For every Seattleite there comes a point in late winter/early spring where the ubiquitous grey drudgery begins to consume you. Grey concrete, grey skies, and no hope of sun for another few months means we have to get out, and stat!

Happily for us, there are many beautiful natural areas are accessible from Seattle, making weekend escapes quick, easy, and often fairly cheap. This weekend I took a trip to one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest: the San Juan Islands.

Located in the north Puget Sound, the San Juans are a short ferry ride from Anacortes, which is about an hour and a half from Seattle (via car, though there is an Airporter shuttle that goes from SeaTac Airport and Downtown Seattle to Anacaortes). There’s a small beach right next to the ferry terminal, which is a great place to kill time while waiting for your ferry to board. The ferry ride alone is worth the trip–beautiful views of the islands, and if you’re lucky, you may even spot some Orcas! [Read more…]