Orcas Island in the News

Orcas Island and the San Juan Islands have received some great honors and media coverage through the years.  

2020

• Napa Valley register: Art and nature shine on the Washington coast

2019

• Valisemag.com: Visit San Juan Islands
• Smithsonian Magazine: Seven of the Most Scenic Ferry Rides in the United States
• PNW Weddings: Orcas Island Enchants
• USA Today 10 Best: Why the Islands of the PNW are Fantastic in the Off-Season
• UltraRunning Magazine: Orcas Island 50k: A Whale of a Time, March
• Mentalfloss.com: The Best Bookstores in All 50 States
• Patch.com: 8 Washington Communities Among Country’s Healthiest March
• Travel blog featuring Orcas Island: The Evergreen State  April
• Your Tango.com: “Voluntourism” in the San Juan Islands  May
• A Perfect Getaway  May
• Fortune.com: Orcas Island

2018

• Mens Journal: Best Beer Festivals
• Craftbeer.com: Escape to US Island Craft Breweries
• Beers at the Bottom: Hops on the Rock article
• Travel Channel.com: No-Passport-Required Destinations
• Portland Monthly: 10 Grand Lodges of the Pacific Northwest
• Harbors  Holidays Island Style, November/December
• Northwest Military.com:  Orcas Island Beckons: Quiet Season Means Fewer Crowds, November
• Viewfinder Travel Blog: Ten Honeymoon Destinations in the US, October 11
• CNN Travel: 12 Best Islands in America, August 28
• Wander in RAW: Orcas Island, WA, August 15
• Pure Wow.com: Vacation Farms to Rent, August 3
• Life-Uncorked.com: Orcas Island:A Place to Really Get Away, August 
  
• Postcards to Seattle: How to Visit Orcas Island, July 18
• Small Town Washington; Taste Your Way Around Orcas Island With Salish Sea Tour Co, June 27
• Matador Network: Tropical Islands Suck. Go to These 7 Islands Instead, June 27
• Ciao Bambino: An Idyllic Summer Escape on Orcas Island, Washington, June 27
• msn.com: 15 Places You can Take an Island Vacation Without Leaving the U.S., June 26
• Realtor.com: Fountains of Youth: The 10 Places Where Americans Live the Longest, June 18
• Starkinsider.com: Best Tripping, Sipping and Savoring Around the San Juan Islands, June 14
• Seattle pi: Best Washington San Juan Islands Explore, June 13
• Coco.Kelley: Orcas Island Travel Guide Weekend Getaway, April 4
• Philadelphia Inquirer: In Washington’s San Juan Islands, an expedition cruise and wondrous hiking, March 23
• Red Tricycle: Totally Unique Campsites You Should Book Now, March 23
• Seattle Magazine: 3 Reasons to Check Out Orcas’ Burgeoning Wine Scene, March 21
• Deal Crunch: San Juan Islands: a Meeting and Retreat Destination where Nature Inspires Creative Renewal & Engagement, March 19
• Seattle Times: Take a Peaceful Step Back in Time on Orcas Island, March 1
• KUOW: What 100 miles of Misery Looks Like, February 21
• Seattlemet: Jay Blackinton Nominated for James Beard Award, February 19
• Heed the Hedonist: Wintertime is a Fine Time to Visit Orcas Island: Part 2 of 2. February 15
• Heed the Hedonist: Wintertime is a Fine Time to Visit Orcas Island: Part 1 of 2. February 1
• Big Blend Radio: Washington Nature Trip and Gardening for Wildlife February 1
• NationalParkTraveling: Orcas Island Washington-Embracing the Heritage
• Parks and Travel Planner: Orcas Island – Embracing the Heritage, January 27
• Ciao Bambino: Places to Take Kids in 2018 (see #49), January 25
• Sunset Magazine: Top 11 Modern Glampgrounds, January 23
• TravelQ: Road Trip to the Pacific Northwest, Part II: Washington, January
• The Culture Trip: Best Places to Go Camping in Washington State, January

