Driving to Camano Island from Bellingham takes less than 60 minutes. Add on an hour or two if your pathway includes stopping at numerous thrift stores along the way because your traveling companion is forever on the lookout for deals on used books.
Such was the case when my bibliophile boyfriend and I left town to spend a few days exploring the scenic Island County locale for the first time.
Check-in at our Airbnb wasn’t until late afternoon on Saturday, and our plan was to enjoy the vacation at our own pace, including stops in Skagit and Snohomish counties.
After leaving the Bargains Galore Thrift Store in Mount Vernon with a few books in tow, there was no need to get back on the freeway. We simply followed the back roads for about 15 miles until we hit Stanwood, a small city known for its large Scandinavian population.
Before driving over the two bridges leading to Camano Island we stopped at Stanwood’s Viking Village to suss out Lindbecks Uff Da Shoppe, a quirky gift store selling items such as krumkake irons, fish balls, flags, German Christmas ornaments, cookbooks, ginger cookies and the Norwegian potato flatbread known as lefse.
After taking a few obligatory photos of the resident gnomes painted on the front of the shop, we crossed the bridges over Davis Slough and the Stillaguamish River to arrive on one of the largest islands in Washington state (it’s a total of approximately 40 square miles).
A giant sculpted metal Dungeness crab with the words “Come out of your shell on Camano Island” emblazoned above it welcomed us at the Camano Commons Market Place. I’m a big fan of puns, and took this as a positive sign we were where we needed to be.
Autumnal leaves were shining gold as we took a driving tour that landed us at the sprawling Cama Beach Historical State Park, where we stretched our legs and admired the view of Saratoga Pass from one of the many elevated picnic areas overlooking the water.
Although it was too late in the day for us to rent watercraft from the park’s Center for Wooden Boats, we took note of the many activities available for visitors — including hiking, beach exploration, fishing, crabbing, bird watching and kayaking — and vowed to return at some point.
Shortly after checking into our beachfront rental in the island’s Madrona Beach neighborhood, it started raining heavily and we realized it would be better to save any tidal explorations until the next day, when the sun was scheduled to make an appearance.
Sunday was undoubtedly the best day of the trip. We slept in and spent the morning lolling about, but roused ourselves to seek sustenance at Rockaway Bar + Grill, where my boyfriend ordered a gigantic Reuben sandwich and tater tots. I ate some of the tastiest clam chowder and fish-and-chips I’ve had in a while and watched golfers hit balls at the golf course behind the restaurant.
One of the highlights of the trip came after lunch, when we landed at Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park after following a winding, heavily-wooded road that deposited us at artist and owner Karla Matzke’s magical 10-acre creative oasis.
Before exploring the outdoor sculptures, we stepped inside the main gallery below Matzke’s living space to peruse the works that are part of the “Northwest Watercolor Society’s 83rd annual International Art Show.”
The exhibition can be seen Fridays through Sundays through Nov. 12, and is a beaut. The juried group exhibition allows viewers to see how different painters interpret the medium, and features everything from abstracts to landscapes, still-lifes, portraits and beyond.
Matzke said she had to learn to operate a bulldozer to clear the 10 acres for the sculpture park, which she opened to the public in 2008. Her hard work was worth it. At least a couple hundred works by the region’s most skilled sculptors are carefully placed throughout the forested property, and you’d need to traverse the space at least a few times to make sure you saw them all.
The gallery and park are open every weekend throughout the year, so even if you’re just on a day trip, don’t miss this Camano Island gem.
When we arrived back at the rental, I grabbed binoculars and a thick sweater and went straight to the beach while my boyfriend changed into his “soft clothes” and put together a sunset serving of refreshing cocktails served from Nalgene containers.
By the time the glowing orb disappeared behind Whidbey Island, we had observed a seagull attempting to lift a large rock crab off the beach, two bald eagles doing their best to steal whatever fish seagulls were dining on in the water, crabbers bringing in their nighttime haul, and kayakers making their way silently through the glassy water. We stared in awe at the changing light until dark, when the half-moon started to rise behind us.
Although we’d have more adventures in the following two days, none beat Sunday’s, when I was reminded that vacations should include time for observation and introspection — whether it’s looking at a sunset, appreciating fine art or finding moments when doing nothing is the best thing.
