8/24/2022

Alex and I discovered Orcas Island about ten years ago during one of our summer visits to Washington. We fell in love. One of the San Juan Islands nestled in between Vancouver Island and Seattle, these islands are mostly accessed by ferry. San Juan Island, home to Friday Harbor, may be a bit more developed with fancy B&Bs, gorgeous sail boats overnighting in the marina, wineries, etc. But Orcas is the one for us.

It’s relaxed. The people are friendly, the farm-fed restaurants and co-ops can satisfy even the most discriminating of palates. And there are state parks to explore, lakes to kayak, bald eagles, whales and harbor seals to spot, and several types of local oysters to sample. Also, in August, temperatures hover around the low seventies, offering the perfect respite from New Orleans heat and humidity.

For readers familiar with Highlands and Cashiers, NC, imagine if they cut off the mountain towns and plopped them in the middle of a Pacific Northwest strait. Then they populated the island with lovely folks from Boulder, CO. That’s Orcas.

We were finally able to take the kids this summer and they agreed. It’s a pretty special place.

Getting to Orcas Island

Take the ferry from Anacortes, about 1.5 hour drive from Seattle. Make reservations, ferries sell out in the peak summer months.

Where to Stay

We’ve stayed at the Inn at Ships Bay and it was serene with water views. We’ve also visited the Outlook Inn and Rosario Resort and Spa and both are on our bucket list. There are several VRBOs (we LOVED this one) but not many large houses available so big groups should definitely plan ahead.

Things to Do

Spend a day in Moran State Park. Cascade Lake is right past the entrance and has SUP, kayaks, and paddleboats for rent. There is also a roped off swim area. You can drive or hike to Mt. Constitution (we’ve always driven) to see gorgeous views of the entire San Juan archipelago. On a clear day you can see to Vancouver from atop the stone observation tower.

The Mountain Lake hike is an easy 4 mile loop through the woods, suitable for kids. Full disclosure: I sprained my ankle on this hike but my kids did just fine, wearing Natives no less. You can also rent kayaks and canoes to explore the lake up close.

Head through the park and keep on going to Buck Bay to visit the Buck Bay Shellfish Farm and Bistro. Both it’s picnic tables by the water and the food and beer selections are pretty idyllic.

Whale watching is a must, especially if visiting Orca pods are in the neighborhood. There are several companies but we used Outer Island Expeditions and the captain and naturalist were lovely. In addition to an Orca family, we also saw seals and eagles.

Also plan to spend a few hours strolling through Eastsound and checking out the boutiques, bakeries, ice cream parlors, and artisans. There is a truly beautiful labyrinth at the Episcopal Church on Main Street that overlooks the cove - great for taking your coffee and getting your meditation in. We also found ourselves frequenting Roots coffee bar and Brown Bear Baking almost daily for morning goodies. Favorite lunch place is the Kitchen which is hidden away in an English garden and serves Asian-fusion dishes made to order.

Would love to hear other recommendations!