About the Islands

Adventure Awaits

Whale watching and kayaking tours, sailing charters, rental boats and bicycles, swimming in Cascade Lake, hiking Mount Constitution or the nearby beautiful 1500 acre Turtleback Mountain Preserve -- the choice is yours.   Wherever you go, the views are incredible.

Sunset Magazine recently declared "As foodie tourism goes, Orcas, the jewel of Washington's San Juan islands, is one of the West's most enchanting options."  There are several excellent restaurants on the island -- we've especially enjoyed The Inn at Ship Bay and Chilada's over the years.  New Leaf Cafe gets consistently high marks from reviewers on Yelp and TripAdvisor.  Rosario Resort and Spa is a long-standing tradition and also can be a good starting point for renting kayaks.

Several excellent artists' enclaves are scattered around the island, and it is usually worth a look whenever you stumble across a gallery.  Among the best known and most charming is Orcas Island Pottery, with a unique setting on the north side of the island and really lovely pieces on display.  Orcas Island Artworks Gallery on the east side of the island is a nice stop and includes a tasty cafe if browsing for art has made you hungry.  More galleries can be found here and here. 

Back at Westwoods Cottage, kids will enjoy collecting shells and driftwood or hunting for crabs on our large beach.  There are acres of woods to explore on the property, including a trail to the ridge. 

The videos below will give you some sense of the special magic and mystery that envelopes the San Juan Islands.

San Juans in the News

The San Juan Islands have received some great media coverage lately!  See what has been written about Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands.

http://www.visitsanjuans.com/media/san-juans-in-the-news

2012

Bendbulletin.com, "Northwest Travel: By sea and land on Orcas Island,” July 15

HUFF POST GREEN, “The Orca and the Shopping Mall,” July 26

The Seattle Times, “Sampling the laid-back pleasures of Lopez Island,” July 28

Lonely Planet, “The gourmet archipelago: local food heaven on the San Juan Islands,” August 7

HUFF POST TRAVEL, “The Summer Splendor of Orcas Island,” August 8

HUFFPOST HEALTHY LIVING “Rowing the Big Seas,” August 8

BoatU.S. Magazine, “From Water to Wine,” August/September

FOOD & WINE Travel Issue, “Wild Secrets of the San Juan Islands,” September

Travel + Leisure, "World's Best Islands in Continental U.S. and Canada,"  San Juan Islands, August

Men's Journal, "San Juan Island Hopping,"  San Juan Islands, July

Sunset.com, "Top 10 Dream Towns in the West: Eastsound on Orcas Island,"  June

HUFF POST TRAVEL, "9 River and Lake Getaways Better Than the Beach,"  Lakedale Resort, San Juan Island, June

CNN.com Travel, "7 Prime Spots for Wildlife Viewing,"  San Juan Islands, June 27

The Seattle Times, "Eat naturally and play hard on Orcas Island,"  Orcas Island, June 17

HUFF POST TRAVEL, "Discover Washington's Beautiful, Friendly San Juan Islands,"   San Juan Islands, June 15

Wall Street Journal / Travel, "Hop to It,"  Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, June 8

Sunset Summer Trips, Northwest Edition, "Around the West, The Sea Kayak Trip,"  San Juan Islands, Summer

Better Homes and Gardens, "Vacation Equation,"  Smuggler's Villa Resort, Orcas Island, June

Seattle Met, "Washington Bike Towns,"   Lopez Island, June 

Seattle, "Foodies Afloat,"  San Juan Islands, June

Northwest Palate, "Island Gins,"  San Juan Islands, May/June

The Blender, A Williams-Sonoma Blog, "Farm to Fork: A Recipe from the San Juan Islands, Washington,"  Orcas Island, May 30

Smarter Travel, "10 Charming Island Towns,"  Lopez Village, Lopez Island, May 28

Seattle Times, "From Slow Hikes to High Wires, San Juan Island has New Treats,"  San Juan Island, May 19

Seattle Times, "State's Tourism Bellwether Rings Loudly in the San Juans," San Juan Islands, May 18

Departures, “Best Summer Trips,” San Juan Islands, May/June

Just 5 More Minutes, an Epicurean and Adventure Travelogue, "Just 5 More Minutes on Beautiful Orcas Island in Washington State,"  Orcas Island, May 17

Coastal Living, "The Best Seaside Cottage Rentals," Roche Harbor, San Juan Island, May 15

