Description:
Escape from the pressures of the mainland and visit the Pacific Northwest's San Juan and Gulf Islands. This Best Places guide offers traveling tips, brief histories, and lists of festivals and events. The section on the San Juans off the coast of Washington features five islands: San Juan, Orcas, Shaw, Lopez, and Lummi. The guide is packed with long lists of things to do, from whale watching to winetasting, and includes places to dine, picnic, and camp. On San Juan Island you can picnic on the broad lawn at English Camp and feast on the fresh oysters of Wescott Bay Sea Farm. On Lopez Island you can indulge yourself in the ice cream of Lopez Island Creamery and then travel to Shark Reef Park and see seals, seabirds, and swift whirlpools. If you are visiting British Columbia's Gulf Islands, Best Places has many recommendations for hiking trails that will lead you to views. On Salt Spring Island the guide recommends a trail that will take you 1,000 feet above the sea to view the Strait of Georgia, Canadian and American mountains, and the rest of the Gulf Islands. Best Places has pre-explored eight of the Gulf Islands and recommends many restaurants, lodgings, and activities. With its many options and ideas the Best Places guide offers something for all who are traveling to any of these island destinations. --Jenny Burritt
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