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Tamed, just enough to be welcoming, San Juan Island is rugged and rural in all the best ways. Thanks to its remote location, chefs aren’t just inclined to source locally, they need to. As a result, San Juan Island is one of the best foodie destinations in the Pacific Northwest.
Want to maximize your time noshing? Catch a quick and easy flight from Seattle to Friday Harbor Airport, where you can start exploring immediately.
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There’s nothing quite like cheering on your home team in person. But for WSU football fans, making the trek to Martin Stadium can be a slog. Luckily, a charter flight to Pullman, Washington, means less commuting and more tailgating.
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Fall in the San Juan Islands is particularly unique. The weather is still sunny (thanks to the 247 average days with sunshine), while the summer crowds have begun to thin. Farm tours and festivals abound (thanks to Savor the San Juans). And, the foliage is bursting with color. In short, there are a plethora of fun things to do in the San Juan Islands this fall.
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If your travels take you to Tacoma (which they should because Seattle’s sister-city is filled with underrated gems), do yourself a favor and visit the Museum of Glass. It’s a celebration of art, history, and the science of glassmaking. The captivating institution is home to the largest and most active museum glass studio on the West Coast.
Displays feature works by some of the most renowned glass artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. While exhibits lean towards contemporary art, classics are also on display. But the real draw here is the museum’s Hot Shop.
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Fashion has a tendency to come with waste. New styles encourage new production and the inevitable casting off of yesterday’s trends — whether they be a wardrobe update or a home decor refresh. It’s only natural to feel the conflicting juxtaposition between discovering a new sweater or prized vase and protecting Mother Nature. At Orcas Island’s Smörgåsbord, located in the heart of Eastsound, two moms challenge this status quo.
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Whether it be a remote wilderness lodge, a comfortable resort on the beach or a refined hotel in the city, there is getting away and then there is truly escaping. Being open to new experiences, whether that be trying new local foods, stepping out of your comfort zone by kayaking through a deep fjord or being brave and pulling up a chair to connect with strangers over a shared meal are all certain to make your experiences richer.
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Few things are more thrilling than seeing an orca in the wild — except, perhaps, protecting them. Protection comes in all forms at Friday Harbor’s Whale Museum. Visitors are introduced to orcas, invited to learn about their habitat, and encouraged to participate in the preservation of these gentle giants.
Founded in 1979, the museum is located on First Street. It’s just one block above the Friday Harbor Marina in downtown Friday Harbor. This year-round activity is housed in the historic Odd Fellows Hall. Constructed in 1982, the two-story wood structure served as a hub for the community’s social life.
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Known to some as the Harley Davidson of the sky, the de Havilland Beaver’s squat-nosed appearance has a rugged handsomeness.
With its pug-nosed fuselage and no-nonsense radial engine, this is a go-anywhere machine. In fact, unlike the majority of fixed-wing aircraft, the Beaver can get out of pretty much any situation it can get itself into.
The preferred choice of nearly all bush pilots, Beavers have been flown to small mountain lakes, glaciers, and remote beaches. They’ve carried torpedoes and delivered parts to stranded boats. They’ve been used as crop dusters, passenger caravans, and sightseeing apparatuses. You think of it, a Beaver can probably do it.
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On the edge of the US and Canadian border, where the ocean flows freely between the two countries – water-locked drops of island oases can be found. With the Olympic Mountains lining the horizon and old-growth forests aplenty, the 250 days of sunshine beckon visitors and delight locals.
Friday Harbor, the largest of the San Juan Islands’ towns, is home to some of the finest restaurants, coffee shops, and artists’ studios and galleries. Here, whale watching enthusiasts enjoy the sights of resident and transitory pods; outdoor adventurists explore a variety of parks and trails; and boaters take full advantage of known and lesser-known coves, marinas, and shorelines.
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In today’s screen-filled world, the opportunities to flex creative muscles with tangible objects can feel few and far between. But there’s a special magic when we let go of the digital mockup and allow our minds to wonder, ‘What if?’ To experiment with colors and stencils. To make something completely unique.
That’s exactly the kind of experience Andrew and Emily Youngren offer at Printshop Northwest. At their boutique San Juans printing chain (they have locations in both Orcas Island’s Eastsound and San Juan Island’s Friday Harbor) they sell a host of pre-printed and design-your-own clothing.
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