Honeymoon Destination -- San Juan Island

Planning a wedding is an enormous task, not just logistically, but also emotionally. And you did that. You are amazing! Now if only there was an absolutely gorgeous honeymoon destination requiring little to no planning. One with tons of fun things to do, but also room for solitude and romance. One with a pleasant climate, where you can drink the water. Not too far away, but somewhat unusual and exotic. We have that.  All of that. Right here on beautiful San Juan island, a mere 65 miles north of Seattle. Find 10 Tips for an unforgettable San Juan Island Honeymoon here.

Cover Photo Courtesy of San Juan Outfitters.

Visiting San Juan Island with Small Kids

Some people say travelling with babies and small kids is an unnecessary hassle, since they won’t remember anyway. We disagree. Kids will remember, maybe not the exact timeline of events, but they will remember the huge gumball machines at the sweets store, seeing their first whale and the fun captain who skippered their boat, as well as feeling the sand on their little tootsies and the wind in their hair.

Show your kids this magnificent world we live in, how different and yet the same we all are, regardless of socio-economic status, skin color, sexual orientation and age. Kid-friendly San Juan Island is the perfect place to get your proverbial feet wet.

Find fabulous tips and practically a weekend itinerary in this lovely article San Juan Island with Baby from our friends at Earthbox Inn & Spa.

Boutique Libations on San Juan Island

San Juan Island Distillery offers tastings and tours every Saturday

San Juan Vineyard with its historic tasting room in the background

San Juan Brewery is just three blocks from the Friday Harbor ferry landing

From unique Distilleries to Independent vineyards

There are so many phenomenal things made on San Juan Island, like sea salt, lavender shampoo, art and even mission critical components for space programs! But that’s not all, there are also the liquid arts, which are not only tons of fun to explore, but also make for unique gifts and island memories. Come join us on a boutique libations tour of San Juan Island! 

1. San Juan Island Distillery & Westcott Bay Ciders

A short drive from Roche Harbor Resort, you will find this quaint cidery and distillery near beautiful Westcott Bay. They are open for interesting tours of the cider works and tastings of all their lovely libations every Saturday. Westcott Bay Ciders offers a well-balanced line of ciders from their apple orchards along the waterfront, which are also used to distill award-winning brandy. The distillery also makes vodka, 14 different kinds of gin and delicious liqueurs, many incorporating island ingredients like salal, rose, elderberry or juniper in very decorative bottles. Their spirits are rarely distributed outside of San Juan County and make for a truly unique gift.

Outing Idea: Explore San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, enjoy a distillery tour and tasting, then have dinner at the Madrona Grill overlooking Roche Harbor’s waterfront for sunset.

2. San Juan Vineyard

Just three miles outside of Friday Harbor in the lush Beaverton Valley, lays picturesque San Juan Vineyard. Their historic tasting room and gift shop is open year-round with a lovely wrap-around porch to enjoy a picnic on warm Summer days. New to their collection this year, are the Afterglow Rose, Cattle Point Red and an astonishing 2017 Syrah.

Outing Idea: Rent a bike or, if you are staying at the Earthbox Inn & Spa or the Bird Rock Hotel, check one out for free and bike to the Vineyard for an enchanting afternoon.

3.  San Juan Brewery

And just three blocks from the ferry landing in Friday Harbor, you will find the spacious brewpub of San Juan Brewing. A huge glass wall behind the bar allows a view into the shiny brewery. There is ample indoor and outdoor seating, the latter can be rented for special events and allows well-behaved pups to join the party. San Juan Brewing also has a trivia and an open mic night and often free live music on the weekends. Have a San Juan Sampler of five of their delicious Lagers and Ales with enticing names like Outer Island IPA and Bull Kelp ESB, before deciding which growler or four-pack is  worthy to come home with you.

Outing Idea: Come for lunch or dinner and enjoy their wood fired pizza or German inspired pup food.

Memorial Day on San Juan Island

Home of the Free, Because of the Brave

Since the end of World War I, American Legion Hacket Larson Post 163 in Friday Harbor has paid tribute to the military personnel who lost their lives while serving in the United States Armed Forces with a heartwarming Memorial Day Parade. There will be no parade this year due to the Governor’s Stay at Home order until May 31, 2020.

The above picture is of Saint Francis Catholic Cemetery outside of Friday Harbor in May, a beautiful, serene spot with a tiny white chapel which plays a Glockenspiel on the hour. It’s a lovely place to be still, to remember our dead, and to be grateful for all that we have.

How to Plan a Spontaneous San Juan Island Weekend Getaway

Planning a spontaneous weekend to San Juan Island, especially if you are not usually the travel planner in your family unit, can seem overwhelming. What if there are no ferry reservations available? What do you pack for your wife for a surprise getaway without incurring ridicule or wrath? Learn how it’s done from this brave husband, who took matters into his own hands.

Please enjoy this very sweet article on How to Plan San Juan Island Getaway – Husband Edition.

