San Juan Islands Washington

by Maggie Lesoing
(Friday Harbor, Washington)

I think a visit to the San Juan Islands is a great option for women wanting some time to themselves. The Islands have all sorts of activities and you can pick and choose what you want to do on any day.

Getting to the Islands is easy as we are only a couple hours north of Seattle. You can fly directly to the Island or drive and take a ferry, which takes about an hour, depending on which island you want to see (there are 4 main islands).

Things to do here include taking a kayak trip which is fantastic! During the summer months you have a very good chance of seeing an orca whale -- unforgettable! Plus, there are river otters, seals, all kinds of sea birds, and all sorts of other animals that your kayak guide will point out. There are great trails for hiking and taking walks. You can take a tour of the island by car or you could rent a moped or bicycle and see everything that much closer. You can visit beautiful parks and historical sites describing the history of the Islands and just enjoy walking the grounds and the scenery as you go. You can take in as much or as little as you want, whatever you feel like.

The restaurants are very good, and range in price so you can easily find a meal within your budget. I personally love the Garden Path, which has homemade soups and bread, great coffee, and desserts that defy description. Definitely a place to go!

As far as lodging, there are so many options, it's worth just taking a look at everything to see what you prefer. You can camp, or rent a guest house, stay in a Bed & Breakfast or a hotel. There are some amazing "Glamping" cabins here at Lakedale Resort that are really unique -- you stay in a canvas tent but it has a wooden floor, a bed with down comforter and cotton sheets, chairs and table, and a lantern. I haven't stayed there yet but I really want to try that!

I hope you visit the Islands one day for a really memorable vacation.

http://www.simply-san-juan.com