One of the best lodging deals on the island can be had by those who prepare in advance. The Camp Moran Vacation House (360/902-8600, www.parks.wa.gov/vacationhouses, $117) inside beautiful Moran State Park is one of a handful of vacation homes rented out by the state parks department. This spacious two-bedroom rental sleeps 10, and its large kitchen comes fully equipped. All you need to bring is bed linens and firewood for the fire ring in the private yard outside. The word is out about this super deal, though, so check with the parks department a year in advance to lock up your dates.

Couples seeking solitude on the beach need look no further than Beach Haven Resort (684 Beach Haven Rd., 360/376-2288 or 888/422-2825, www.beach-haven.com), which has private little cabins right on the beach for $135 per night. For a special treat, its Stargazer’s Cottage with a skylight above the bed, a jetted tub, and a private beach cabana is just five bucks more per night. Beach Haven can also be family friendly, offering two-, three- and four-bedroom cabins for $165–310 nightly. The property has a playground, horseshoe pit, and ping-pong table on-site.

Spread out across 33-acres along Otter Cove, Doe Bay Resort (360/376-2291, www.doebay.com) is a legendary institution on the island dating back to the 1970s. The resort attracts a free-spirited and artistic-minded bunch, who come to relax in the property’s soaking tubs and sauna, stretch their minds and bodies at the on-site yoga studio, and unwind with a cup of tea in the community lounge and library.

Though it continues to stay true to its down-to-earth roots, Doe Bay Resort has undergone a bit of a renaissance over the past several years, with many of its cabins getting a much-needed face-lift in the process. Full bathroom and kitchen cabins range $170–260 per night, while woodstove cabins with community bathrooms and showers run $100–125 nightly. Between May and October, the resort also rents out yurts for $110 per night.

The resort has a small store with limited supplies, plus sea kayaking tours ($45 for three hours), a massage therapist on call, and a café featuring organic veggies grown on the property.

Deer Harbor Inn (360/376-4110 or 877/377-4110, www.deerharborinn.com) is a contemporary log lodge surrounded by an apple orchard near Deer Harbor, eight miles west of the ferry dock. The eight small guest rooms ($139 d) in the main lodge contain log furniture and private baths. Four private cottages ($229–385 d) have fireplaces and a two-night minimum in summer. All rates include a continental breakfast (in a picnic basket) and access to the hot tub. Kids are accepted in the cottages. Deer Harbor Inn is also home to a fine dining restaurant, housed in a farmhouse built in 1915.