Moon San Juan Islands: Best Hikes, Local Spots, and Weekend Getaways

by Don Pitcher

Overview

'Island time' isn't just for the tropics: Escape to evergreen forests, pebbled shorelines, and the glittering sea with Moon San Juan Islands. Inside you'll find:

• Flexible itineraries like a 4-day best of the islands and a weeklong family camping trip, with coverage of gateway towns such as Anacortes, Whidbey Island, and Bellingham, plus nearby Seattle and Victoria
• Unique experiences and can't-miss sights: Picnic on cliffs overlooking the ocean or paddleboard on a tranquil lake. Spot playful orcas and check out the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor. Visit local farms filled with fragrant lavender or fluffy alpaca and sip wine or cider at island vineyards. Savor the flavors of the Pacific Northwest at incredible farm-to-table restaurants, sample oysters fresh from the sea, or browse your way through quirky book stores and funky antique shops
• The best outdoor adventures: Go sea kayaking alongside whales or glide through glimmering nighttime waters during a bioluminescence tour. Set your sights on the islands' marine life, including killer whales, humpback whales, porpoises, and seals, during a whale-watching trip. Sail around the islands or fish for salmon, cod, and halibut. Take a forest hike, spot rare birds, or bike through rolling farm country and along the stunning shorelines
• Expert advice from former wilderness ranger Don Pitcher on when to go, how to get around, and where to stay, from romantic B&Bs to stunning campsites
• Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
• Thorough information on the landscape, climate, wildlife, and history

With Moon's practical tips and local insight, you can experience the San Juan Islands your way.


Hitting the road? Try Moon Pacific Northwest Road Trip. Seeing more of The Evergreen State? Check out Moon Washington or Moon Seattle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640498648
Publisher:	Avalon Publishing
Publication date:	05/26/2020
Series:	Travel Guide
Edition description:	6th ed.
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	628,791
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.10(d)

About the Author

Perhaps Don Pitcher's love of travel came about because he moved so much as a child; by age 15 he had lived in six states and two dozen East Coast and Midwestern towns. Don's family hails from Maine, but he was born in Atlanta, making him a southerner with New England blood. He moved west for college, receiving a master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where his thesis examined wildfires in high elevation forests of Sequoia National Park. When his first (and only) scientific paper was published, he appeared headed into the world of ecological research.

Don landed what seemed the coolest job on the planet shortly after grad school: being flown around Alaska's massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in a helicopter while conducting fire research. Wild places continued to beckon, and over the next fifteen years Don built backcountry trails, worked as a wilderness ranger, mapped grizzly habitat, and operated salmon weirs: anything to avoid an office job. After that first season in Alaska, he spent three months in the South Pacific, and quickly found himself addicted to travel. His explorations eventually took him to thirty-five countries and all fifty states.

Don's photos have appeared in a multitude of publications and advertisements, and his fine art prints are sold in many Alaska and Washington galleries.

Don lives in Homer, Alaska with his wife, Karen Shemet, and their children, Aziza and Rio. When not busy on other projects, he also works as a wedding photographer and volunteer radio DJ. Visit donpitcher.com to read his blog and learn more about his writing and photography projects.