2017

• DatingAdvice.com: Romantic Backdrops for Getaways and Weddings, December 28
• Meeting News: Meet on the Islands, December 19
• Food Wine Travel Magazine: A Romantic Weekend on Washington’s Orcas Island
• KING5: Girl Meets Dirt Does a Slow Jam in Washington’s San Juan Islands
• Parade: A European Style Vacation Without Leaving the Country
• Orbitz: Best Place to Get Engaged in Every State, December 15
• CNN: A Stunning Island Getaway, November 10
• Travel Channel: 22 Best U.S. Islands (#16), November
• Seattle Refined: 5 Short Flights that will Transport You Worlds Away, November 10
• 1889 Magazine: Washington Adventure: Orcas Island, October 20
• WhatsUp NW: Orcas Island Film Festival, October 20
• KING5: Girl Meets Dirt Got This Woman into a Jam and That’s a Good Thing, October 13
• KING5: Explore the ‘Gem’ of the San Juans, October 13
• RV Daily Report: Vintage Airstream That Sells Ice Cream, October
• Oyster: The Best Fall Weekend Getaways in the US, October 13
• Washington Beer Blog: Hops on the Rock, October 13
• PNW Tourist: Doe Bay Resort and Café, October 3
• The Sun Break: Orcas Island Film Festival Brings Cinematic Excellence to the San Juans
• Seattle Times: Orcas Island Film Festival: Small Fest, Big Movies, October 3
• Huffington Post: An Organic Oasis on Orcas Island, September 29
• Pit Stops for Kids: 5 Things to Do with Kids in Moran State Park, September 29
• KING5: 5 Funky Places to Stay in Washington, September 22
• KNKX: Orcas Island Film Festival, September 22
• Go Banking Rates: Magical Hotels and Airbnbs under $200 a night, September 22
• Coastal Living: The World’s Best Culinary Weekend: San Juan Islands, September 15
• Seattle Refined: 6 Reasons Why Fall is the Best Time to Savor the San Juans, September 15
• Coyote Peterson at Doe Bay, September 8
• USA Today: Glamping: 10  spots to camp luxuriously in the U.S. (Doe Bay), September 1
• Northwest Travel & Life: Seed-to-Table Dining at Doe Bay, September 1
• NW Yachting: Island Wheels, September 1
• Seattle Magazine: The San Juan Islands Have Become an Exploding Food Destination, August 23
• Ecophiles: Beach Escapes for a Sun-soaked Labor Day Weekend, August 23
• Departures: What’s New in the San Juan Islands, August 23
• Domestic Bliss: 9 Vacation-Worthy American Islands, August 23
• USA Today on Glamping: 10 Spots to Camp Luxuriously in the USA includes Doe Bay Resort, August, 2017
• Coastal Living  Perfect Weekend in the San Juan Islands, Washington, August
• Departures, What’s New in the San Juan Islands, July 28
• Coastal Living: Best U.S. Islands to Visit this Summer, July 14
• Taste Made: Gather Here: Orcas Island, Washington, July 14
• Ville Magazine includes Orcas Island in their “Tastiest Trips in the Pacific Northwest” article. July, 201
• Sea,  A Century Old and New Again, July 12
• Eater Seattle, For Restaurants in the San Juan Islands, a Beautiful Setting Brings Serious Challenges July 6
• Coastal Living, “Island Confidential: Orcas Island” July/August
• New York Times, Summer Vacation, Minus the Traffic: 5 Alternatives to Popular Trips, June 23
• National Geographic 100 Best Destinations: Around the World in Four Seasons,  “Summer Family Fun”
• KNKX, How Sentinel Island in the San Juans Came to be Owned by a Newlywed Couple 100 Years Ago, June 17
• Food & Wine, Best New Chef Jay Blackinton’s Path from Veganism to Game Hunting, June 15
• Rodale’s Organic Life,  10 Amazing Organic Farms that Double as Family-Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, June 13
• The Seattle Times, Worth the Trip: Spy San Juan Whales and Sample What’s New, April 17
• Time, Why the West Coast is the Epicenter for Food in America, April 4
• Dallas Morning News, Get Back to Nature and Find Your Inner Artist on Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest, April 3
• Sunset, “Inside Seattle,” April
• Adventures NW, “Spring in the San Juans,” Spring
• Northwest Travel & Life, “Secret Getaways to Jumpstart Spring,” March/April
• Seattle Met, Nick Coffey will Open Ursa Minor on Lopez Island, February 16
• Portrait Magazine, San Juan Islands Escape, February 15
• Mapquest Travel:  6 U.S. Travel Destinations Inspired by Oscar Nominees, February 9
• TravelChannel.com, 5 Affordable Romantic Getaways
• The New York Times, Grass-fed Beef, Sold One Cow at a Time, January 17
• San Francisco Chronicle, Strolling through Obama’s National Monument Legacy, January 9

