San Juan Island

We are such boring people that we normally don't do anything but sit at home. Once in a while, I feel like I'm about to go crazy in this boredom. In an attempt to break out of this shell, I decided on a little adventure before the summer ends. We went to San Juan Island this past weekend. This is our first time visiting the San Juan. Even though we had fun, I will have to say that the San Juan Islands are not really for families with little kids. It's a great place if you love the outdoors, kayaking, biking, hiking, camping, whale watching, you name it. You can also make it into a romantic getaway with spas, and wine tasting, etc. However, if your kids are too young to partake in these activities, you are out of luck. There isn't too much to do. Most accommodations won't even allow kids under 10.

Luckily, I picked the weekend of San Juan County Fair. After getting off the ferry, we made a quick stop at the farmer's market, and had a yummy blueberry and raspberry tart that came freshly out of some one's oven. We then headed straight to the county fair. I had very low expectation as the fair is very small compared to the Puyallup Fair. The kids had a blast, watching sheep sheering, egg tossing, and petting bunnies. Even I had a lot of fun watching rabbit and chicken races. Apparently one of the kids in the chicken race brought his chicken over the ferry that morning.

We stayed at the Harrison House Suites. It was only 2 blocks from the ferry building. In the afternoon, they leave these freshly baked oatmeal raisin chocolate chip with walnut cookies in your room. They were so soft and chewy, even the next day. Probably loaded with butter and sugar, but I didn't care. =) The only complaint I have would be that they kept on falling apart. It would be the same in my tummy though. So no biggy.

For dinner, we went to Coho, by the owners of Harrison House Suites. They didn't have a kid's menu, but were willing to put together whatever we had in mind for J. We went with a home made fettuccine with carrots and peas in a butter sauce. It was simple, light, and very nice. Hubby went with the organic chicken breast grilled with peaches, coconut curry and lemon grass scented rice served with fresh vegetables. He loved it, the chicken was tender, the peaches succulent, and the rice perfect. I have a weakness for duck, so I got the smoked long island duck breast with a corn yoghurt cake, rhubarb pomegranate coulis, grilled radicchio and toasted pistachios along with fresh vegetables. I don't remember the radicchio and pistachios at all. The duck was nice and tender. The coulis was a perfect balance between sweet and sour. I really liked the taste of the yoghurt cake, but didn't care for the grilled burn marks on the crust. Just like anything on the San Juan Islands, the price is a bit high. But it was a very full and satisfying meal. Oh yeah, and I love their pumpkin rolls with sunflower seeds.

For breakfast, we were served with oatmeal raisin pancakes and chicken & apple sausages. Both were good. But the sausages taste like the ones you get at Costco. They even made special dairy and egg free pancakes for my son. Needless to say, we all left completely stuffed.

We spent the morning wondering around the downtown area. There is a toy store called the toy box where the kids played with cars, and planes and such. There is also a used bookstore called Serendipity that had a little sitting area surrounded by children's books. There is also a little park called Sunken Park where the kids spent a joyful hour.

My lunch plan, however, totally fell apart. At first, I was set on having lunch at Market Chef after reading their raving reviews on tripadvisor. It turns out that they are closed on weekends. Bummer! Then we decided to take an earlier ferry back. I'm known for being indecisive. But here, with only 40 minutes till the ferry, I was forced to think quickly on my feet, pick a restaurant and order some takeout. I went with Downriggers remembered seeing their name on tripadvisor. Within 5 minutes I already ordered crab burger for me, California clubhouse for hubby, fruit and cheese plate for the kiddies, AND signed the check. This must be some record! The aggravation all paid off when we got to enjoy the nice and warm meal instead of some ferry food. I really liked the crab cake in my burger, it was very fluffy, not greasy at all. The fruit and cheese plate, must had 2 cups of fresh fruit in it, made a very nice dessert. The hostess at Downriggers was very friendly and helpful. The place had an outdoor seating area with a great view of the harbor. Next time, I'd like to sit down and enjoy a relaxed meal there. Again, the only downside was the price - our little takeout was $30 (including tax).

Coho Restaurant
120 Nichols St, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360)378-6330