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 nine 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.
Another fun option is The Loft at Full Bloom Farm, which 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 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.
