Latest news with #SanJuanIslands
Forbes
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
This Island Getaway Is So Idyllic, Some Would Prefer To Keep It Secret
Welcome to the roads less traveled, the stoplight-free streets where residents routinely wave to friends, neighbors and visitors alike. Its rolling pastoral landscape looks like something out of a painting and while the vibe is super chill, there's also some world-class culinary options on Lopez. Here's what you shouldn't miss if you go to the 'friendly isle" in the San Juans off the coast of Washington state. Lopez is a beautiful destination in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington state. Visitors ... More love to hike and bike in this scenic spot, which also is home to some world-class culinary options. Visitors making the trek to this island are typically looking to unplug. Even the official San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau website sets the chill tone: 'You won't find rental cars or public transportation, stoplights, mopeds, a movie theater or a shopping mall.' It goes on to sing the praises of the opportunities to explore and experience natural beauty on beaches and rocky trails. For the last four years, my husband and I have been volunteering as camp hosts at Spencer Spit State Park, a sweet gig that allows us to park our 23-foot motorhome in the campground for a month while doing some low-lift chores. In the very beginning, when we couldn't believe our good fortune at landing in such a gorgeous spot, we wrote that we'd found our version of paradise. A couple of locals showed up at our campsite telling us to pipe down, this treasure was too good to share. Completely get that sentiment, but what about the businesses depending on visitors? Yeah, well. Lopez Island in Washington state is home to a lively farm stand culture. Yes, you should hit the popular Saturday Farmers Market during the summer season. Or, you can use the farm stand map as a way to explore the island, stopping to get honey and flowers on the south end, pick up exquisite goat cheese at Sunnyfield Farms before grabbing a loaf at Barn Owl Bakery. If you're prepping a DIY feast, there's also excellent seasonal produce and locally raised lamb, pork and beef at Horse Drawn Farm. Roadside booths offering eggs – and yarn at one – might make you wish you'd bought that 'I brake for farm stands' bumper sticker. Fill out the picnic fixings or cookout list at Village Market, a welcoming retailer that doubles as a community hub. Yes, those banners hanging in the produce department feature portraits of the class of 2025. And, you bet, you can buy a set of sheets there if an extra guest shows up on the porch of your vacation digs. Blossom Grocery, just down the block, also manages to stock an impressive lineup of natural food, bulk items, Northwest-centric craft beer – my husband is a big fan of Astoria, Ore., based Buoy – as well as various organic pantry staples under the Cadia label. (Love that company's mission to support independently owned grocers.) On your way to hike Iceberg Point or take a cold plunge into Watmough Bay, stop at the Southend Market & Cafe for a cup of coffee and a pastry. (Barn Owl regularly delivers there.) Roadside stands — and coolers — offering local eggs are prevalent on Lopez in the San Juan Islands ... More off the coast of Washington state. Derek Eisel sells produce from Watmough Bay Farm at the Saturday Market in the Village on Lopez ... More Island. He's also a musician and author. In the Village, there are a handful of dining options including several popular food trucks serving pizza, tacos and, new this summer season, Texas-style barbecue. The fragrant smoke from the various meats cooking low-and-slow is a signal that David's BBQ is legit. Try the brisket with the tomato-based sauce that's got a touch of sweet and heat. Fine Mess Bakery offers an assortment of beautiful pastries and, on weekends, excellent bread, while Isabel's Espresso has coffee lovers covered. Lopez Island Creamery is only open weekends, but the cute scoop shop is well worth a visit. There's also a taproom, a juice bar and apothecary. My favorite spot, hands down, is the Setsunai Noodle Bar, where chef Josh Ratza has earned a well-deserved reputation for his house-made ramen and spectacular soba. This week, Ratza announced on Instagram that he's relocating to a larger place, saying so long to the tiny space he and his crew have made work the last eight years. Soon, Setsunai Noodle Bar at The Galley will launch across from scenic Fisherman's Bay. Hooray! The new spot is just down the road from The Islander Resort and Marina, home of the bar and grill with one of the prettiest views on Lopez from its bayside deck. Chef Josh Ratza at Setsunai on Lopez Island has built a loyal fan base with his rich, complex ramen ... More and house-made noodles. The Noodle Bar is moving mid-June 2025 to a larger space. Some make Lopez a day trip destination, as the handful of accommodations tend to get booked out during the busy summer season. If you're looking to camp, in addition to Spencer Spit, there's Odlin county park, which also has a boat launch and fantastic sunsets. Reservations on the Washington state ferries is essential for the trip out to the San Juan Islands, but on the way back to the mainland, it's a first-come, first-served lineup kind of situation. Your best bet is to download the department of transportation app, which offers real-time tracking options.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Forbes
48 Hours On San Juan Island Leads To Some Delicious Discoveries
