This weekend was the 20^th annual San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour, with sunny weather and friendly artists welcoming visitors into their studios.  This happening started in 1990 when nine artists got together with the idea of having a free tour in Spring weather to give island residents and visitors an opportunity to see where they worked and what they had come up with over the winter.  The idea was not to sell artwork, but to inspire others.  Since that time the original concept has remained the same, but the increasing number of artists coming to the … read full article

My family moved to San Juan Island with a small surge in island population in the late seventies. We began by renting on San Juan Island to see if we liked the place. It wasn’t long before we decided it was prudent to buy since we knew we were staying. We were in our thirties and we had three young children.

We learned that Halloween wasn’t the same here. For one thing, the owner of many of the stores downtown dressed up in costumes for the business day. The owner at King’s Market, Vi King, was always a … read full article

Roche Harbor Mausoleum

Most people who come to San Juan Island are aware of Roche Harbor Resort, and possibly a tiny bit of it’s history. What many people do now know of, or have never taken the time to visit, is the mausoleum.

This is not so much of a hike as it is a destination. A worthwhile destination! The walk itself is in total one mile (by my estimation) one way. If you start at the resort the front desk of the Hotel de Haro has a great pamphlet that outlines many interesting things about the history … read full article

Mt. Finlayson

Another hike that you must do while on the island is on the south side of San Juan commonly known as Mt. Finlayson (some refer to it as Jackle’s Lagoon also). Once you finish skipping rocks at South Beach head just a bit farther south on Cattle Point Road and turn (left) into the parking lot above Jackle’s Lagoon. From there you head up the trail, that at times, skirts surprisingly close to the road, but, trust me, your perseverance will be rewarded soon enough!

Once you head up, and succeed in making it to the … read full article

Part 1

With so much attention put on the waters that surround San Juan Island, many visitors (and locals too!) forget to look inward for stunning things to do on the island. There are so many incredibly beautiful places to hike and trails to explore on San Juan Island that you could spend each weekend on a different trail and not repeat your adventure for months.

May I suggest a starting point?  Mt. Young!  This mountain is a continuation of a trail that starts at British Camp on the northwestern side of San Juan Island not far from … read full article