SAN JUAN ISLAND NEWS & PHOTOS
You can plan an entire trip just around visiting San Juan Island’s abundant farms. Get your fresh duck eggs and flowers from a colorful farm stand by the roadside, visit baby alpacas, go horseback riding and stroll through pumpkin patches. Then there are the farms unique to San Juan Island, where they make unusual things, like madrone-infused brandy, lavender ice cream and grow the plumpest oysters you’ll ever have.
Don’t miss these 3 Most Unusual Farms on San Juan Island this Summer!
No present in the world can sufficiently express the gratitude you have for the women, who raised you, kept you warm and fed and safe, put herself last every time and loved you, even when you were a teenager. With Mother’s Day right around the corner, why not plan a mother-daughter getaway to San Juan Island and give the gift of spending quality time together?
Here are 10 Tips for an unforgettable Mother-Daughter Getaway to San Juan Island.
It’s true. San Juan Island, nestled in the Olympic Rain Shadow, enjoys an average of 247 sunny days per year, making it a glorious destination, especially in Spring, when we Washingtonians have all but forgotten the yellow ball in the sky.
What happens when you come visit on day 248 though? What will you do on San Juan Island when it rains? Have a marvelous time with our insider tips for a rainy day on the isle!
1) Spa Day
A visit to the cozy, inviting Spa at Earthbox, with its extensive massage, facial, body & nail care menu and fun add-ons, is a real treat. Get pampered, flush the toxins out of your body and walk away feeling healthier and younger.
2) Driving Tour
San Juan Island with one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, was chosen in 2009 to become Washington State newest Scenic By-Way. Just follow the signs or your mood and discover breathtaking vistas and the most stunning views. Park at one of the numerous pull-outs high above the cliffs for a car picnic and to watch the eagles riding the wind.
3) Romantic Dinner
Also known as the “gourmet archipelago”, San Juan Island’s accomplished chefs are creating amazing concoctions from the abundance of sea and (is)land. Treat yourself to the First Seating at COHO Restaurant, between 5:00pm & 5:45pm daily, and enjoy a three-course tasting menu for two and a bottle of wine for only $70.
4) Bowling and Arcades
When was the last time you went bowling? Paradise Lanes just across the street from Earthbox Inn & Spa, features eight lanes, three pool tables, air hockey and arcade games for all ages. Get ready for an afternoon of good old-fashioned fun.
5) Storm Watching
We are not made out of sugar. Don those layers and an extra windbreaker for good measure and get out there. South Beach in American Camp National Historic Park and the isle’s longest beach, is the most exposed to weather. Sometimes the winds are so strong, you can lean into it without holding your body up. Be careful on the slick cliffs and drift logs, bring the camera and look forward to your mouth hurting from not being able to stop smiling.
6) Art Day
San Juan Islands Museum of Art exhibits visual art from the Pacific Northwest and Southwest British Columbia with a sense of place. In addition to rotating exhibitions, you can enjoy lecture series, family art days and art education. Plus the building’s architecture, the island’s former medical center, is worth a visit alone.
7) Wine Tasting
Visit San Juan Vineyards, overlooking lush Beaverton Valley, and their cute, historic tasting room and gift shop. Learn about the vineyard and wine making, their fun special events and stock up on their excellent selection.
April is National Volunteer Month. It feels so good to be part of something bigger. Consider joining us on San Juan Island for the Great Island Clean-up. Every Earth Day weekend islanders and visitors alike get together and clean San Juan Island’s beaches to keep our isle pristine and our wildlife healthy. Besides being unsightly, micro-plastic ingestion especially is a huge threat to wildlife, leading to endocrine disruption and toxicity. Contact Jana from San Juan County to learn more and sign up.
Above picture was taken on South Beach on a rainy Earth Day past. Laura, owner of the Earthbox Inn & Spa, and her staff get together every year and clean up a beach together.
Once you know it, it’s just so obvious... The San Juan Islands are the tops of mountains of a receding continent much older than the American mainland. Worn down by glaciers, the sedimentary rock exposed on the San Juan Islands is from the Paleozoic era, about 540 to 250 million years old. The archipelago also has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. The result: breathtaking vistas, stunning nature and amazing wildlife watching. There’s no better way to experience that than during a nice, long walk.
Here is a list of the 5 Most Awe-Inspiring Hikes on San Juan Island.
You haven’t been? What a treat, to get to see it all for the first time! Gorgeous San Juan Island, only 65 miles north of Seattle, feels like a world away. Here you will sense the slower pace as soon as you step off the ferry – here you will experience people smiling and looking you in the eye. The only thing topping the outstanding, fresh island-grown fare and local seafood is the abundance of pristine wildlife, from foxes crossing the road in the quaint coastal town of Friday Harbor to Orca and Humpback whales frolicking in the waters. Besides your usual beach activities, like hiking, biking, fishing and birding, experience a guided kayak or whale watch tour or go zip lining. Are you an art lover or a history enthusiast? San Juan Island has you covered. The isle is super kid friendly, dog friendly too and about the most romantic place you’ll ever be.
