San Juan Island is known for its stunning vistas, amazing wildlife, rich history and bountiful culture. You can experience all of that in a single day at San Juan Island’s unique museums. Listen to the Orcas sing, visit the first county jail, watch Blue Herons fish among art. It doesn’t sound like your regular museum day, does it? It’s not--you are in for a real treat!

Do you regularly bring home tons of clean, untouched clothes from your trips? Are you at a total loss when it comes to decide how many outfits to bring for the kids on an island trip? Do you have trouble deciding what to bring when both sea kayaking and going to a fancy restaurant are on the menu for your weekend getaway? If you are visiting San Juan Island for a night from Seattle or for a week from Spain, we have some Earthbox guest-tested, Island specific packing tips for you.

San Juan Island offers not only astonishing beauty and wildlife, world-class whale watching, rich history, amazing art, and really good food, it also has spectacularly beautiful beaches. Whether you are a beachcomber or birder, want to go for a refreshing dip or are looking for tide pools filled with bright sea stars and anemones, our island has the perfect beach for that.

There is nothing like a fresh seafood dinner while watching the sunset over the Salish Sea after a long day of whale watching, hiking and beach combing on San Juan Island. The former fishing village turned culinary destination of Friday Harbor offers a wide array of places where seafood sourcing is as important as preparation and presentation, where dishes are prepared from scratch with care and paired with island grown ingredients. Trust us, you will taste the difference.

The crystal clear, deep green waters surrounding San Juan Island look incredibly inviting for a swim, but take note--they are at a (brr….) 50 degrees, even in the Summer, largely too cold to take a dip, except for the young and hearty.  And yet, that doesn’t mean you have to go without a nice swim on your Summer island vacation. We found 5 lovely spots to play in the water on the isle. Find out which one floats your boat.

Just say “no” to ties and socks this year and plan a San Juan Island Getaway for your Dad instead. To show him how you truly appreciate all the selfless acts and hard work he has achieved and to give him a chance to relax and have fun and maybe even go outside his comfort zone, just a bit? San Juan Island offers plenty of manly adventures, but also tons of things to do as a family. Let’s get planning:

San Juan Island makes for an amazing place for a family reunion or a business retreat. It is so close to Seattle, only 45 minutes by plane, and yet feels like you are far far away with its slower pace, pristine and breathtaking nature and unique things to do.

We at the Earthbox Inn & Spa have the guest rooms and conference center to accommodate reunions or retreats...

“Happiness is a warm puppy,” Charles M. Schulz said and every dog owner knows what he means. Dogs are our babies, true family members, a fifteen-year commitment to unconditional love. We plan our lives around them - and our vacations. The last time we took a tropical vacation and left our dogs with friends for three weeks, they were so devastated, that we vowed never to do that again in their lifetime. So, we take them with us, to places we all like and benefit from. One such place is beautiful San Juan Island.

My name is Louis and I own the Earthbox Inn & Spa. I’m in charge of making sure that my fellow dog brothers and sisters have a lovely vacation here at our hotel and on our island. I lay on all dog blankets before we hand them out. I meet and greet our dog guests in the lobby and tell them the best places to sniff, run and get your ears blown in the wind...

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.