Seafarers Memorial Park has the quintessential marina, industry and ocean views that PNW folk tend…read moreto love. Clean single use bathrooms, water fill up, recycling and garbage. Perfect spot to stretch before the ferry!

Great place to stretch your legs. It has a nice kelp smell and a breeze…read more It is best on a sunny day, but take what you get in this state.

I was not expecting to be as impressed as I was by this brand new pier at Little Squalicum Beach…read more For decades, I've visited this rustic little beach park with family or friends, always gazing out at the long-dilapidated former shipping pier. Fast forward to just a few weeks ago, and they've transformed this creosote-scented landmark into a place of beauty. We were lucky to be there on a warm, sunny day. We walked out to the end and took it all in. From views of Lummi and Orcas Islands to the west, Mt. Baker to the east, and even some humongous-looking crabs wandering the shallow depths beneath the bridge, it was a delightful (and free!) way to spend some time in nature.

Really really cool experience the ONLY drawback is there isn't really a beach very rocky but man…read morewas that cool!! A LOT of wildlife in the water that you can see from the pier. SO rad would definitely recommend and will definitely be back someday

Martha's Beach is a small beach off of Klamath Drive near La Conner, WA. There's lots of parking…read moreand they have an outhouse near the parking lot. A great place for sunsets. Very cool place to go after big wind storms... a great gathering place for large driftwood and logs.

One of my favorite parks in the San Juans for hiking, kayaking and boating. Beautiful views all…read morearound, and the wildlife from eagles to seals to whales is awe-inspiring. If you have an opportunity to travel here, go for it!

If you have a boat (or, even better, a friend with a boat) and you live anywhere in the vicinity of…read morethe San Juan Islands then fill 'er up and head on over to Sucia Island State Park. I recently was invited out with some friends on their new boat (did I mention how lucky I feel sometimes?) and we had an AMAZING day tied up at the main dock, barbecuing fresh salmon, tossing back a few cold ones, playing some cards, and enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday on the island. There's a lot to love about Sucia. It's isolated (accessible only by boat), uncrowded (because, let's face it, not everybody has a boat), unscathed, and beautiful...yet still has a few "creature comforts" that we semi-outdoorsy types love (like pit toilets, picnic tables, and even cell phone service). If you don't have a boat you can catch one from Orcas or another nearby island - some will even haul your kayak over, too, so you can enjoy some quality time paddling around the island and its beautiful inlets and bays. There are also several lovely campsites right by the main boating dock - can't wait to get back here with my tent, my kayak, and a good book or two. Just remember, if you go on a weekend day get here early for the best spot at the dock!

This was my third visit to Lummi Island, but my first visit to Sunset Beach on 10/22/20…read more Sunset Beach is located diagonal from The Willows Inn, well marked from the main road, with decent trail access to the beach, but not ADA for wheelchairs/walkers. I purposefully took a much earlier ferry to Lummi Island to guarantee time on the beach. No amenties like picnic benches, bathrooms, or BBQ/fire pits at this pocket beach. Well kept, no litter. Just you communing with nature. It was a sunny autumn day with a brisk wind. Beautiful views. Walked along the beach. Collected tiny rocks of interest. Chatted briefly with a guy mooring his small boat. Perched on a log soaking up the sun. Glorious.

Sunset Beach is very nice beach to enjoy the sunset on Lummi. You can clearly see both Orcas and…read moreSucia islands. It is a small beach and there are lots of signs on different entrances showing "private" so please make sure to use the access available to public. While at it you can also check out one of the finest restaurants in PNW called "Willow Inn" but you do need to make a reservation for dinner.

Awesome ferry ride over to the islands. With Beautiful views. Entering was easy and quick.read more

I only got to visit the American Camp side of this park, but it was wonderful!…read more Driving along Cattle Point Road you'll see signs to enter multiple different sites at the park. I mainly stopped at three locations: Cattle Point Interpretive Area: You can either take the steps down to the pebbly beach to feel more connected to the water, or go up the mossy mound to get a high ground view of... well, everything. I saw water, cliffs, islands, ducks, eagles, seals... unfortunately, no whales, though, prob because this is not the time of year they are around much. Cattle Point Lighthouse: Walked on a cute trail to the lighthouse, where I saw a humongous red fox on a hill, looking like it was digging or pouncing on something! On the other side of the lighthouse are views of miles of open sky and water. South Beach: On the road leading to the beach, we actually saw a black fox just chilling, lying on the road. It moved to the fenced area as we approached, and my gosh it was beautiful. I didn't even know black foxes existed! The beach itself is wide and has views of endless water, with some driftwood hanging out near you. I know there's so much more to the park that we didn't see, but I was quite happy with the wildlife and incredible scenery. Especially the foxes... I've only seen like one other (that I can remember), so seeing the ones here were such a bonus. The trails and sites that we missed are even more reason to return to San Juan Island National Historical Park. I just hope I'm able to come out to this island again someday.

It was yet another glorious sunny weekend in the PNW, so we grabbed our buckets and headed to…read moreWhidbey Island for some beachcombing - discovering this beautiful beach along the way. It's a small, but mighty, little strip of land that's bordered on three sides by private property, so while it might not be a great place to hang out with 1000 of your closest friends, you can't beat the vibe here for a small romantic picnic or playtime with the kid. The beach is pretty typical PNW: driftwood, rocks, mud, and lots of stinky seaweed to give the place atmosphere. We were there at low tide, so it definitely had wading potential (if you're into cold, Puget Sound water). The thing I liked most, besides the stunning views out to the Olympics, was that there were only two other people on the beach. This would also be a great place for some sea kayaking on a calm day. There is a port-a-potty in the small parking lot, but other than that there are few amenities here, so bring along your own water, shade, and seating. But if you're looking to cross yet another gorgeous PNW beach off your list, this one is definitely worth a visit.

We did some hiking around here, checked out Cattle Point Lighthouse, and generally creeped on…read morefoxes. Definitely a success on all points. The hiking was great, the water views and beaches were lovely and not packed, the foxes adorable. We look forward to returning adhesion next spring.

Wow! Only one review, and it's two stars? This wrong must be righted…read more Californians unimpressed? Ho hum. Don't come back, and don't send any of your friends up here to mess the place up. Just repeat '2 star' like you're ordering mediocre Thai food: Not so hot. They'll get the picture. Olympic National park just average? Compared to which temperate rainforest? Rainer? Just a big hunk of rock and ice, and it's always behind the clouds. How about North Cascades? Just wannabe alps. It's like the Yelpers who gave a 1 star rating to Death Valley complaining that it was too hot, or that the Grand Canyon is just a big hole in the ground. Not helpful. San Juan islands have a lot to offer, and San Juan in particular has a lot of interest, but you need to get out of your car to enjoy it. Hike, bike, kayak, go whale watching, drop some crab pots, maybe tour the historic parks too. Sail, fish, go to the beach. You could also spend a lazy afternoon shucking and eating fresh oysters on the bluff at Westcott bay. You're here for island life mon. Watching whales off Lime Kiln point? Seen them on PBS. Orcas breaching In the Sound? We have some of those at Sea world. Argh. Spending a couple of hours shuttling between the mainland and the island, then driving around the island in your car? Yeah, that sounds boring. You missed it all. Now get off my lawn. Phew! I feel better.