A Family Camping Trip on the San Juan Islands
Family trips don’t have to resemble the 1983 comedy National Lampoon’s Vacation. On the San Juan Islands, it’s easy to bring the family, rent a cottage or house (around $2,500/week), and launch out on day trips from this base. Camping offers an inexpensive alternative, and the following itinerary is a good option for Lopez and Orcas Islands; similar trips are also very popular on San Juan.
Day 1
Load up the minivan and drive to Anacortes, where you have time to stock up on snacks and diapers at The Market. Because you made reservations, you won’t need to wait long to roll aboard a ferry heading toward Lopez Island, where you set up camp at Spencer Spit State Park.
Day 2
If you brought bikes along, everyone can hop on for a ride around the island; if not, they’re available for rent at Spencer Spit from Outdoor Adventure Center or in Lopez Village at Village Cycles. Afterward, return to Spencer Spit, where the kids can roast marshmallows over a campfire.
Day 3
Enjoy another day of biking around the island; break up the ride with a hike through the forest at Shark Reef Sanctuary and the chance to look for colorful stones at Agate Beach County Park. Get panini at Vita’s Wildly Delicious. Then wander the handful of shops and galleries in nearby Lopez Village.
Day 4
Pack everyone up and take the ferry to Orcas Island. Drive up to Eastsound for an all-American brunch at Island Skillet, then continue to the island’s eastern end to Moran State Park and its abundant campsites among the trees (the best ones are at South End Campground). If you book far enough in advance, Leanto has wonderful family glamping sites in the park.
Day 5
Drive the twisting road up Mount Constitution to take in the island vistas, and then head back down to Cascade Lake for swimming and paddleboarding with other families, plus a balanced lunch of hot dogs, lemonade, and popcorn. Everyone knows sugar works wonders in helping kids relax, so throw in an ice cream cone or three.
Day 6
Lots of options today. Take a hike up Turtleback Mountain, or hop on a whale-watching trip offered by Deer Harbor Charters. Browse Orcas Island Pottery (with a fun tree house and swings for kids) on the west side of Orcas before a side trip to watch the daredevils at Orcas Island Skateboard Park.
Day 7
Put the kids in day care at Orcas Island Children’s House and take the time to explore the shops of Eastsound, brunching at Brown Bear Baking, tasting wines poured by the som- melier at Doe Bay Wine Company, or sampling a cocktail and charcuterie board at The Barnacle. If you’re feeling ambitious, join a day trip to Sucia Island from Shearwater Adventures, or rent a mountain bike from Wildlife Cycles. On your way to get the kids, stop by Orcas Food Co-Op to pick up fresh seafood to grill at your campsite.
Day 8
It’s time to exit the islands, but if you take an afternoon ferry, you’ll have time for a short hike in Obstruction Pass State Park or Judd Cove Preserve before heading out. Waiting as the ferry approaches the terminal, with the kids sleeping peacefully in the back seat, you may think that family trips aren’t so bad after all.
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