2016

• Bloomberg.com, The Five Places That Stole My Heart in 2016, December 30
• 2016 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards: #2 of World’s Friendliest Islands
• Lonely Planet, Welcome to the San Juan Islands, December
• Islands, 10 Amazing U.S. Islands Close to Home, November 15
• Good Housekeeping, A 91-year-old Woman Died After an Incredible Year-Long Road Trip Adventure, October 3
• SeattleRefined.com, Savor the San Juans: A Fall Feast for the Senses, September 23
• Wall Street Journal, Beach Getaways in the Fall – When the Crowds are Gone, September 15
• Departures, Destination on the Rise: San Juan Islands, Washington, September 15
• Seattle Weekly, Hogstone’s Wood Oven Chef Jay Blackinton Does Farm-to-Table Right, August 17
• Star Tribune, Camping in National Parks with a Touch of Luxe, August 12
• Sunset, “Departing Seattle,” September
• National Geographic, Woo-woo; Whale Magic?, August 31
• Idaho Statesman via New York Times, Four Ways to Camp with a Touch of Luxe in the National Parks, August 16
• The New York Post, The 15 Best Honeymoon Destinations in the U.S., August 16
• Conde Nast Traveler, America almost lost the San Juan Islands over a pig and some potatoes, August 8
• Conde Nast, Why Washington’s Orcas Island should be your next family getaway, August 2
• Ozy.com, The most isolated islands in America, August 5
• AFAR Magazine, “Why the San Juan Islands is one of the best summer getaways,” July 14
• Sip Northwest, Adventures Await in Washington’s Orcas and San Juan Islands, July
• PureWow.com, “The Best Vacation Spots in Every U.S. State”, June 16
• New York Times, “The Long and Shore of It: The Country’s Most Intruiguing Islands,”May 18
• Travel+Leisure, “Best Romantic Summer Getaways,” May
• 5Ways.com, “Slow-Rolling the San Juans,” May
• MatadorNetwork.com, “The 12 Best Places to Check out Wildlife without the Crowds,” April 28
• Thrillist.com, “Unsung U.S. Islands You Should Visit This Summer,” April
• Seattle Met, “5 Oysters You’ll Meet in Washington,” March
• Islands magazine, “National Parks by Season – 100th Anniversary,” February
• AllRecipes.com, “The Pig War Martini Comes with a History Lesson,” January 4
• FoxNews.com, “America’s best archipelagos,” January 18
• Where to Retire, “8 Tax-Friendly Towns,” January/February

2015

• 2015 Conde Nast Traveler, Best U.S. Islands for Family Vacations: Readers’ Choice Awards
• 2015 Travel + Leisure, Best Islands in the Continental U.S.
• 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards: #9 of Ten Best Islands in the U.S.
• Lonely Planet: # 3 of Top 10 U.S. Destinations for 2013
• A newly-designated National Monument (1,000 acres)
• Seattle Times, “Another Mount Constitution? Islanders unite to preserve San Juan ridge for views, trails,” November 18
• LA Times, “Five great places to see killer whales in the wild,” November 11
• Martha Stewart Weddings, “7 Honeymoon-Worthy Islands That Don’t Require a Passport,” November
• Virgin-Atlantic.com, “Beyond Seattle: Autumn in the San Juan Islands,” October 19
• Travel 50 & Beyond, “Wine on the Water,” Fall
• Yahoo Travel, “Forget Camping, My Toddler Loves Glamping,” September 22
• Bloomberg Businessweek, “Seven Destinations for Early-Fall Vacations,” September 16
• A Luxury Travel Blog, “5 Things to do in Friday Harbor, WA,” September 11
• Edible Seattle, “Girl Meets Dirt,” September/OctoberEdible Seattle, “”It Takes an Island,” September/October
• Seattle Times, “Glampsite of the Week: Nesting in a tent on Lopez Island,” August 11
• Seattle, “11 Perfect Getaways Near Seattle,” August
• Huffington Post, “13 Stunning U.S. National Monuments You Didn’t Know you Needed to See,” July 27
• Expedia.com, “Summer in the San Juans,” July 23
• USAToday10Best.com, “10Best Island Escapes You Can Drive To,” June 26
• King5.com, “Orcas Island offers fine food, festivals and high-flying fun,” June 24
• National Geographic, “Lopez Island by Bike,” June 22
• Thrillist.com, “The 10 best bars & Restaurants in the San Juan Islands,” June 16
• OneGreenPlanet.com, “Never Leave Your Pets Behind Again! 6 Pet-Friendly Destinations for Animal Lovers,” May 18
• Yahoo! Travel, “The Ideal Island for Each Month of the Year,” May 4
• Examiner.com, “The pursuit of happiness on the San Juan Islands,” April 27
• Examiner.com, “The pursuit of happiness on the San Juan Islands” (slideshow), April 27
• Memphis Daily News, “Nature is on Stage in the San Juan Islands,” April 21
• Daily Telegraph, “Whale Watching at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island,” April 19
• Boston Globe, “Six wheels, three islands: A bike tour of the San Juans,” April 18
• MSN.com, “5 Essential All-American Vacations,” April 10
• Northwest Travel, “San Juan Islands Museum of Art,” April 2015
• Travel +Leisure, “Northwest Passage,” April 2015
• Travel 50 & Beyond, “8 Island Cruises for Nature Lovers,” Spring 2015
• Travel + Leisure, “Washington’s San Juan Islands: An Ideal Tour,” March 17
• Fodor’sTravel.com, “World’s Most Unique Dining Experiences,” March 2015
• Every Day with Rachel Ray, “Hit the Food Isles,” March 2015
• Sail, “5 Terrific Summer Charters,” March 2015
• The Seattle Times, “5 Favorite Hikes on San Juan Island,” March 2015
• The Wall Street Journal, “Top Spots for Luxury Getaway Homes,” March 2015
• Vancouver Sun, “San Juan Islands’ towns evoke a simpler time,” March 17
• FrontiersMedia.com, “8 Reasons Why You’ll Fall in Love in the San Juan Islands,”February 24
• Sip Northwest, “Savor the Local Liquid Arts of the San Juan Islands,” Winter
• Seattle Times, “One-month anniversary: Reservations are new on the San Juan ferry runs,” February 5
• 2015 Yahoo Travel, “The World’s 14 Most Beautiful Unspoiled Islands”
• 2015 Yahoo Travel, “10 Most Popular U.S. Islands for Summer Vacation”

