An archipelago between the mainland of Washington state and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, the San Juan Islands are easily one of the more beautiful and untouched ecosystems within a hundred miles or so of dense population. The island chain boasts the highest population of bald eagles in the US, is legendary for whale watching, and hosts a range of small communities of both trustafarian farmers living off the land and weirdo locals who've rarely left the islands they were born onto.
It's a beautiful place in every sense of the word. We recently had the opportunity to take in the region by float plane and then explore by kayak, SUP, and on foot. On Orcas Island we tasted local flavors of oyster, sea run salmon, and even aging hippy at a clothing-optional hot spring. But not before a day of details and information at the Therm-a-Rest factory back on the mainland.
