One of my major goals is to live on Orcas Island for part of the year. After returning from a beautiful week, my goal is more clear than ever. In my book Year Ahead Year in Review, I talk about how to dream big and plan smart so you can live well. I know so many people who just outright don’t believe in planning – they ‘don’t like’ planning, they rather ‘let things unfold as they will’, and so on. Personally, I think it’s a cop out. How can you ever get anywhere without a plan? Even planning a trip, such as to Orcas Island requires a plan. You don’t just take off one day and expect things to fall into place. If I hadn’t done some research in advance – I would have missed the last ferry to the island, and I would have paid $200 extra for plane tickets. No question, planning in advance saves time, frustration, stress and often money.
But don’t take my word for it – a recent survey by psychologist and author Robert Epstein gives good data on the topic. Plan Your way to Less Stress and More Happiness
So our trip to Orcas…
The first night we stayed ‘off island’ (as the locals call it) in a sweet town on the water called LaConnor. Found a great brewery where I tried the local concoction of peach infused beer. It was light and not at all sweet – much tastier that it sounds. (Plus it was strong which is how I like my beer) Once we got to the island, we spent our days hiking, swimming, berry picking, and water gazing while visiting the other San Juan islands via WA State ferry System. Again, no Orca whale sightings, but natural beauty everywhere including the gorgeous Mt. Baker looming in the distance.
A few of my favorites stops on Orcas:
At the Saturday farmers market we met Chris, a sweet guy who runs Island Thyme with his wife. Each time I visit, I buy his wonderfully scented products, (the sandalwood citrus body lotion is my favorite yet) but this was the first time I met him personally. I’m so thrilled I can now get his products through his website, although I’d still rather just take a trip up there.
I appreciate unique art, and this group of women at Bossy’s Feltworks are doing such fun things with wool! I LOVE the tiny felt animals and birds - but how many tiny wool sheep can one buy? I usually get the sweet little animals for friends having babies – check out the ‘Spring’ collection.
I’m a fool for pies and got inspired to bake my own after I ate at Passionate for Pies. With the massive amounts of giant blackberries lining the long driveway at our rental house – I was in berry heaven. I made a luscious pie with blackberries and sweet ripe peaches, we ate berries every morning for breakfast and I also froze a quart of berries which was made into smoothies and then enjoyed on the way to the airport back home. I am still missing the abundance of those delicious and super nutritious berries.
We ate lunch at The Kitchen most every day. Charles is the brilliant chef behind this food and everyone who has ever eaten there is a customer for life. He calls it Asian Fast (enough) Food and although you do have to wait sometimes 30 minutes, it it well worth it. Besides, when you’re on vacation, what’s the rush?
I love small islands. With all the great farms and farmstands on Orcas Island, there is no shortage of organic fresh food. And so many people who live there are fit and healthy – we met an 86 year old woman hiking on Turtleback Mountain with her 84 year old husband, (who of course were friends with the owners of the rental we stayed in) After meeting a local guy, Nate who is starting his own brewery, Island Hopping, later in the week we ran into him at The Kitchen and then again at the Farmer’s market – it’s a small island. The local community on Orcas doesn’t treat you like a tourist – they embrace you and make you feel like a friend during your short stay with them.
I loved driving on Orcas, the speed limit ranges from 20-40 mph so you never speed and neither does anyone else – it’s called being on island time. And whether you are in the Caribbean, Hawaii or Orcas, you still get that same hit of the slow paced good life.
