Weekend Getaway: Orcas Island, WA

For every Seattleite there comes a point in late winter/early spring where the ubiquitous grey drudgery begins to consume you. Grey concrete, grey skies, and no hope of sun for another few months means we have to get out, and stat!

Happily for us, there are many beautiful natural areas are accessible from Seattle, making weekend escapes quick, easy, and often fairly cheap. This weekend I took a trip to one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest: the San Juan Islands.

Located in the north Puget Sound, the San Juans are a short ferry ride from Anacortes, which is about an hour and a half from Seattle (via car, though there is an Airporter shuttle that goes from SeaTac Airport and Downtown Seattle to Anacaortes). There’s a small beach right next to the ferry terminal, which is a great place to kill time while waiting for your ferry to board. The ferry ride alone is worth the trip–beautiful views of the islands, and if you’re lucky, you may even spot some Orcas!

My group was heading for a cabin at Doe Bay Resort & Retreat, located on Orcas Island. Though the word “resort” may call up images of giant hotel blocks, pre-determined meal packages, and very manicured swimming pools, this is not the case for Doe Bay. The place has a quiet, solitary feel, and even though you can see other cabins, yurts, and tents from almost all parts of the resort’s grounds, you often feel like you’re on your very own private island. We stayed in a cozy 8-person cabin on one of the farther edges of the grounds. It’s at the edge of a big field, where you can often spot grazing deer, and is right by the resort’s organic garden. The cabin was well-equipped with a stove, a mini-fridge, a full bathroom, and tons of towels and linens.

It rained quite heavily for the whole trip, but there was no way we were letting that get in the way of our weekend fun. We spent a fair amount of time at the hot tubs, which are one of my favorite parts of Doe Bay. The tubs are outdoors, but covered, and overlook Doe Bay’s own little cove. Even with inclement weather, you’re able to relax and enjoy the view (and a walk out in the rain to cool down is very refreshing). The tubs are also clothing-optional, if that’s your jam.

When there was a break from the rain, we were also able to spend some time at Doe Bay’s small, but serene beach. There we skipped rocks, climbed to small hidden coves, and searched for hermit crabs and shells. We also took walks on some of the many paths that weave through the grounds, taking time to stand out on the farthest rocky point and listen to the waves break against the cliff.

Orcas Island has a lot of activities to offer. If you’re into the outdoors, there’s great kayaking and hiking to be found on the island. Mt. Constitution, located in Moran State Park, is a great hike to take on a nice day (or a great drive on a not-so-nice day, as we came to find). There are several cute little shops, bars, and restaurants in Eastsound, the main town area of Orcas Island. It should be noted that Eastsound operates on ‘island time’, so sometimes things are not open outside of peak hours. Be sure to check shop and restaurant hours and plan accordingly.

PRO TIPS:

• Buy your groceries in Anacortes, not on the islands. Groceries tend to be less expensive on the mainland.

• If you’re leaving the San Juans on a Sunday, try to catch an early afternoon ferry, as the evening ferries tend to be more crowded with people heading back to the city.

• Some of the ferries only take foot traffic, so be sure to check the schedule and make sure you’re aiming to get on the correct ferry if you have a car.

• Sometimes phone signal can be not-so-great (at least on Orcas) so be sure to screengrab directions to where you’re going when you have signal so that you don’t get lost!

• Though the weather is best in the summer, it is significantly cheaper to stay in the off-season. I always recommend a winter getaway!

What’s your favorite weekend getaway? Tell me about it in the comments!