2014

• USAToday.com Travel, “Bareboating 101: Set a course for sailing adventure,” December 19
• 10Best.com, “10 Best Scenic Flights in the United States,” December 4
• Business Insider, “50 Trips Everyone Should Take in the U.S.,” November 19
• The Oregonian: “San Juan Islands keep visitors enthralled with natural beauty, island lifestyle,” September 22
• Seattle Times: “5 autumn hikes in the San Juans and Gulf Islands,” October 1
• King5 Evening Magazine, Visiting the Scenic San Juans/Friday Harbor
• King5 Evening Magazine, Visiting San Juan Island
• King5 Evening Magazine, Visiting Orcas Island
• King5 Evening Magazine, Visiting Lopez Island
• Frugal Traveler, Seth Kugel: “In the Northwest, 3 Trips, Planned by Others,” September 26
• HuffingtonPost.com, “7 Small Islands That Should Be on Your Radar,” September 26
• OregonLive.com, “San Juans are the go-to island vacation for NW residents,”September 2
• USAToday.com, “Washington’s San Juan Islands,” August 21
• USAToday.com, “Secret seaside escapes for a final summer fling,” August 21
• WallStreetCheatSheet.com, “Forget the Passport: 7 Best U.S. Islands to Visit,” August 20
• Forbes Travel, “Four Unforgettable Epicurean Adventures To Try,” August 14
• Country Living, “All-American Islands,”  August
• Departures, “The Wilds of Orcas,” July/Aug 2014
• The Seattle Times, “Farm-to-Table: Where to eat local on Orcas Island,” July 20
• MySanAntonio.com, “Islands of Orcas of Eagles,” June 27
• Puget Sound Business Journal, “San Juan Island rated tops in nation for Fourth of July celebrations,” June 26
• Luxury Travel, “5 Destinations Every American Should Visit,” June 20
• BusinessInsider.com, “10 Great Cities for Weekend Getaways,” June 20
• The Seattle Times, “Washington Weekends: Pig War and more on San Juan Island,”May 17
• Fodors.com, “America’s Top 10 State Parks,” April 22
• USAToday.com, “Sip by the sea at island wineries,” April 28
• Popular Photography, “Pacific Oasis: See the camera-ready San Juan Islands,” April
• Examiner.com, “Top 5 awe-inspiring wildlife species to see in Washington’s Salish Sea,”March 25
• The Chicago Tribune, “San Juan Islands offer peaceful beauty,” March 18
• Sunset, “Top 8 ferry trips: Anacortes to Shaw Island, WA,” March
• Sunset, “42 Perfect Summer Trips,” March
• NW Travel, “Family Time Travel: Exploring Historic Forts,” March/April
• AAA Highroads, “San Juan Island: A Beacon in the Pacific Northwest,” March/April
• Cruising World, “Convoy in the Pacific Northwest,” March
• InBusiness, “San Juan Islands: Where Life Moves a Little Slower,” March
• CBS News, “What are the best island getaways in the continental U.S.?,” March 3
• Coastal Living, “Whale Watching: The Guide,” March
• ABC News, “TripAdvisor’s 10 Best Islands in the U.S.,” February 19
• Redbook, “Best Travel Finds of 2014,”  February
• Bon Appetit, “Oysterland: A Journey to the Heart of Bivalve Country,” February
• AAA Via, “Where the Whales Are,” January/February
• Coastal Living, “Best Coastal Bike Trails,”  January
• Smithsonian, “The True Inner Beauty of Fishes,”  January
• CNN.com, “50 states, 50 spots for 2014,” January 2
• Sunset, “Top 10 life-list adventures,” January
• Gayot.com, “Top 10 National Parks,” January

