Eastsound

THE SHINING CENTER ON THE GEM OF THE SAN JUANS

Touch down at the airport, less than a mile from the biggest town on Orcas Island, which is the largest island in the San Juans. Eastsound pulses with local businesses, shops featuring island-crafted goods, and restaurants that specialize in island-grown produce and local seafood. There’s even an outdoor performance stage, the Village Green, in the middle of it all.

Taking the ferry requires a drive up to Anacortes before even boarding the boat, but with Kenmore Air Express, a 40-minute flight from Boeing Field puts you at the airport less than a mile from town. Eastsound sits at the northern edge of this horseshoe-shaped island, right where the eastern and western halves come together. Head to the hiker’s paradise that is Moran State Park on the western half of the island, go east to Turtleback Summit or get out on the water, see some whales, wildlife, and the lushly forested hills that earned Orcas its nickname as the gem of the San Juans.