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Old 10-18-2023, 01:59 PM
 
Location: West coast
5,281 posts, read 3,081,026 times
Reputation: 12275

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Other than a day on a boat I’ve never been to the islands.
I want to surprise the wife with a couple days there for her birthday.
I’m thinking like taking my car (maybe part way?), using ferries and getting a nice room for a couple days.

Have any of you done this?
Could you recommend a place to get reservations at or where not to?
Any fun things to recommend?
Her birthday is in 5 weeks but I’m open to going earlier if it means better weather or local events.

Thanks.
Andy.
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Old 10-18-2023, 02:18 PM
 
Location: NE Mississippi
25,580 posts, read 17,298,699 times
Reputation: 37349
Quote:
Originally Posted by MechAndy View Post
Other than a day on a boat I’ve never been to the islands.
I want to surprise the wife with a couple days there for her birthday.
I’m thinking like taking my car (maybe part way?), using ferries and getting a nice room for a couple days.

Have any of you done this?
Could you recommend a place to get reservations at or where not to?
Any fun things to recommend?
Her birthday is in 5 weeks but I’m open to going earlier if it means better weather or local events.

Thanks.
Andy.
We're boaters, so we took a boat for a week up there. It was a Grand Banks - about a 32 footer, I think.
That was years ago and we still talk about it, so yeah, no matter how you go, you should go. Friday Harbor would be my choice. Victoria, BC, too, if you have the time.
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Old 10-18-2023, 02:32 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,218 posts, read 107,956,787 times
Reputation: 116166
Orcas Island. Rosario Resort. Rosario's has great food, but also try the New Leaf Cafe for dinner, inside the hotel called the Outlook Inn, with a view of the water. Amazing food! Rosario's also has kayaks for the guests, and other amusements to while away the hours. If Rosario's is too expensive, there's the Deer Harbor Inn: comfy, low-key, yet affordable. Everything on the island is expensive, though. Also: you need to book way in advance. It's a very popular destination. When is her b-day? If not too close to the holiday period, or in summer, you should be ok? Or pick the closest dates to her b-day that there's something available in your price range.

Take your car so you can explore the island. You can visit Moran State Park, drive past Cascade Lake and maybe get out for a stroll and to enjoy the scenery, then follow the road up the mountain to the top (Mt. Constitution), where you can see a magnificent view all over the islands to the north, to Vancouver Island. You can also putter around the little shopping district called Eastsound, and sample the coffee shops and bakeries, as well as look for souvenirs or books about the islands (there's a bookstore), and visit the little art galleries. There's also a Historical Society museum.

What cell phone carrier do you use? I'm told only T Mobile (IIRC) works throughout most of the island. Others work at the ferry dock only. And btw, there's a taxi service on the island, but you really need your car to get around.

FAB b-day present, btw!

AND: you need to reserve space on the ferry well in advance. They start booking a couple of months in advance. They have a system of 3 different booking windows.If you missed the first one, you can get in on the 2nd or 3rd. The smaller your car, the greater your chances of getting on, plus: compact cars travel for nearly 1/2 fare.

Good luck, Andy! I hope it all comes together. Let me know if you have Q's.

Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 10-18-2023 at 03:12 PM..
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Old 10-18-2023, 04:06 PM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,494 posts, read 12,128,212 times
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Rosarios is an older vintage hotel that should still be nice and romantic if they've kept it up. It has been a while since I've been there.. They had a good sunday brunch buffet!

Deer Harbor was a favorite when we had a boat.... never stayed at the hotel though... don't know about the rooms but I think I remember they had cabins.

One favorite of ours was a vintage hotel in Friday Harbor called something like "Ye Olde English Hotel". Everything in it was antique and charming... but I can't find it now... may now be called something else.

Drive to Mt. Constitution if the weather is clear!
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Old 10-18-2023, 05:13 PM
 
Location: Embarrassing, WA
3,405 posts, read 2,736,177 times
Reputation: 4417
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
Orcas Island. Rosario Resort. Rosario's has great food, but also try the New Leaf Cafe for dinner, inside the hotel called the Outlook Inn, with a view of the water. Amazing food! Rosario's also has kayaks for the guests, and other amusements to while away the hours. If Rosario's is too expensive, there's the Deer Harbor Inn: comfy, low-key, yet affordable. Everything on the island is expensive, though. Also: you need to book way in advance. It's a very popular destination. When is her b-day? If not too close to the holiday period, or in summer, you should be ok? Or pick the closest dates to her b-day that there's something available in your price range.