Find your itinerary in this fun column about 10 San Juan Island Must-Do’s for First Timers.
The romantic COHO Restaurant, located in a cute Craftsman-style house in the heart of Friday Harbor, with nine intimate tables in what once was a living room, offers the essence of Farm-to-Table dining.
There are many reasons to eat local and seasonal. First and foremost, when in Rome…
San Juan Island’s lush farmland and pristine waters produce an abundance of fresh, delicious fare, unique to the isle and region. Produce harvested just hours before you eat it, has more enzymes and vitamins – it’s alive! Eating local and in season also reduces your carbon footprint and thereby helps the wildlife you have come to enjoy. But really, it’s just plain delicious.
And beautiful. Chef Ryan’s creations, decorated with edible flowers, curious spices and luscious sauces are gorgeous works of art. Everything here is made from scratch, including the stocks for soups, baked goods, pasta and ice cream. In addition to sourcing from local vendors, COHO Restaurant kicked the Farm-to-Table concept up a notch by organizing a Table-to-Farm composting program with the local Sweet Earth Farm.
To make your culinary San Juan Island journey complete, the COHO Restaurant offers spirits and cocktails from San Juan Distillery, as well as local Madrone cider. Each wine on their impressive, local, national and international, 200 +, wine list is selected from small producers, making handcrafted, authentic regional wines.
Our story:
My husband and I ducked into the COHO Restaurant right at 5:00pm, when they opened, on a drizzly, off-season day. Immediately enveloped in warmth and good smells, we were greeted by Emily, our friendly and knowledgeable server. At the cozy window table for two, Emily expertly presented us with our options. COHO offers a daily First Seating from 5:00pm to 5:45PM, a 3-course tasting menu for two, plus a bottle of wine for $70. If you prefer to order a main course from the current menu instead of the First Seating options, you may do so for a nominal surcharge. What a deal!
With Emily’s help we picked a red wine from the year we got married and without further ado we were presented with wild mushroom and wild rice soup and local, spicy greens. Their flavor combined with the fresh lime vinaigrette energized us immediately. The soup was delicious as well. I make my own stock and can taste a real soup a mile away. Ryan’s stock passed my litmus test.
For the main course, I chose the house-made Pappardelle with Lamb Bolognese from the First Seating menu, while my hubbie went for the special of the day: fresh, local Halibut with carrot puree, shitake mushrooms and broccoli for only a $6 surcharge. The fish was cooked to perfection with the carrot puree enhancing its flavor in a miraculous way. My pasta dish was very gratifying. Every bite revealed different textures and flavors of pasta, lamb, sauce, greens and ricotta.
My husband and I are usually not dessert people. Boy, were we glad our menu included it. The house-made chocolate truffle & pear vanilla ice cream was exquisite. The latter contained candied ginger and together they may have been the best ice cream concoction I have ever tasted. Not too sweet, rich, yet delicate.
In addition to being open year-round and on holidays, COHO Restaurant presents Special Event Dinners throughout the year, featuring local wine makers and brew masters, as well as special event and off-site catering.
When you leave the boundaries of Lime Kiln State Park to the north, beyond the rebuilt lime kiln, you’ll find yourself in the Limekiln Preserve, a Landbank managed trail system in the woods, high above the Salish Sea.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, San Juan County was the main lime producer in Washington State. Deposits of high-quality limestone was found right on the shore. The deep waters around San Juan Island’s West Side made transportation of the finished lime easy and profitable.
The above picture is of the former lime quarry bordering on Lime Kiln State Park. On top you are rewarded with clear views all the way to Canada and the Olympics.
When you go: stay on the trails and bring a trail map, so you don’t get lost. And please be safe and don’t climb around in the ruins of old lime kilns and definitely don’t climb the unstable lime quarries. There are trails leading you right to the top. Have so much fun!
San Juan Island offers some of the best whale & wildlife watching from land in the world. Observing wildlife from land comes with rewards. You can hear the eagle’s call, the whale’s breach, the sea lion’s roar. It feels more authentic and fills you with true wonder, when you are still and a wild animal reveals itself in its natural habitat. Finding those precious places is easy on San Juan Island. Check out this sweet article on the 3 best Places to see Orca Whales from Land on the isle.
Photo by the talented Anne Dubert
Do you remember how connected and productive you felt after your last business retreat? Do you remember how hard you laughed and how full your heart was after your last family reunion? Maybe it’s time to do that again.
Planning a family reunion or corporate retreat on San Juan Island is so uncomplicated. Simply book a few hotel rooms and choose the Top Activities for Family Reunions and Business Retreats on San Juan Island, right for you and yours.
