Cocktails and vacation go together like milk and cookies. Friday Harbor’s fancy firewater culture is a cocktail connoisseur’s paradise with its abundant, unique places offering handcrafted cocktails in beautiful settings, using local, seasonal and at times foraged ingredients.

Laura and Gary were the real thing, right from the start. I could tell by the little smile playing around Laura’s mouth at the mere mention of his name, by how Gary’s eyes lit up, his body softening when his Laura was near. I was over the moon when they announced their wedding and totally excited that they choose the Pelindaba Lavender Farm on San Juan Island as their venue.

If this is the year—the one where you pop the question--do we ever have a treat for you! We have scouted the most picturesque, ridiculously romantic, absolutely gorgeous places on San Juan Island to get engaged. All you need to do is get here, be true and promise to love each other until the stars go out and the tides no longer turn. Please know, that we here at the Earthbox love people in love. We are here for you to help planning your surprise. It’s one of our favorites!

“Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do.” ~ David Wilkerson Nothing is easier than planning a romantic weekend getaway to San Juan Island, with its over 247 sunny days per year, breathtaking vistas, amazing wildlife and the cute coastal town of Friday Harbor. Come on up and celebrate your love. We have some tips to add extra romance:

When life gives you short days and long nights, go stargazing! With over 247 clear days (and nights) per year and low light pollution, San Juan Island is uniquely (and stunningly) suited to observing the beautiful needle pricks in the cloak of night. At times you can see meteor showers, the northern lights, satellites and the most spectacular full moons shining on the glistening Salish Sea. And the best part: it’s the quiet season. We here at the Earthbox are running amazing specials, you may find yourself alone with the Loons on the beach and get into your favorite restaurant without reservations.

Being out in Mother Nature is said to quiet the mind, heal the heart and rejuvenate the body. Seeing breathtakingly beautiful vistas, a wild Orca or a particularly majestic tree reminds us that we are part of something much more profound than our everyday lives and the little things we get hung up on. Here are 7 ways to experience pristine nature on San Juan Island to nurture your body and nourish your soul.

It's February and we are all thinking about it: Valentine's Day. Should we do something? It's just a Hallmark Holiday. That said, it really is so sweet and validating to plan something special. And while I'm over chocolates and flowers, we could still use a little break. We can celebrate our love any day of the year and if it takes Valentine's Day to motivate us to plan a romantic getaway then let's not overthink it.  

Are you looking for a cozy little restaurant that harkens back to your favorite aunt’s kitchen? Look no further. On the same block as the Farmer’s Market, the COHO Restaurant, Café Demeter and San Juan Bistro is Cynthia’s Bistro. Cynthia’s is a well-known name in town. She has delighted with her sweet and savory pastries at her Farmer’s Market stand for years and is one of the island’s top caterers. Now she has a brick and mortar place, an adorable former house and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Last year, when Thanksgiving decorations gave way to elaborate Christmas displays in our residential neighborhood in Seattle, when there were inquiries for our current address from family overseas and the first greeting cards arrived, my husband and I admitted to each other, that neither of us felt like having a traditional holiday this year. Instead of a tree or presents we neither need nor want or too much sugar and stress, we decided to run away--just the two of us--to San Juan Island.    And what a great decision it turned out to be!

In the sylvan heart of San Juan Island, overlooking a serene pond, in a cedar shingled house, overgrown with grape vines, find the Duck Soup. Duck Soup, now in its 39th year and originally built as a woodshed, has been a Farm-to-Table restaurant since long before the term was coined and is taking the concept to its next logical level.