Take your car so you can explore the island. You can visit Moran State Park, drive past Cascade Lake and maybe get out for a stroll and to enjoy the scenery, then follow the road up the mountain to the top (Mt. Constitution), where you can see a magnificent view all over the islands to the north, to Vancouver Island. You can also putter around the little shopping district called Eastsound, and sample the coffee shops and bakeries, as well as look for souvenirs or books about the islands (there's a bookstore), and visit the little art galleries. There's also a Historical Society museum.

What cell phone carrier do you use? I'm told only T Mobile (IIRC) works throughout most of the island. Others work at the ferry dock only. And btw, there's a taxi service on the island, but you really need your car to get around.

FAB b-day present, btw!

AND: you need to reserve space on the ferry well in advance. They start booking a couple of months in advance. They have a system of 3 different booking windows.If you missed the first one, you can get in on the 2nd or 3rd. The smaller your car, the greater your chances of getting on, plus: compact cars travel for nearly 1/2 fare.

Good luck, Andy! I hope it all comes together. Let me know if you have Q's.
Beat me to it! It's been awhile, but we took our boat to Rosario Resort and stayed in their marina. Got a key to the pool and sauna with the moorage fee, had am excellent dinner in the restaurant, and got to spend a little time in the museum.
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Old 10-18-2023, 09:28 PM
 
1,824 posts, read 806,114 times
Reputation: 5311
Our favorite is Orcas Island, we stayed at a B&B, not Airbnb, they had a great breakfast. I’ll try to find the name of it. We had clear weather, so the ferry trip & hiking was nice, & it was about this time of year.

Edit, it was Otters Pond B&B, great experience.

Last edited by CalWorth; 10-18-2023 at 10:56 PM..
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Old 10-19-2023, 06:25 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,732 posts, read 58,079,686 times
Reputation: 46205
San Juana are ok off season.

Otherwise... You're close to PA, so a non-car trip to Victoria can also be romantic and not so expensive (while CND is low). The "Gulf Islands" are nice and less crowded. (Canada's version of San Juana)

Exploring via sailboat is even better.
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Old 10-19-2023, 09:28 AM
 
Location: West coast
5,281 posts, read 3,081,026 times
Reputation: 12275
Thank you all for your suggestions.
Most of my wife’s family lives either in Victoria or just up-island so we are going to skip VI.
I will start my inquiries into lodging.
Hopefully I can find a nice spot while the weather is still nice.
Thanks again.
Andy.
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Old 10-19-2023, 10:33 AM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,218 posts, read 107,956,787 times
Reputation: 116166
Quote:
Originally Posted by MechAndy View Post
Thank you all for your suggestions.
Most of my wife’s family lives either in Victoria or just up-island so we are going to skip VI.
I will start my inquiries into lodging.
Hopefully I can find a nice spot while the weather is still nice.
Thanks again.
Andy.
Andy, I've been on Orcas in October, when the weather varied between sun, or mixed sun & clouds, and a drizzly day now and then, or drizzle with bright sunbreaks. You can still enjoy exploring Eastsound on a drizzly day. It kind of adds a nice ambience, especially when you duck into a coffee shop to warm up, explore their menu, and chat with the staff, or check out the bookstore. On that particular visit, I just happened upon a brand-new coffee shop that had just opened for the first time. So that was interesting, talking to the owners about their plans for the future. There's also a public library just off the center of "town", where you can rent DVD's for your evening entertainment back at the hotel or B&B.

Maybe a B/B as suggested above is the way to go, if your travel dates are coming up soon, and hotels are booked up. In any case, let us know what you find, and of course after the b-day weekend, we'll want to hear all about your impressions of island life.
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Old 10-19-2023, 10:43 AM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,218 posts, read 107,956,787 times
Reputation: 116166
P.S. I checked out Otter's Pond, out of curiosity. They're booked through October, but have weekends available in Nov. Weekdays they're already booked up for Nov. Looks very nice. It's right near the entrance to Moran State Park and Cascade Lake. Also near Rosario, for breakfast or dinner. An easy and scenic drive to East Sound. Also an easy drive from the ferry dock. Secluded but easy to get to/from.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ot...jwvh?entry=ttu
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