San Juan Islands for Families on a Budget
Photo:
A beautiful summer sunrise along the shore of Lummi Island. Photo: istock
Lummi Island
Skipped by most guidebooks, Lummi is a secret getaway for locals who are passionate about, well, all things local. So, what’s in it for kids? An immersion in the eat-what-you-grow, free-range lifestyle, if only for a weekend.
Are you a locavore? That’s someone who eats locally: foods that are organically and sustainably grown and produced close to home, from seed to plate. Lummi is a locavore’s paradise. Introducing the locavore way of eating to your kids helps deepen their own roots into the soil that feeds them.
Shaped like a peanut that’s 9 miles in length, Lummi is hilly and green on the south end, and flat up north where most of the full-time residents live. In my experience, the pace of “island time” is even slower on Lummi than the other islands. Plan a casual drive or bike ride to tour the island’s sustainable farms, artist studios and hike-able land preserves.
Getting to Lummi
Visitors arrive on a Whatcom County ferry that has room for 22 cars and departs about every 30 minutes from the tip of the Lummi Peninsula near Bellingham. Fare for a car and driver is $14.
Things to do on Lummi
Bring along bikes for a scenic, country-road ride on the island’s uncongested roads. Take your time stopping at each farm and art gallery that piques your interest. Kids can stretch their legs on a hike up the Baker Preserve Trail on an 80-acre pristine parcel of land owned by the Lummi Island Heritage Trust. The 3-mile round-trip hike switchbacks its way up to a west-facing viewpoint above Rosario Strait.
Lodging on Lummi
Consider a stay at Nettles Farm to dig into local food. Their kitchens are fully-stocked for cooking and they provide ingredients straight from their chickens, pastures and reef nets for you to whip up your own all-local breakfast.
Recently renovated, The Loft at Full Bloom Farm sleeps as many as four with a comfy queen bed and a foldout couch. Please note that kids must be at least 10 years old to stay at The Loft. With a pond, fruit orchard, flock of chickens (fresh eggs!), veggie garden and award-winning flower gardens spread across its 14 acres, this farm stay experience is truly memorable.
Restaurants on Lummi
Located a block from the ferry landing, the Beach Store Café (2200 N. Nugent Rd.) is ensconced in a simple house that faces Mount Baker. Check the website for variable offerings and hours. This spot serves kid-friendly fare, such as burgers and fish and chips, alongside foraged field greens. Our favorite way to eat here is on the beach — grab picnic supplies at the Lummi Island Farmers Market on Saturdays, or stop in at The Islander Store, the community general store.
