It’s now officially our slower season, but the ferries still offer one of the best deals in cruise travel.  Where else can you cruise 90 minutes of inland waterway for under $100, and bring your car?  Remember, the fare you pay in Anacortes is round trip and you won’t be charged going back to the mainland.  Check out the sailing schedule here.

Our room service is provided by Steps Wine Bar & Cafe, but many of our guests prefer to walk three blocks to visit the restaurant in person.  It’s a great experience, with a showcase kitchen where you can watch Chef Madden hard at work on your meal and ask questions about the extensive wine list.  Occasionally you’ll find room service unavailable as Madden and crew present themed wine-pairing dinners throughout the slower season on San Juan Island.  These dinners make for an excellent excuse to visit San Juan Island.  Like you really needed another reason to get out of town for a day or two, right?

I got so used to the great lunches at Backdoor Kitchen that I sort of forgot to make the transition to their summer dinner schedule…until tonight.  With a friend from out of town visiting I was so glad to realize that Lee and Sasha are doing dinner nightly, including Monday.  Anyone visiting Friday Harbor, get directions to this hidden gem and try some of the wonderful international cooking.  Lee and Sasha are good at lots of dishes, and I’ve been happy with everything from Empanadas to Flat Iron Steak, but they really excel at anything with an Asian flare.  Tonight I had Grilled Sea scallops perfectly laced with sesame and ginger and soy and rice cakes that were way off the hook.  Their infused cocktails are inspired, fun and tasty and the service is friendly and genuinely happy to be working at such a great place.  One of the most fun things about Backdoor Kitchen is what a hidden treasure it really is.  Tucked amongst the stone and plants of the Green Man nursery, you really would never find this place without directions, yet they seem to thrive.  That’s testimony to how good the cooking is.  In a town where everyone seems to want a water view, the best food is found at the romantic, candle-lit tables surrounded by bamboo of a restaurant hidden between the ferry overflow parking lot and Friday Harbor Freight.  Go figure.

Suggestions for making the most of your journey between the mainland, Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, Seattle, Vancouver BC, Victoria BC and the rest of the world.

The latest info on the greatest dining on San Juan Island.