Rob, Stacey & Aubrey came to visit us up in WA! It was a good time and beer was drank! They arrived Friday and we hit up the Airways brewery. Rob got an awesome shirt that he later discovered had a hot looking flight attendant on the back....right Rob?! (picture maybe!) Next we consumed a good amount of beef and had some more beer. On Saturday we headed up to Orcas Island (KORS) to explore and have some good food. after getting a rental van (which was really easy and a good rate (Orcas island rentals)) we had breakfast then drove to Moran State park and walked/hiked around. Stopped at Island Brewery, had a couple beers and let the ladies drive us around! We then went to dinner at Mijitas, which was amazing.

The hotel wasn't anything fancy, well we didn't get the fancy rooms at least! After we checked out in the morning we hit up the Brown Bear Bakery for a breakfast snack & coffee. That place was delicious. We then flew back via Stuart Island Sunday morning.

All together it was a great little weekend getaway and great to see friends. Here are some great pics! (Links to info at end)

Rob&Family arrive

We are carnivores!


Rob took this of me....Boeing Field

SEAHAWKS!


Space needle and Seattle


Blakely Island (38WA)

Although we didn't use them....Orcas has some great C. Cars available...

Overlooking the San Juan Islands

Rob & I move very fast....

Cascade Falls in Moran State park

Look at that future pilot!

Beach north of the airport Orcas Island

Outlook Inn....Rooms at a good rate and nice...not TV's but who needs TV!

Rob above Mt Baker


We even made the webcam feed!


Great place we will def return!

Retal Car
http://www.orcasislandshuttle.com/rental%20car.html

Hotel
http://www.outlookinn.com/

Moran State Park
http://www.parks.wa.gov/547/Moran
http://www.yelp.com/biz/moran-state-park-eastsound

Brewery
http://www.yelp.com/biz/island-hoppin-b ... astsound-2

Dinner
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mijitas-eastsound

Breakfast/Coffee
http://www.yelp.com/biz/brown-bear-baking-eastsound

Breakfast day one...it was "okay!"
http://www.yelp.com/biz/island-skillet-eastsound

We love the San Juans (and the Gulf Islands in BC). Our travels through them have been entirely by boat, except for a small part of my seaplane training last summer and an intro seaplane ride I took 3 years ago this summer in BC. I'd love to do some island hopping by airplane, landplane or seaplane. If we were to move from Fort Collins (not likely), that's where we'd go.

I took my 19' Sea Ray through the islands in 2001 solo with my dog Maggie (read about it in my book, The Ultimate Small Boat Adventure, available from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.), last year we chartered a 36' Grand Banks, and previously we've chartered a 32' Nordic Tug twice, 9 years ago and 5 years ago respectively. 3 years ago this summer we toured many of the islands in Marilyn's brother's "boat", a 57' Mikelson sport fisherman. We liked the Nordic Tug the best.

Thanks for the memories!

Cary

Nice TR, enjoyed the story and photos. I need to get the family back up to the Islands again.

We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place. San Juan's are great. Looks lie a great weekend.

Cheers

That was a fun trip, Bryan! We'll have to do it again next year! Home safe in Rio Vista now.

Thanks for the TR Bryan. Great photos!

Exploring the San Juan's by plane and bike is definitely on my bucket list. We have lots of family in the PNW... the WA/OR coast is tough to beat in the summer. What's the story with airport camping, are most of SJ Island airports airplane camper friendly?

4Whitey wrote:Thanks for the TR Bryan. Great photos!

Exploring the San Juan's by plane and bike is definitely on my bucket list. We have deep family roots in the PNW and that area is tough to beat in the summer. What's the story with airport camping, are most of SJ Island airports airplane camper friendly?

You can camp at Orcas Island for sure. Also, if you join the Washington Pilot's Association you can use the private grass strip at Stuart Island and stay in their rustic cabin. I think you may be able to camp at Friday Harbor also but I'm not sure.

Nice TR! I love that area and want to get back. We camped at Orcas for one night and it was great. We had planned on staying another night but the weather ran us out. If I lived up there, I'd definitely be checking that cabin out!

The only SJ Island airport I've seen people camped at is Orcas. Plenty of grass at Friday Harbor but I doubt camping on it would fly. Nobody around much at Lopez but I think the campable grass got torn out a year or two ago in favor of more paved parking spots (which ween't needed).

Camping on the grass is OK at Jefferson County (Port Townsend), there's a good café on the field (open 9am-4pm) and a couple loaner cars (ask at Tailspin Tommy's or PT Aircraft maintenance) to go into town with. And various shindigs (Wooden Boat Festival, Jazz Festival, Movie Festival, Kinetic Energy Festival, etc) to attend in the late spring to early fall period. A good place to get away from the crowds also if you attend the Arlington Fly-in but prefer to camp with a little more solitude.

Thanks, I really appreciate all the camping info.