It all started with a selfie, when I was searching for a title picture for my article How to Plan the Perfect Girlfriend Getaway to San Juan Island. After asking Sarah, Lynette and Jill if I could use our pic, I suddenly missed them like crazy and decided to heed my own advice and plan a girlfriend getaway to San Juan Island.

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.

Do you have a bucket list? Is San Juan Island on there?  There is so much fun to be had on San Juan Island, including many once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Challenge yourself to participate in some brand new escapades and to fully experience the wilder side of our gem in the Salish Sea.

Fall is that sweet time of the year, when you can squeeze in some down-time, a little self-care, relaxation and fun, after the hustle and bustle of Summer is over and before the holiday season starts in earnest. Who would you take on such a trip? With whom do you feel truly yourself? Who makes you giggle so hard that tears run down your face? Your best girlfriends! A good friend knows all your best stories, a best friend goes to an island with you. Read on to find out How to have the best girlfriend’s weekend ever in Friday Harbor.

Perhaps you have been coming here since you were a little kid. Maybe you consider San Juan Island your home away from home. You have been on and off the beaten paths, know the hidden coves, the best place to eat fresh oysters and when the wildflowers are in bloom. But are you truly a San Juan Island expert? Find out with the ultimate San Juan Island Insider Test! Results are on the bottom. Have fun!

There is so much to do on beautiful San Juan Island and in cute Friday Harbor, it may be hard to decide how to prioritize your stay, especially if it’s your first time visiting. Follow our 10 tips to get a sense of this unique island, it’s rare wildlife, astonishing nature, rich history and culture and, most importantly, to have fun.

With kids in school and 9 to 5 jobs you are most likely going on vacation when everybody else is; in the Summer, on weekends and holidays.  Everything is crowded, takes a little longer and is more expensive. Not so on beautiful San Juan Island.

Visiting San Juan Island’s Pelindaba Lavender Farm is always a treat. The serenity and beauty of this place with its rolling lavender fields, speckled with gorgeous sculptures, adorable, historic farm store and snow covered Olympics as the backdrop, makes for the perfect spot to indulge all your senses. The only thing better is coming for the annual Lavender Festival on July 15 & 16 during the “height of purpleness”.

Pristine nature, amazing wildlife, rich culture and outdoor adventure are not the only reasons to visit San Juan Island. The isle is also home to countless farms, producing anything from fruits and veggies, meats and cheeses, eggs, wine, lavender, salt, honey, wool, cider and more.

It all started about 9 years ago when I went through a significant life change. I suddenly had time on my hands and nobody to travel with. I was skittish about traveling solo.