I hadn't planned to visit Lime Kiln Point State Park while staying on San Juan Island, but our BnB…read morehost INSISTED we include a visit to the park in our itinerary. Lesson learned; always trust the guidance of locals when visiting a new place. This park is a gem! Visitors will find this gorgeous park located on the west side of the Island, perfectly situated to offer stunning views of the Salish Sea. The park is named for its historic lime kiln used by settlers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. An interpretive center has displays and activities about orcas and the area's lime kiln industry once important to the region. The coastline is incomparable! A five to ten minute downhill walk from the parking lot reveals remarkable views of the Olympic Mountains and an expansive view of sparkling water stretching far into the distance. It's said this site is one of the best whale watching locations in the islands, where visitors will most likely be able to see orcas! We weren't fortunate enough to find any during our visit, but the scenery was rewarding enough. The trail continues along the rocky shoreline, passing several pristine coves and thickets of madrones with twisted, curling red bark. The trail soon reveals a beautiful lighthouse on a rocky bluff, and the lime kilns in the distance. There is a well-curated gift shop back at the parking lot, as well as picnic tables, information kiosks, and public restrooms. There's a whole lot of beauty packed into this 42 acre park... something you won't want to miss!

Truly a picturesque park with beautiful coastal hikes. We certainly enjoyed walking along the…read morecoastline while taking in the scenery. Walking to the lighthouse was a perfect adventure and not strenuous if you are looking for a pretty easy hike. Stop and look out for whales (we didn't see any) and also check out the tide pools!

Discovery pass needed. Easy trek down to the beach. There's public restroom and water available…read morenear the beach entrance. We tried crabbing here twice. Definitely bring a spare lure; our first attempt, we had to cut the line as it got snagged on some rocks. Saw a lot of people on the beach, enjoying a picnic or even kayaking out to crab boxes in the evening. Beautiful park overall. Make sure you're sure-footed if you're going to climb the rocks.

The beach park section of Larrabee park is gorgeous. There's ample parking, then a decent that's…read moreabout a 45 second walk to a grassy lawn and a beautiful stage built in the early 1900s. There were people performing music on the stage and park goers enjoying on the grass. Just to the left of the stage there's a path to the beach. Another 2-3 minute descent brings you to a trail going left and right. The path to the left is a short trail to a rock you can sit on and climb down to get to the water. Further that way there's another beach. The path to the right leads to a nice beach with a great view and a shade tree. There were some bugs in the washed up kelp, but nothing too bothersome imho. We had a stand up paddleboard so we used the path on the right after the stage area. I would recommend anyone bringing gear down (scuba, kayaks, paddleboards) to use this beach. Larger crafts can use the boat ramp just north of this beach, and you can drive right up to that ramp (north of the stage and parking area). It was a beautiful park and a great place to picnic, enjoy the water, and view the sunset!

It's not a fun park unless you're a kid. Then it's a blast with a playground that has those weird…read morecircular htings that swing you around with your weight and other fancy playground items. But this park is more about the sunset. I was in town as a day trip and the weather was so nice that I wanted to check out the sunset. We sat there people watching on the bench as the sun started sinking over the water. People walked out down the pier and it made for really nice pictures. Once the sun went down, people left because there was a chill in the air, but until that moment, the sunset was magical. Definitely glad we hung around for twilight.

Washington Park is beautiful. The scenic loop is a great drive (go slow 10 mph there are…read morepedestrians on the paved road too). There are spots for cars to park on the loop to enjoy the view (and a disability parking spot). Take advantage of the easy and beautiful access to epic views of Burrows Island and the pass at this park before getting on the ferry to the San Juan islands or staying in Anacortes.

The summit view is obscured with tall trees so it can be difficult to get a good view unless you…read morewant to do a little more hiking beyond the summit parking lot. On clear days you can see Mount Baker. There's a neat statue on top called, Mountain Guardian, with a small information placard explaining the significance of the work. It really meshes into the surrounding forest. Nice hiking overall, pretty peaceful. The road to the top is well maintained, although it's a little twisty at times so definitely do not speed or else you might wipe out, or wipe out the oncoming traffic!

Some great views with good hiking trails…read more Can get windy so you might want to bring a coat

This was my first camping trip to Bay View in years, and my very first in the winter months. We're…read moreworking hard on our goal to camp at least once a month in 2023, so this not-too-far spot seemed like a great spot to check out on a blustery January weekend. We were lucky to snag a partial hookup (power/water) site in the first loop (sites 1-9), which features views of the bay. The campground host was kind enough to help guide us as we backed in our new trailer, which is a LOT bigger than our old one! Soon enough we were snug in our site and all hooked up. The loop eventually filled up for the weekend and was very quiet. While our site didn't have a sewer hookup, there's a dump station at the park which is free for overnight campers. There's not a lot to do at this park, it's pretty small. But the beach is gorgeous, with nighttime views across the bay to the eerily gorgeous refineries to the west. We didn't do much exploring, except for a day trip to nearby Edison for some beers and lunch.

Pretty nice place it's kind of secluded. It's very quiet and clean…read more Every one of the people there are extremely nice , The park, Rangers are excellent, very helpful and friendly , The prices are very reasonable , And the scenery is excellent .

Finding this trail was difficult for me, maps didn't take me to the correct place, I've added…read morepictures of signs on the street to make it easier and directions. You can drive up Sunday's and Wednesdays. No one was on the trail with me today and it was really nice, I recommend taking the best trail off to the side and seeing the pond.

Tough uphill hike but worth the views! Trail is well maintained and dogs are allowed up. Not many…read morepeople know that it continues to go up and stop at the first view point.

We spent the morning at this beach and had a lovely time. The beach itself is sort of a pebble…read morebeach and although low tide was around 7:00 this morning, when we arrived just before 9 the tide was still quite low. It was perfect for viewing the tide pools. We saw lots of crabs, tadpoles, shrimp, fish and even a little sea urchin. I had forgotten how much fun it was to do things like this and it made me super nostalgic for my childhood. There were lots of people with dogs, walking along the beach and the pathways. I also really loved the Maiden of Deception Pass; both the statue and the story. On the walk from the parking area, we saw lots of birds and rabbits and it is just a really beautiful place to visit. If we lived in the area I would come here often and I recommend a stop to anyone who hasn't yet had the pleasure.

Absolutely stunning views from the bluff at this beach. A short trail that leads above the beach…read moreand gives you the opportunity to see up and down the coast. All the way towards the bridge at deception pass. And there are clean restrooms here too. Always a must when I take a drive here. Discovery Pass required. Do it! Get outside and enjoy the wonderful experience of the PNW. SYOY!

Visiting my in-laws after a memorial service for my best friend in Seattle, hiking here was such a…read moregift. My brother-in-law parked in the small lot and did the longest loop. It's 4.4 miles and goes by a beautiful lake, tons of green trees, and places to sit. You just can't beat the deep green in Washington State.

No dogs allowed which is a bummer as most other parks allow, if only on leash…read more For sure there is some logic behind the decision. Hope it's not the same one that CA State Parks uses on a beach where dogs are not allowed as they can disrupt the sensitive habitat of birds but at the same time allows vehicles on the beach...