The San Juan’s have a reputation for being incredibly friendly and welcoming to visitors. Amongst those islands, Lopez Island is known as THE friendliest. It is also known as the biking island. The combination of gently rolling hills and drivers who love cyclists makes it the perfect place to tour by bike. Then there are the world class beaches, vistas and paddling opportunities. Combine that with the fact that Lopez is the first island on the ferry ride out of Anacortes, making it only a 45 minute ride – and we just had to pack up the camping gear, bikes, and boats for a visit.
Our good friends the Burnett’s joined us for the adventure.
We camped out at Odlin County Park, located just a mile from the ferry terminal – although we chose to drive so we could bring our kayaks and comforts from home for the kids, Odlin would make a great base camp for those arriving by bike or foot.
Our 4-day stay on Lopez was jam packed with adventure. Playing on the beach, hikes in the woods, paddling and stand-up paddle boarding, telling stories by the campfire, bike riding...
and, the driftwood beaches were perfect for fort building …
One of our main goals of the trip was to do some exploring by bike... and we quickly realized the riding was amazing… sprawling farmland backed to sweeping ocean vistas, gently rolling hills, juicy blackberries to snack on, beautiful well-maintained yards and gardens in front of houses of all shapes, sizes and personalities. And, the best part, we had 8-year old Maddy riding her bike, Abbey on the trail-a-bike with her Mom, Danielle, and me pulling Hayden in the trailer --- and the few cars on the road that we did see went out of their way to give us plenty of room.
There were countless riding destinations to choose from. We chose a trip to Lopez Village first where we discovered the Just Heavenly Fudge Factory! Our second ride took us to Spencer Spit State Park. To Maddy and Abbey’s delight, the beaches here were covered with what seems to be the signature of the island, driftwood forts and sculptures.
The final day we visited Shark Reef Wildlife Sanctuary where we could see dozens of seals sunning on the rocks.
From there we headed to Agate Bay State Park for a picnic lunch and a paddle in the bay. We ended our day back at the Lopez Village for more espresso flavored fudge! 
Whether you are a paddler, cyclist, camper, wine taster, bird watcher or someone who just loves to relax in a beautiful and friendly place – I highly recommend a trip to Lopez Island!
~In the Spirit of Compassion and Adventure~
Heather, Brandon and Hayden
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