Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Lopez is is one of the best of the San Juans for biking because of its relatively flat ter-
rain, and also because it's your only option for getting around if you don't bring your car.
Old Post Rd; rentals per hour/day from $7/30; 10am-4pm Wed-Sun)
, which will drop bikes at
the ferry for $5 and also leads two-hour, half-day and full-day island bike tours for $55,
$75 and $105 respectively.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Shaw Island
The quietest and smallest of the four main San Juan Islands, tranquil Shaw is famous for
its restrictive property laws and handsome Benedictine monastery. Here, enveloped in a
pristine, tree-carpeted time warp, Catholic nuns tend to llamas, wild deer forage on
deserted roadways and idyllic sandy beaches are sprinkled with rather foreboding 'no
trespassing' signs.
Aware of rising property prices and the burgeoning resort development of their larger
and swankier neighbors, Shaw islanders have steadfastly resisted the lure of the tourist
dollar and chosen to remain private. That's not to say that travelers aren't welcome.
Plenty of ferries arrive daily on Shaw, but with only one campsite offering just 11
overnight berths, opportunities to linger are limited.
For purists, that is what the island is all about. Shaw is fondly redolent of Orcas 30
years ago (and the rest of America 60 years ago), a close-knit rural community where
neighbor still helps out neighbor and kids play happily in the countryside free from the
paranoia of modern living. Until the early 2000s, the ferry wharf and the island's only
store were managed by three Franciscan nuns who collected tickets and directed traffic in
bright-yellow safety vests worn over their dark-brown habits. In 2004 the Franciscans
moved on and today only the Benedictine and the Sisters of Mercy orders remain.
For the curious, Shaw is worth a slow spin on a mountain bike or an afternoon of quiet
contemplation on a pebbly beach. History buffs can break the reverie at the
Shaw Island
Bay Rd; tent sites $14)
with overnight room for 11 (note there are no shower facilities).
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