Want to add to your Northwest adventure? We suggest heading—you guessed it—farther north and west.
FRIDAY HARBOR, WASHINGTON’S SAN JUAN ISLAND
STAY: With cozy rooms overlooking the harbor, Friday Harbor House is steps from the island’s best dining and offers easy access to whale and wildlife watching, kayaking, hiking, biking and antique shopping. FridayHarborHouse.com
EAT: Cask & Schooner Public House serves locally sourced fare and a great selection of northwest beers and wines. Friday Harbor House Restaurant boasts upscale dining, harbor views and Chef Jason Aldous, a Utah transplant.
DO: Browse the walkable town’s art galleries, bookstores, antique shops and museums. Dive into whale/wildlife watching or kayak tours, or drive scenic routes to Roche Harbor, Cattle Point Lighthouse, American Camp, Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse and English Camp. There are many great hikes along the way.
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
STAY: The stately Fairmont Empress is celebrated for its history, elegance and inner-harbor location. The nearby Magnolia Hotel and Spa is also walking distance from the city’s best dining, shopping and entertainment. Fairmont.com/Empress-Victoria; MagnoliaHotel.com.
EAT: Café Brio offers a lively atmosphere and Italian-inspired west coast fare. Pagliacci’s serves casual homestyle Italian and almost always has a line out the door. Ever-popular Red Fish Blue Fish serves local seafood out of an up-cycled cargo container on a downtown wooden pier.
DO: Visit the Inner Harbour and take high tea at the Fairmont Empress. Stroll to Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown—North America’s oldest. Butchart Gardens, which has been wowing visitors since 1904, is ablaze with flourishing color during late summer and early fall.
San Juan Island’s Cattle Point Lighthouse
Victoria’s luxurious Fairmont Empress Hotel
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See more inside the Summer 2017 issue.