Soak up the beauty of the San Juan Islands by SUP

by Holly Fiske

@upsidedownmama

Intro

The speckle of islands that stretch between the upper northwest corner of the United States (proudly claimed by Washington State) Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada are pure magic.

The four islands are accessible by ferryboat via Anacortes, Washington. Each island has its different vibe and highlight but all carry the culture of a different time and place where you feel removed from the chaos of the “mainland” – SUP is the perfect way to slow down and relax to island time.

Highlights

The San Juan Islands are perfect for paddle boarding adventures, from protected coves and secret beaches which are only accessible by SUP, make this location an explorers mecca.  You can day adventure to a perfect secluded picnic beach or multi day paddle to different campsites – just paddle to shore and set-up camp.

The rocky and rugged cliff edges give way to unexpected and hidden sandy coves around every turn.  Little dots of grassy mini islands can be reached easily from the main islands.

The terrain of the islands represents the amazing diversity of Washington State - from farmland, to rugged cliffs scattered with succulents and pacific madrone trees and stunning secluded beaches.

Local Knowledge

  • Sat Nav

    48.5360274,-122.8235795

  • Launch Point

    Launch from your beachside campsite.

  • Places to Stay

    There are two main campsites on Lopez Island which both offer beach front camping.  Spencer Spit State Park offers walk in beach camping with a sunrise shore or you can paddle out to an island (rock) off shore to catch a sunset viewing.  You must be willing to share the space with a seal that claims the same turf. Odlin County Park doesn’t have a lot of campsites, but they do offer drive up beach front sites that perfectly fit our retro mini camper trailer.  We would recommend reservations at either of these sites.

  • Places to Eat / Drink

    Blossom Grocery is the towns health food store which I highly recommend.  They carry the Barn Owl Bakery bread that make their breads from heritage grains and also make the best loaf of gluten free bread I have yet to try. We had noodle bowls from this location and I can’t recommend it enough!  Organic, local and made fresh daily.