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.

The cute, coastal, tourist town of Friday Harbor offers an abundance of unique gift shops, as well as restaurants, bars, boutiques, galleries and museums. But that’s not all. There is also an array of distinct places selling antiques, second hand clothing and previously owned books, musical instruments, furniture, arts and crafts and odds and ends.

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.

Summer is over, the holiday season hasn’t started yet, there is nothing left to do in the garden and the rains have returned to Seattle.  If only there was a beautiful place close by to sneak away to for the weekend, maybe with some sun, good eats, long walks on the beach, a little bit of culture.  

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”.

Nowhere is ecological fragility quite as apparent as on an island in an ocean sharing its waters with wildlife, recreation and industry. I was painfully reminded about this in the beginning of this year, when word got out that “Granny”, the oldest Resident Orca, went missing and was presumed dead. I celebrated my own grandma’s 95th birthday that day and couldn’t help mourning the loss of their matriarch with the Orcas.

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.

See where Trekaroo thinks you should stay when you visit San Juan Island, especially with kids!

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...