2013 

• Sunset,  “14 Natural Treasures in the West,”  November
• CBC.com, “Curious humpback encounter dazzles whale watchers,” November 27
• Michelin Guide, Mustsees Pacific Northwest featuring National Parks, October 2013
• Sip Northwest, “Savor the San Juans,” October
• Seattle Times, “Chartering a boat in the San Juans is easier than you might think,”September 4
• The Seattle Times, “Moran State Park is an island treasure,” August 24
• Men’s Journal,  “San Juan Island Hopping,” September
• BusinessInsider.com, “10 Great American Escapes for Labor Day Weekend,” August 28
• USA Today, “10 scenic boat trips that won’t sink your budget,” August 22
• HuffingtonPost.com, “Glamp Like a Champ: 5 Awesome Spots,” August
• Sunset, “Top 20 beach hotels,” August
• BootsnAll.com, “Tastiest Eco-Friendly Restaurants Around the World,” July 18
• Sunset, “Top 21 island escapes,” July 16
• Travel + Leisure, “America’s Best Little Beach Towns,” July
• New Day Northwest, KING5.com, “Escape to the San Juan Islands,” June 27
• Today Show, NBC, “5 Beautiful Places Every American Should Visit,” June 26
• The Seattle Times, “Making salt from the Salish Sea,”  June 21
• Sunset, “42 Perfect Summer Trips,” June
• TravelNerd.com, “School’s Out!: Top Family-Friendly Beach Towns,” June 11
• Canadian Yachting, “Dockside in the San Juans,” June
• Alaska Airlines, “San Juan Islands Getaways,” June
• Seattle, “Best Camping Spots in Washington: Roughing It,” June
• Sunset,“Top 45 hikes in the West,” June
• Northwest Travel, “Shoreline Whale Watching,” June
• Edible Seattle, “Gas bladders and enlightenment – a weekend at seaweed camp,” May/June
• Travel+Leisure, “20 Easy Weekend Getaways,” May
• The Seattle Times blog, “May is a month of history events in the San Juans – with a new small cruise ship to take you there,” April 30
• Sunset, “The West’s Best Camping,” May
• Seattle Metropolitan, “Whale Watching in the San Juans,” May
• The Seattle Times, “Best places to visit and hike the new San Juans monument,” April 19
• Northwest Travel, “Orca Spotting in the Salish Sea,” April 17
• International Business Times, “10 vacation destinations that will be extra hot for summer 2013,”  April 12
• FoxNews.com, “Top 8 affordable island getaways,” March 29
• National Geographic, “Obama Declares National Monuments to Preserve Pieces of U.S. Heritage,” March 26
• OffbeatTravel.com, “San Juan Island: Washington State’s island destination,” March 7
• Seattle Times, “Europe-bound outdoors writer recalls his Top 10 Northwest adventures,” March
• OutdoorsNW.com, “Best Northwest Getaways” February 26
• TravelChannel.com, “Top whale watching destinations”  February 19
• The Seattle Times, “Have a whale of a Valentine’s Day at Friday Harbor Museum” February 12
• FoxNews.com, “The world’s top ten bike rides” February 12
• Sierra.com, “10 Places to Explore in 2013: Haro Strait—U.S./Canada Border”
• The Seattle Times, “Goodies for traveling and worth traveling to get,” January 15
• Spokesman Review, “Winter’s slow pace ideal for an escape to the San Juan Islands,”January 13
• Seattle Times, “Around the Northwest, great places to say “I do,”” January 6