Washington's Unsung Island Is A San Juan Alternative Filled With Scenic Beaches And A Thriving Art Scene

The state of Washington is a well-documented doozy for lovers of the great outdoors, rolling all the way from desert plains through jagged mountain ranges and down to the roaring Pacific Ocean. It's home to the scenic San Juan Islands with pristine views that rival Norway , and offers stacks of hikes around gorgeous alpine lakes and up soaring peaks. Speaking of the pretty San Juans, there's one nearby island that's often overlooked by the crowds, offering a quiet escape to a land of lavender fields, rocky coastline, and sweeping forests. Interested? Cue Camano Island.

Camano is a dog-leg-shaped length of land that sits plumb between Skagit Bay and Puget Sound, east of Whidbey Island in Island County. It is not technically one of the San Juan Islands, which are part of the separate San Juan County. Camano Island sprawls about 40 square miles and benefits from a direct bridge link to mainland Washington. That means getting there shouldn't be a huge undertaking — you're looking at just under 1.5 hours from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by car, and as little as one hour from downtown Seattle itself, also by car.

Unlike the three big-name destinations in the San Juan archipelago — Lopez, San Juan Island itself, and the glimmering lakes and incredible adventures of Orcas Island — Camano is a bit more under the radar. It's a place where the pace of life slows nicely, where day hikes along driftwood-strewn beaches take center stage, and where unique public art displays and independent galleries beckon when you're done on the trails.

Beach lovers assemble, for Camano Island is a real treasure trove of sands and shoreline. The 134-acre reserve of the Camano Island State Park is a fine place to begin on that count. It spreads across the western shore of the isle, offering views of the cloud-shattering tops of the Olympic Mountains in the distance as it unfolds in a medley of coastal woodlands and pebbly coves. A loop hike there — appropriately named the Loop Trail — will whisk you over marshlands and through thick woods, but also includes a long stretch on a beachfront with fantastic eagle spotting.

Just north of that — a mere 5 minutes' drive, in fact — is the Cama Beach Historical State Park, which has trails that open up to wonderful views of the sloshing waters of the Saratoga Passage. The lower portions of the park, including the beach itself, are closed at the time of writing due to erosion on the seawall. However, you can still settle into the Cama Beach Café, a highly-rated eatery with 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google. It hides in the forest just back from the shore, offering up everything from Cobb salads to homemade bagels with a side of potential whale sightings.

The far northern edge of Camano Island, meanwhile, is home to the English Boom Trail County Park. It's only a short detour off the main roadway, making for some very accessible beachcombing. The main walking paths there cut across brackish wetlands before ending up on a wild section of beach where it's often possible to spot the high Washington Cascades rising far in the distance.

Camano Island is a bona fide arts hub in this corner of Washington. Over the years, painters, potters, sculptors, and photographers alike have been drawn by its tree-covered, heron-stalked beaches and the charming rustic countryside that lies inland. According to Northwest news outlet KNKX, artists successfully took command of the local Camano Island Chamber of Commerce in the 1990s, a feat that helped to lay the groundwork for what was to become a haven for all sorts of creatives.

Fast forward to today, and that creative energy manifests as a whole string of art-centered attractions, along with more independent galleries and workshops than you can shake a painter's palette at. Perhaps you could begin at the Matzke Sculpture Park, where rusted metal shapes sit next to carved marble effigies in the forest. Or there's Jack Gunter Art & Design on the south side of the island. It's the home gallery of Camano-based painter Jack Gunter himself, who, according to reviews by past visitors, will sometimes greet guests personally with a glass of wine and stories of his artistic inspirations.

Mother's Day Weekend is arguably the best time to hit Camano if you're coming for the cultural side of things. It's when all the local galleries and workshops throw open their doors for the annual Camano Island Studio Tour, offering a chance to meet the artists behind the works. There's also the Camano ArtHop in December, which sees a handful of leading arts venues turn into craft markets selling unique, handmade souvenirs in the run-up to the festive period.