Things to do on Lopez Island: A weekend itinerary
Lopez Island is an ideal weekend getaway. One of the gorgeous San Juan Islands, Lopez Island is located off the coast of Washington and is an idyllic, relaxing place to spend a weekend. Lopez Island has something for everyone: small boutiques, peaceful forests, rugged coastline, and picturesque sunsets are some of the elements you can expect to find here. If you’re looking for a perfect weekend getaway to Lopez Island, there are many things to do on Lopez Island!
Lopez Island Overview
There are 172 named reefs and islands in the San Juan Islands, but only three of them have ferry service and amenities. These are San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island, and they are considered the main islands in the archipelago. Each island has treasures to offer visitors, depending on what you are looking for.
The San Juan Islands are located between the west coast of Washington and the east coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Lopez Island is the southernmost of the main islands and is known for -its farmland, quiet beaches, bike-able roads, and peaceful village. With only 2,500 residents, it’s the least populated of the 3 main islands, which makes it even more appealing to those of us who adore small towns and nature!
Lopez Island is pretty small, and you can drive from the north end of the island to the south end in about half an hour. This is another reason that Lopez Island is great for a weekend trip: you can explore most of it pretty quickly, without spending a lot of time driving around!
When to visit Lopez Island
Lopez Island is a year round destination. Although it is pretty far north (between Washington state and Vancouver Island, Canada!) it doesn’t get too frigid in the winter. Temperatures are generally in the mid-40s during the winter, in the 50s and 60s in the spring and fall, and the high 60s and low 70s in the summer.
Additionally, there is less rainfall in the San Juan Islands than in Seattle–by about 50%. So even in the colder months, you are still less likely to encounter rain here than in the Seattle area!
We visited in the month of June and it was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, with sun sprinkled in with some clouds for gorgeous evening sunsets, I’d return in June in a heartbeat. The summer is definitely the best time of year for the most sunshine, but there’s a magic to moody cooler coastal areas here, too!
How to get to Lopez Island
Getting to Lopez Island requires a ferry ride. This is the most difficult aspect of planning a trip to Lopez Island. Unless you are an intense biker, you will almost certainly need to bring your car to Lopez Island. And car reservations for the ferries to the San Juan Island ferries can easily book out in summer months.
You can book a car reservation from Anacortes to Lopez Island starting 2 months in advance of your trip date. About ⅓ of reservations are released at 7 am PT two months prior to each departure. ⅓ of reservations are released 2 weeks in advance of the trip, and the remaining ⅓ are released 2 days in advance.
You will want to be online, logged into your account, a few minutes before 7 am PT to ensure the best opportunity to reserve your desired ferry slot. There is generally some standby availability, but it is very limited so it is best practice to make a reservation. You can find the ferry schedule and additional information here.
Plan to arrive at least 30-60 minutes prior to your scheduled departure! There’s a nice little beach you can hang out at in Anacortes right by the ferry holding area.
Returning from Lopez Island to Anacortes is even trickier. This is because you cannot make a reservation for the return ferry; you simply need to show up and wait in line. When we traveled on a June Sunday from Lopez Island to Anacortes, we arrived 1.5 hours before the ferry departure and were among the last ~20 cars to even get on the ferry, with ~50 cars in line ahead of us (!). I would recommend showing up 2 hours prior to departure time to ensure you get a spot on the ferry for busy summer weekends.
Unfortunately there is not really a great place to hang out while waiting at the Lopez Island ferry area, as you are parked on the side of the road. Keep this in mind when traveling!
Camping on Lopez Island
As budget travelers, we are often camping when we explore the Pacific Northwest. There are two camping areas on Lopez Island: Odlin County Park and Spencer Spit State Park.
Odlin County Park is located on the north western side of Lopez Island, has 31 campsites, and is a relatively flat area with coastal access, old growth trees, and walking trails. These sites are generally lower capacity (4 people/one vehicle) and are reservable from May-September. You can learn more and reserve sites here.
Spencer Spit State Park is located on the northeast end of the island, and has 37 reservable campsites. There are also a couple of group sites as well as 16 hiker/biker sites that are not reservable. You can rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards at the Outdoor Adventure Center in the park, and there is easy beach access.
We stayed at Spencer Spit State Park and I loved the campground. It was forested, our site was large (accommodated two tents), the bathrooms were clean, there was a playground, and it was a 10 minute drive to Lopez Island Village. Pretty ideal!
Pro tip: If you want a shower, there are free public showers located in Lopez Village near the El Taco Bout It food truck! Spencer Spit State Park did not have bathrooms with showers so this was a nice find for those of us who prefer to be clean.
Where to Stay on Lopez Island (if you’re not camping)
There are not a ton of options for where to stay on Lopez Island, which is part of the charm!
The Edenwild Boutique Inn is gorgeous and when we walked past, I said to myself, “I want to stay here someday!” It’s right in Lopez Village and has views of the water. So cute. You can book the Edenwild here.