Sunset, "Perfect Camping Within 4 Walls," Lopez Farm Cottages, Lopez Island, May

HUFF POST TRAVEL "Unusual Island Vacations," San Juan Islands, May

Seattle, “14 Small Town Getaways,” cover photo and story on Eastsound, Orcas Island, May

Coastal Living, " Sailing School Rocks!"  San Juan Islands, April

Yahoo!, "Orcas Island, Washington: Adventurer's Guide to This Ideal Island Getaway in the Pacific Northwest," Orcas Island, April 19

Harbors, "Northwest Author Spotlight: Craig Romano,"  Beach Haven Resort, Orcas Island, April 15

Huffington Post, "10 Stunning Mountain Views Around The World,"  Mount Baker, Orcas Island, April 10

AAA Washington Journey, "Conservation Vacations," San Juan Islands, March/April 

The Knot, "Washington Best of Weddings,"  Roche Harbor Resort, San Juan Island, March 10

Travel + Leisure, "Best Spring Break Getaways,"  Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes, San Juan Island, February

Seattle Met, "Washington’s Five Most Romantic Destinations,"  Duck Soup Inn, San Juan Islands, February

Wine Enthusiast, "Destination: San Juan Islands,"  San Juan Islands, February 1 

Los Angeles Times, "Cooking up Gourmet Adventures Across the West,"  Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes, San Juan Island, January 29

TripAdvisor, "Top 25 B&Bs and Inns in the United States,"  Wildwood Manor at #9, San Juan Island, January 

Seattle Met Bride & Groom, "Destination: Northwest," Rosario Resort, Orcas Island, Winter/Spring 2012

Seattle Bride, "Place Cards:  Apple Ink,"  Eastsound, Orcas Island, Spring/Summer 

Seattle Bride, "Reception Trend:  Light it Up,"  Roche Harbor, San Juan Island, Spring/Summer 

The Blender, a Williams-Sonoma blog, "Discover Your Local Farm,"  Orcas Island, January 12 

Frommer's Travel, "100 Places to Take Your Kids,"  Victoria Clipper, San Juan Islands, January 5

Washington FILM, "Pacific Northwest Islands that still look like Islands,"  San Juan Islands, January

Harbors, "Island Inn,"  The Island Inn at 123 West, San Juan Island, January

Sierra, "Haro Strait, U.S. - Canada Border,"  San Juan Islands, January/February

Patricia Schultz, "1,000 Places To See Before You Die,"  San Juan Islands, Workman Publishing

Key Facts from Seattle Times, Summer 2012:

Orcas Island

Square miles: 56.9

Population: About 4,900 (about two-thirds the population of San Juan Island; about double the population of Lopez Island)

On a nonstop sailing, it's a 50-minute ride to Orcas Island aboard Washington State Ferries from Anacortes. Standard-size car with driver: $48.30 round-trip in summer, additional for passengers. In summer, avoid peak times (Friday afternoons island-bound, Sunday or holiday afternoons on return trips) or plan on generous time for car lines. See website for schedule and wait-time alerts: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.

Another option is Kenmore Air (via float plane) to Rosario Resort, West Sound or Deer Harbor (www.kenmoreair.com).

Orcas Island Farmers Market is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, May through September, on the Village Green in Eastsound; www.orcasislandfarmersmarket.org.

San Juans have beauty in the bank

The name is about as exciting as the FDIC, but the San Juan County Land Bank is an investment in beautiful, little-developed chunks of the San Juan Islands. Visitors are just discovering the agency's recreational trails, scenic beaches and historic sites.

Established by San Juan County voters in 1990, the Land Bank collects a 1 percent excise tax on island real-estate sales. Proceeds go to purchase and preserve lands of environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic or recreational value. Development of those parcels is mostly limited to building of trails and posting of interpretive panels.

Turtleback Mountain Preserve is the largest Land Bank property on Orcas Island. Among other Orcas sites worth a walk are Crescent Beach, just east of Eastsound village, or pretty Judd Cove, with a well-preserved limekiln from the island's commercial past.

Signs marking the sites are low-profile, in keeping with the philosophy that the lands are an investment by island landowners and should be primarily for their enjoyment.

That attitude is evolving, however. Though the Land Bank now has 20 preserves open to the public throughout the islands, too many locals are unaware of them, said Lincoln Bormann, the Land Bank's director. The agency now aims to publicize the sites with brochures distributed where visitor pamphlets are available. A website, www.sjclandbank.org, also provides detailed maps and information.

See you in The Islands!