I recently had the absolute pleasure to get a private tour of the production facility at the Pelindaba Lavender Farm on gorgeous San Juan Island.  The farm, it’s lovely farm store and visitor’s center are one of the main tourist attractions on San Juan Island in the Summer, however the production facility on site is not open to the general public.  We here at the Earthbox Inn & Spa source all of our body care products for our guest rooms from Pelindaba, because they are amazing, local, certified organic and a big plus--dispensing them in bulk cuts down on a lot of waste.  Especially important on a little island.  So I got to go see how all the good, purple stuff is made.

Olena, her two boys and non-cooking husband from Vancouver, British Columbia, gave up eating processed food about 5 years ago. They travel the world as a family, in search of authentic experiences and real food. They are not rich or hippies. They are not weird. Just a family trying to live a life worth living.

We Americans have less vacation time than any other developed country and even when we are taking time off, we are still checking in with work, responding to emails, taking phone calls, texting, checking social media, well, you know…

It is questionable whether you checking in with work is actually lightening your work load once you come back. It is equally questionable whether you are actually relaxing and recharging on a beach in paradise, while your mind is at work.

There is nothing like Summer on San Juan Island. The killer whales are here, sailboats are bobbing in the port of Friday Harbor, there are colorful arts festivals, delightful wine and spirit tastings, historical re-enactments, flowers stands and flourishing farms everywhere and the beaches, mountains and parks are just waiting to be explored. Here are five San Juan Island Summer activities not to be missed:

Laughing reduces stress, anxiety and depression. It even diminishes pain. Go see a comedy at the San Juan Community Theatre or at the historic Palace Movie Theater. As the saying goes:  laughter is the best medicine.

A Summer vacation or weekend getaway to San Juan Island is such a treat. There are so many fun adventures to be had: whale watching, kayaking, zip lining, hiking, biking, to name a few. Yet even in the height of Summer, there is a different pace on the island. We call it “island time”. You’ll feel it as soon as you set foot on the isle: no fast foods chains, no billboards, no traffic lights, people are so friendly

It’s Summer on San Juan Island! The Orcas are here, the sun is out, the isle is bustling with amazing activities, festivals and events. Come on up and revel in the breathtaking nature, amazing wildlife, rich history and small-town charm with big city culture that San Juan Island offers. Here are 10 San Juan Island Summer must-dos not to be missed!

If San Juan Island were to be summed up in one picture, it would be a picture of the Lime Kiln Lighthouse at the Lime Kiln State Park, one of the best places to watch Orcas Whales from land on Earth.

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.

We all know what a difference a day makes, how good it feels to help others, how full our emotional coffers are after experiencing something beautiful, learning something new, being part of something bigger.