Is your kiddo between 6 and 11 and totally into Orca whales? Does a night alone with your Sweetie - sans bébés - on your San Juan Island getaway sound utterly romantic? Why not leave your child at the Friday Harbor Whale Museum for a night! Yes, seriously!
Eating out with kids in an unfamiliar place can be challenging, but also fun if you keep an open mind, especially in kid-friendly Friday Harbor, where kids are welcome anywhere and you can show up in jeans and a T-shirt, stroller in tow, even at the fanciest of places. Here are 5 places which are pleasurable for adults and serve yummy, kid-friendly food, which won’t burst your budget, allowing you to enjoy the rest of your trip.
I’m not exactly what you call a “water person” and to tell you the truth, the thought of sea kayaking in the Pacific Ocean, even with my experienced friend in the same kayak and an even more experienced guide in the next, frightened me some. But this is what life and adventure are all about: find your boundaries and gently push, or paddle as the case may be.
There is nothing easier than eating healthy when vacationing on San Juan Island. For starters, the entire island is fast-food-chain free. We islanders treat our farmers, fishermen and artisan cheese, wine and bread makers like the artists they are and deeply appreciate the care and hard work with which they steward our precious land and fragile sea....
Among the many things we love about San Juan island are the dramatically changing seasons. It is a completely different experience to visit in the height of Summer when the entire island is pulsing with life and people, as opposed to the middle of Winter when you can drive around an entire day without seeing another car. And the best part: all seasons are absolutely stunning. So really, all you have to figure out is which season is your San Juan Island season. Or perhaps they all are!
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.
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.
On the north end of San Juan Island, nestled around a lake, butting up against pristine Westcott Bay, is the 20 acres Westcott Bay Sculpture Park. We visited on a sunny spring day, hoping to stretch our legs for a couple of hours and see something inspiring, maybe even holding the attention of the kids for a moment. Boy, did we get rewarded...
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.