5 Fun Ways to Explore San Juan Island’s Rich History

For such a small island – San Juan Island is the same size as Manhattan – we have quite a turbulent history, like the fact that the last war ever fought on US soil was fought right here. Our history is best experienced by strolling along the cliffs of the National Historical Parks while watching foxes play, by listening to live music amidst historic buildings and by singing with the Lummi Tribe to welcome back the Orcas. May is “History lives here Month” on San Juan and here are  5 Fun Ways to Explore San Juan Island’s Rich History.

Top 7 Things to Do on San Juan Island

The Spa at Earthbox is the place to get a relaxing massage on San Juan Island

Chocolate Lilies bloom in Spring on San Juan Island

Earthbox Inn & Spa staff at the annual beach clean-up on San Juan Island

The Starfish Project at the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park

Spring Break is an exceptional time to visit San Juan Island. Not only does it rain a whole lot less than in the rest of Washington State (thank you, Olympic Mountains for creating a wonderful rain shadow), it’s also very affordable, uncrowded and offers tons of fun, exciting as well as relaxing activities for the entire family.

 1.  Whale Watching

San Juan Island’s awesome whale watching providers start going out in Spring. See the Humpbacks returning from Hawaii with their new calves in tow and the Biggs killer whales frolicking in the surf. Book an exhilarating, educational whale watching tour with our friends at  San Juan Safaris.

 2. Spring Massage

Reset and rejuvenate your body with a massage, body treatment or facial at the Spa at Earthbox to help eliminate toxins, deeply relax and get your body ready for another active year.

3.  Kayak Tour

Treat your family to a guided sea kayak tour and experience the serene beauty of the Salish Sea. San Juan Outfitters offers custom kayak tours, tailored to your needs, desires and skill level.

4. Wildflower Hike

Park at Jakles Lagoon in American Camp National Historical Park and walk into the woods. Look for Fawn Lilies and Fairy Slippers. Follow the signs to Mt. Finlayson and emerge, after a short but intense climb, on the prairie high above the glistening sea, surrounded by Blue Camas, California Buttercups, Indian Paintbrush, Chocolate Lilies and more. Simply stunning.

5. Great Island Beach Clean-Up, Saturday, April 25th

Be part of something bigger and volunteer for the Great Island Beach Clean-up the Saturday after Earth Day. Learn about our beaches’ habitat and challenges and set an example for your kids, while getting San Juan Island sparkling clean for another beautiful Summer. Join other volunteers in making recycled art and have a free after-clean-up beer at San Juan Brewing.

6. Play Golf with a View

Play a round of golf at the San Juan Golf & Tennis Club just 2.5 miles outside of Friday Harbor on stunning Griffin Bay with spectacular views of Mt. Baker. The club rents clubs and carts and features a beautifully manicured 9-hole golf course with alternating tee boxes that convert into a long and challenging 18-hole experience. Treat yourself to lunch at the Club’s Greenside Grill.

7. Picnic at the Sculpture Park

Explore this unique 20-acres park displaying over 150 sculptures on five trails winding through woods, along beautiful Westcott Bay and around a natural lake. Have the kids make their own sculptures at the Starfish Project, a huge starfish-shaped sandbox filled with inspiring found objects, like sea shells, driftwood and floats. Pick a shady bench, have a nice picnic and watch for Blue Herons and other wildlife.

Earth Day on San Juan Island

Each April, on the Saturday after Earth Day San Juan Islanders and visitors alike come together for a day of beach and roadside clean-ups. It’s a festive affair with competitions on who collects the most garbage, folks making recycled art and fun freebies like a complimentary beer after the clean-up at San Juan Brewing.

The above picture is of the staff of the Earthbox Inn & Spa at Jakles Lagoon in American Camp National Historical Park searching for Styrofoam and microplastic, which gets washed up on the beach and has the tendency to get mistaken for food by seabirds and fish.

Come join us this year and volunteer so we can stay litter free by the sea!

10 Amazing Insider Tips for Your Outdoor Wedding Reception on San Juan Island

Tying the knot on one of the destination farms or on the cliffs of a breathtaking beach by a lighthouse on stunning San Juan Island will make your wedding day truly the most important day of your life. For one with an average of 267 sunny days per year San Juan Island is a pretty safe bet for an outdoor wedding in our beautiful Washington State. If this is your year to get hitched, then these tips are for you. Find 10 Amazing Insider Tips for your Outdoor Wedding Reception on San Juan Island here.

5 Sensational Spring Hikes on San Juan Island

It’s Spring on San Juan Island. Flowers and baby animals everywhere. Come join us on the isle for an unhurried island getaway. Let the wind blow in your hair, get your blood pumping in the fresh, salty island air, renew and rejuvenate with Mother Earth and hear nothing but birds chirping. Find directions to and what you might see on the 5 Most Sensational Spring Hikes on San Juan Island here.