Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
35 First St. (P.O. Box 2023), Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
&
800/352-2632
or 360/378-5848. www.friday-harbor.
com. 18 units, 4 with shared bathroom. $99-$129 double with shared bathroom; $149-$299 double with pri-
vate bathroom. Rates include continental breakfast. MC, V.
Amenities:
Massage. In room: No phone.
Olympic Lights Bed and Breakfast
Located at San Juan's dry south-
western tip, the Olympic Lights is a Victorian farmhouse surrounded by
windswept meadows, and if it weren't for the sight of Puget Sound out the win-
dow, you could easily mistake the setting for the prairies of the Midwest. There are
colorful gardens, an old barn, even some hens to lay the eggs for your breakfast.
The ocean breezes, nearby beach, and friendliness of innkeepers Christian and Lea
Andrade lend a special feel to this American classic. Our favorite room here is the
Ra Room, which is named for the Egyptian sun god and features a big bay win-
dow. The view out the windows is enough to settle the most stressed-out soul.
146 Starlight Way, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
&
888/211-6195
or 360/378-3186. Fax 360/378-2097. www.
olympiclights.com. 4 units. May-Oct $125-$135 double; Nov-Apr $95 double. Rates include full breakfast.
No credit cards. In room:No phone.
Campgrounds
Lakedale Campground
, 4313 Roche Harbor Rd., Friday Harbor, WA
98250 (
&
800/617-2267
or 360/378-2350; www.lakedale.com), is 4 miles
north of Friday Harbor. With over 80 acres, several lakes, and campsites for tents
as well as RVs, this private campground makes an ideal spot for a family vaca-
tion. Rates vary by season and number in party; check out the website for the
latest camping fees.
Our favorite campground on the island is
San Juan County Park
, 380
Westside Rd. N. (
&
360/378-8420
for information, or 360/378-1842 for
reservations), which has unbeatable views and is set on the site of an old water-
front farm. Campsites are $23 to $32 per night, and reservations can be made
up to 90 days in advance.
WHERE TO DINE
In addition to the restaurants listed below, Friday Harbor has several other places
where you can get a quick, simple meal. About a block from the top of the ferry
lanes is
The Market Chef,
225 A St. (
&
360/378-4546), a combination espresso
bar and gourmet take-out restaurant that also bakes outrageously good chocolate
chip cookies. Just around the corner, you'll find
Felicitations,
120 Nichols St.
(
&
360/378-1198
), which is the best bakery on the island. Although it's hard to
find,
Backdoor Kitchen & Catering,
400b A St. (
&
360/378-9540
), is worth
searching out for its eclectic menu. At the
Garden Path Café,
135 Second St.
(
&
360/378-6255
), you'll find a good selection of deli salads, soups, and baked
goods.
If you're up near the north end of the island and suddenly find yourself hun-
gry for lunch or a light dinner, try the
Lime Kiln Cafe
(
&
360/378-2155
) on
the dock at Roche Harbor Resort. This lively little cafe serves filling breakfasts
and good chowder and fish and chips. Big windows let you gaze out at the boats
in the marina.
Duck Soup Inn
NORTHWEST/INTERNATIONAL This restaurant
4
1
⁄
2
miles north of Friday Harbor sums up the San Juans experience. Duck Soup
is rustic and casual, set in a tranquil rural setting beside a small pond, and yet it
serves superb multi-course dinners. Inside this quintessentially Northwestern
building you'll find lots of exposed wood and a fieldstone fireplace. The menu
changes frequently, depending on the availability of fresh produce, but it is
