San Juan Islands are an archipelago (yes, I love that word!) off the coast of upstate Washington. The islands were first named by a Spanish Explorer in 1791 and were ultimately claimed as part of the Washington territory in the 1870s. The islands are well known for their marine life, including numerous orca whale pods, sea otters, and seals. The islands have a history of lime mining and exportation and are now popular nature and kayak destinations.
The drive to Anacortes from Seattle was about 90min and then the ferry was another hour.
Waiting to board the ferry and exploring the sea-life. We arrived almost 2 hours early, just as everyone recommended for a Friday afternoon ferry. Then we had so much fun on the beach, we almost missed our boarding time!
On the ferry. So happy to have (just barely) made it on!
The lavender farm was having its annual summer festival:
Sam, the lavender Zombie:
This is what you do when you drive to a lunch destination only to have your toddler fall asleep in the car. First we took a brief nap ourselves. Then, Sara enjoyed happy hour. At 1pm.
Glamping (per urban dictionary): Glamorous camping. Satisfying your craving for the outdoors and your penchant for a good meal, nice glass of wine, and a comfortable bed.
We stayed at a "camping resort" where they also offer canvas platform tents fully furnished and heated as well as log cabins, running water, showers, and pancake breakfasts. We brought our own gear and heated up meals on a camping stove, but I appreciated the access to a hot shower, firewood, and a bottle of wine.
Lime-Kiln Park. Known to be one of the best orca sighting destinations. We visited twice, both at 630am because Sam had woken up so early we had to escape the campground or risk waking up all of our neighbors! We met other visitors sitting on the rocks who had binoculars for whale-spotting. Kyle found a pod far in the distance with his new super-human glasses on. Once he showed me where to look, I could even see the flashes of black and white and then the water splashing as whales popped out of the water. So cool!
That's British Columbia across the water:
Getting back to the mainland. We were the last car allowed on, which saved us from an extra 90-min wait. Thank you Washington State Ferries for another nail-biting ferry-boarding experience!
A word on camping with toddlers:
- Make sure that both parents are well-rested ahead of time
- Camp out of hearing-range from anyone else who might enjoy their sleep
- Don't introduce your child to an inflatable fun-house the weekend before. Tents with air-mattresses look a lot like fun-houses
- Pack everything you can think of and then a little extra
- Don't plan on spending too much planned private time with your significant other
- Make do with spontaneous naps and quiet-time in the car
- Let your toddler help-- organizing sleeping bags and playing with tent zippers can be really entertaining for them
- Camp so far away that when you consider leaving after the first night, the idea of traveling home is also exhausting, forcing you to stick it out another night and experiencing a better night's sleep. (The San Juan Redemption!)
- Be flexible. With everything. Making plans. Breaking plans. Naps. Going to bed. Catching the ferry
Be patient and remember the Journey is the Destination!
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