Eating Ivars Clam Chowder at the Ferry Station, Anacortes, WA

View from the Ferry, Anacortes, WA

Cascade Falls, Moran State Park, Orcas Island, WA

Deer, Moran State Park, Orcas Island, WA

Deer, Orcas Island, WA

The Cove at Obstruction Park, Orcas Island, WA

On August 7 we visited Orcas Island, a part of the San Juan Islands. From Seattle, you drive north to Anacortes and take the Ferry. Unfortunately, we arrived at Anacortes at a little after 12 p.m., missing the 11:50 ferry. The next ferry out wasn’t until 2:30. The cars were already lining up, so we parked our car on line, got out and explored what little there was to see in the area. We decided that since we wouldn’t be getting to Orcas until about 3:30 that we should stay overnight if we could get a decent rate on a room. So we started calling hotels and totally lucked out when found a room with a bay view from a private balcony The Outlook Inn for only $94/night. We also made reservations to go sea kayaking the following day.

Once on Orcas Island, we went to East Sound, the small town where our hotel was. We checked in, explored the neighborhood, and bought some sandwiches and snacks for dinner at a supermarket. We then drove to Moran State Park and did a short hike to Cascade Falls. Also at Moran State Park we drove to Mount Constitution. The view from there is amazing. There’s also a tower you can go up in on the top of the mountain to get an even better view. Next we drove down to Obstruction Pass Park. We hiked a mile to a secluded cove where we ate the dinner we purchased earlier. We stayed a little too long in the cove admiring the sunset and the moon, for when we hiked back the mile to our car it was pitch black and we were stumbling all over roots and rocks on the path. Once back in the car and back in East Sound, (we got lost in the dark.. and man, there sure are a lot of deer out there that you have to try not to hit) we stopped at a little grocer and got a few drinks to enjoy on our balcony. After that: lights out.

See also:
� Map of Orcas Island
� Map of San Juan Islands, of which Orcas is a part
��Map of San Juan Island in relationship to Seattle

� More photos of our first day on Orcas Island.