This popular destination some 30 miles off the coast of Washington state draws visitors craving that chill island vibe along with a generous helping of excellent culinary options. Here's what you need to add to a must-visit list. Washington State Ferries serve the San Juan Islands near Seattle. During summer months, it's ... More essential to make a reservation when traveling west to the islands. I've traveled to this group of islands countless times, starting in the 1970s when summers were spent visiting family on Orcas Island. Much has changed in this region over the decades, but there are also comfortingly familiar landmarks. On San Juan Island, that includes the Friday Harbor House, the hotel that's been welcoming guests for decades. With its sweeping views of the incredibly picturesque harbor and a signature restaurant that pulls that vista into sharp focus, FHH is one of my all-time favorite places to stay in this neck of the woods. During a recent two-night visit, I also got quite a shock: Dinner included some of the best barbecue I've enjoyed outside the American South. And that's not a compliment I dish out casually. The smoker at Friday Harbor House on San Juan Island in Washington state produces some outstanding ... More barbecue. Shortly after checking in and talking a pre-dinner walk around town, I spied a smoker. Well, that's not exactly true. I got a whiff of fragrant wood smoke near the hotel and was drawn to investigate. Yup, this setup looked – and smelled – legit. Later, when my husband and I were seated in the dining room, there was little doubt what I was going to order. On the three-course dinner menu – a screaming deal at $50 – the barbecued ribs described as being rubbed with a special seasoning that included local kelp. Say what? Chef Bryce Harding later explained that addition to the custom rub he created added umami. Uh-huh. It also delivered on the promised sense-of-place many destination restaurants aim for, all while the delivery truck is off loading supplies from Sysco. And, of course, there's some of that going on in the kitchen at Friday Harbor House. But the pork is raised on the island. After a satisfying cup of slightly spicy chowder --yes, that's chorizo in the mix – the ribs arrived, its deep mahogany bark offering a preview of what was to come. At that point, I was still a bit skeptical. This rack looked borderline burned. But after the first bite, it was clear that was the brown sugar in the rub getting to the point of ultimate caramelization. There's no sticky sweet sauce accompanying these bones, but the mole-seasoned pan-roasted mushrooms served on the side played so well with the succulent, lightly smoky meat, barbecue sauce was not needed. The pork was tender, but not falling-off-the-bone mushy, and the preparation hit that target of honoring the ancient tradition of cooking meat low-and-slow while making adding that local flavor. Well done. I know at some point during dinner, my husband offered me a bite from his beautifully put together plate, as is our practice, but I waved him off. I shared one rib with him, but that evening, I did something I rarely do: I finished my entire entree. (Though that meant waving off dessert.) Cycling is a popular way to explore San Juan Island. We walked on the ferry with our bikes and spent a good chunk of our visit exploring on two wheels. On the way out to the National Historical Park known as American Camp, there were plenty of hills and pastoral scenery that looked as if it belonged on a movie set. It's somewhat surprising that there's never been a feature film based on the island's famous Pig War. The tale of this porcine-fueled conflict that began in 1859 is told in a compelling interpretive exhibit at the American Camp Visitors Center. In a nutshell, American and British troops both occupied the island while borders between the U.S. and Canadian were being configured. (By way of history that goes way back, this region has been home to the Coast Salish people for centuries.) A free-roaming pig from British Camp was rooting around in a potato patch in American Camp and was dispatched with a shotgun blast. A conflict quickly became heated and, as the history books say, nearly led to a world war. The Brits eventually set sights further north, as the maritime border was drawn to include what's now known as the Gulf Islands. We continued the tour with a stop at South Beach, a dramatic expanse of rocky shoreline and mountains of driftwood. Across the vast Strait of San Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Mountains are a majestic landmark, and if you're curious about the massive boat chugging by, download the Marine Traffic app. San Juan Island Sea Salt has a gourmet food shop and bakery in Friday Harbor, Wash., a short walk ... More from the ferry landing. Don't miss the hockey puck-shaped cookies. The next day, my husband headed out on another ride, this time to Lime Kiln Point State Park and its beautiful lighthouse. This is a spot where visitors often spot the pods of resident orca whales, but there were no dorsal fins in sight that day. I spent the morning doing some retail therapy around the walkable town, hitting The Market Chef – where they serve deli-style lunch as well as stocking fun kitchen essentials – Griffin Bay Bookstore & Cafe (picked up a copy of a kid's book about The Pig War – and, finally, stopped at the new San Juan Island Sea Salt store. That charming space offers shoppers the option of tasting through some of the locally produced line of sea salts, including the exceptional Madrona-smoked version. (There's Madrona-smoked honey, too.) Shelves are stocked with intriguing ingredients, sauces and spreads, also available from the San Juan online store. Don't you dare leave, though, without indulging in a memorable hockey puck-sized cookie from the in-house bakery. The current superstar is a creation called the Coffeehouse, which has a coffeecake crumble-like topping sprinkled with that 'solar-powered' sea salt. Pair that up with a half pint of vanilla from Lopez Island Creamery and day made! Old School meatballs are a shining star at Vinny's, a classic Italian trattoria on San Juan Island ... More in Washington state. Loved the meatballs at Vinny's, a popular Italian eatery. (Reservations are essential.) Make like a local and hit the breakfast bar at Kings Market, order a slice of pizza at Bakery San Juan, hit the bowling alley at JP's and grab a coffee at San Juan Island Roasters or a craft beer at San Juan Island Brewery. Back to the Friday Harbor House for a farewell brunch, I was thrilled to discover the fantastic version of bagels and lox finished in a shower of San Juan Island Sea Salt's Everything Bagel seasoning. The Friday Harbor House serves bagels and lox with Everything Seasoning from San Juan Island Sea ... More Salt.