Another option is the lovely Lopez Farm Cottages and Tent Camping. They offer cozy tent cabins and cottages that look absolutely adorable, and they are definitely more budget-friendly than the Edenwild. I’d love to stay here, too.
Where to Eat on Lopez Island
As a pretty small place, there are only a handful of food options for visitors. We tried the El Taco Bout It taco truck, A Pizza Pie food truck, Holly B’s bakery, and the two coffee shops. The only place I would not go back to is the pizza food truck. Everything else was pretty good!
We wanted to try Blue Heron Bistro for lunch but they only offered counter service (cold sandwiches), but it looks like they have a great dinner menu. Other places include Vita’s Wildly Delicious cafe, Haven Kitchen and Bar, Islander Bar and Grill for great views, and Ursa Minor for a more upscale eating experience. I recommend checking restaurant and shop hours before planning to eat, because they can be limited and may not be open on the day and time you want to visit.
Lopez Island Bike Rentals
Lopez Island is known to be a great spot for biking, and the reputation lived up to the hype. If you’re planning to bike, but don’t have a bike to bring (or didn’t get a hitch installed in time like me), you have options for rentals!
There are multiple bike rental spots on Lopez Island. Village Cycles was where we rented our bikes, which we did the day of. I liked that we could rent hourly there. We only needed 2 hours to enjoy our ride, which was definitely cheaper than a full day rental!
The Edenwild had cheaper bike rentals, but was sold out for the entire month, so you’ll want to book in advance to reserve these bikes. The final option is Lopez Island Kayak & Bikes, which is just outside of town and on the route you’ll be taking.
Weekend itinerary for Lopez Island
While you could plan a day trip to Lopez Island, it would be a long day and I wouldn’t recommend it (if you’re coming from the Seattle area or farther, at least). A weekend was the perfect amount of time: we got to explore various areas of the island, soak in the natural beauty, and there are still some things left to do for a future visit! Here’s what we did!
On your first day, depending on what time you arrive, you’ll want to start exploring as soon as you can. With an early afternoon arrival, stop by Taco Bout It taco truck for a carne asada burrito. Be sure to ask for the red salsa, it’s delicious. I was surprised by how good a Mexican taco truck was on a tiny island; I was not expecting anything special but it was surprisingly tasty.
After lunch, check into your campsite or hotel. Settle in, and then head to the Shark Reef Sanctuary for a late afternoon stroll to the coast. You’ll be able to see sea lions and maybe even jellyfish! You could even bring a snack or a drink to enjoy while you watch the animals. This is a perfect way to stretch your legs after a long travel day.
Head back to your hotel or campsite, enjoy dinner, and relax.
On Saturday, visit Isabel’s Espresso for your morning coffee. I tried both of the coffee shops and can confirm that Isabel’s has better coffee and vibes than Lopez Grind. The caramel macchiato was delightful.
If you’re visiting in May-September, check out the farmer’s market, a couple blocks from Isabel’s, where you can find local artisan crafts like quilts and ceramics, as well as yummy snacks, between 10 and 2.
Then, grab a bike and head to bike the Fisherman Bay Preserve. Here are the directions to bike the Fisherman Bay Preserve:
- Start on Lopez Road in Lopez Village
- Turn right onto Fisherman Bay road
- Turn right again onto Bayshore Road
- Bayshore Road will curve and take you to a beautiful area with water on both sides
- Turn left onto Peninsula Road and take that to the end
- Get off your bike and walk around Fisherman Bay Spit Preserve
The total bike distance is 8 miles.
You can then walk around the Fisherman Bay Preserve and enjoy the tall grasses, water views, and serenity. This is one of the best things to do on Lopez Island!
In the late afternoon, head to Iceberg Point Trailhead. You’ll park at Agate Beach, and then walk up the road and turn right onto the trail. Iceberg Point hike is a relatively short trail, but one of the longest on the island at around 3 miles. You will loop you around the coast, one side through the forest and one side more exposed and near the waterside. This is a great hike for golden hour or even sunset, as it’s one the western side of the island.
On Sunday, enjoy a leisurely morning and pack up your camp or your belongings, and then head to Watmough Bay. Locals told us it’s one of their favorite things to do on Lopez Island, so that’s why we decided to go there.
Watmough Bay was lovely, and the walk is short (maybe a half a mile at most). Note that parking was full when we arrived, so we ended up having to park off of Chadwick Road. I’d probably add on Point Colville Trail if I had time, as it’s one mile and close by, but we needed to leave for our ferry.
Final Thoughts on a Lopez Island Weekend Getaway
I really loved our weekend here. I usually like to hike a lot (in the realm of 4-8 miles) and the hikes on Lopez Island were short, but so sweet. There are plenty of things to do on Lopez Island to keep you busy, but also relaxed. The village and rolling farmland was utterly charming (as were all the locals who wave when you drive by on the road!). It felt like a magical place where you’re back in time a bit, where the pace of life slows down, and you can truly appreciate the natural beauty around you and just be.
