DoeBay.com), a very gay-popular lodging with several types of accommodations. The cuisine served at Doe Bay’s café is worth the trip alone, even if you’re not staying overnight.
Most other noteworthy restaurants are in Eastsound, with Allium (AlliumOnOrcas.com) a particular highlight. Talented chef Lisa Nakamura serves farm-to-table fare in a lovely space overlooking the water. Downstairs, Madrona Bar & Grill (MadronaBarAndGrill.com) is a more casual option for beer and fresh seafood.
Mijitas is a good bet for hearty Mexican style food, and relative newcomers like Hogstone (Hogstone.com) — for wood-fired pizza — and the Barnacle — for tapas and craft cocktails — have quickly become top picks among local foodies.
Among accommodations, the Inn on Orcas Island (TheInnOnOrcasIsland.com) is a lovely gay-owned property near the quaint village of Deer Harbor, on the west side of the island. Right near Eastsound (and the island’s little airport), Kangaroo House (KangarooHouse.com) has five charming rooms and a lovely Arts and Crafts design.
West Beach Resort (WestBeachResort.com) is a stunningly situated compound of cabins and tent/RV sites with reasonable rates and a friendly staff. And Inn at Ship Bay (InnAtShip Bay.com) is one of the most romantic lodging options on the island, its 11 rooms fitted with gas stoves and plenty of cushy amenities — note the terrific restaurants here, too.
Getting to the San Juan Islands takes a little planning, since there’s either a ferry crossing or flight involved. The islands are big and spread out enough geographically that it can be handy having a car, or at least bikes, to explore fully. The most frequent ferry service is out of Anacortes, Wash., about a 90-minute drive north of Seattle and a two-hour drive south of Vancouver; expect to pay about $75 for round-trip ferry service to the farthest (San Juan) island for a car and two passengers. The fare is much less if you leave the car in Anacortes (there’s inexpensive long-term parking there).
Once a day, there’s also a passenger-only ferry from Victoria’s Inner Harbour to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, and car-ferry service from Sidney, B.C. (a 30-minute drive north of Victoria) to Friday Harbor.
Kenmore Air has flight-plane and conventional small-jet service to Lopez, Orcas and San Juan from Seattle’s Lake Union — you’ll save a lot of time making the one-hour flight, but fares are rather steep, and once you arrive on island, you may end up spending a good bit more on rental cars. If time is tight and you can afford it, flying makes sense, but for most visitors, traveling by ferry is an efficient, scenic and cost-effective way to get to these lovely isles.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition September 13, 2013.