If the weather is good this week, why not visit the San Juan Islands?
From Seattle, you can drive to Anacortes and catch the Ferry, about an hour’s crossing. Another option would be to go via the Mukilteo ferry and Whidbey Island to reach Anacortes. The Mukilteo/Clinton ferry crossing is about twenty minutes, plus another an hour and twenty minutes of driving to reach the Anacortes ferry.
Arriving on Orcas Island you can have a coffee at Roses Bakery café and buy your sandwiches to go to Moran National Park and Climb to the top of Mount Constitution for a picnic.
If there is good weather, you will enjoy a 360-degree view od the San Juan Islands, Vancouver and the mainland, Mount Baker, and Mont Rainier.
The view is even more beautiful if you climb to the top of the tower, built of hand-cut stone by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936, set up by President Roosevelt in 1933. There is a very interesting exhibition on the subject in the rooms of the tower.
A road leads to the tower and the summit of the Mount, but there is an easy hike of about an hour, that offers a magnificent view of the bay.
You can drive around the island, but the coast is not very accessible, often private, lined with houses.
At the end of the day, you can choose either a trip to see grey whales and orcas, if the season allows, or you can take another hike. Turtleback Mountain is a very nice climb, around one hour and half, and you are guaranteed of another superb view at the top. This hike is at the south of the island, near the pier.
The return trip by ferry while the sun is setting is unforgettable.
Emmanuelle
