Cary Photographic Artists
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Conner La Joya is the state of Washington in the water
Most people rave about Seattle and its beauty, but a company in a little further north and mail settings get even better. Northwest Washington has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.
In northwest Washington, the mountains, the sea, farmlands, the islands come together in a breathtaking mosaic of colors and terrain, a feast for the senses that is evident everywhere you look. No wonder many people living here are actually part of the Puget Sound work force, going to and from their jobs in the Seattle area, but is well worth thinking worth the hours spent in the car every day if you can live where ever you look out their windows or walk down the street, the landscape is as spectacular as a painting.
About half-way between Seattle and Vancouver, BC is the small town of La Conner, a short distance from the interstate highway and light years way from the city bustle. If you are driving straight through Seattle or Vancouver, this is one of those gems will be lost unless you know it's there.
La Conner only a small city, an enclave built on the banks of the Swinomish Channel. The channel gives La Conner much of its color and atmosphere, a different marine environment that comes from watching the fishing boats and pleasure craft navigation channel Anacortes and then to the world famous San Juan Islands. The Rainbow Bridge is the Door Gold of La Conner, standing like a sentinel of the city and a must-inclusion in any respectable photograph of the city.
With its historic buildings, downtown a colorful assortment of restaurants and intriguing canal front shops, La Conner is a prime destination for the stroller – ie the person who just likes to stroll casually the city, absorbing the aromas and sounds of salt water as overhead scanning seabirds or visitors enjoy good conversation and a drink by the canal. Also come as no surprise that local aesthetics are a major attraction for artists of all kinds including famous residents such as author Tom Robbins.
The best way to savor the city is to spend some time in La Conner – day trips are good, but one night you can relax and start doing things in "Time Conner." Things seem to move a little slower in the village, and found the La Conner Channel Lodge to be tailor-made for this type of excursion. As its name suggests, the hotel is right in the channel and offers excellent views of Rainbow Bridge and boat traffic in the channel frequently.
When designing the Channel Lodge La Conner, went with a Cape Code type of shingle exterior that fits the perfect location. Inside, the units are unique and unusual in the way they are not rectangular, but of different lengths and widths with different rooms and angles. In our room a fireplace with two stuffed chairs and a table were positioned at an angle, while that the room was a bench seat built into the wall. There was not much room for a bed near a window overlooking the canal. A small lanai allowed us to sit outdoors and watch the cruise ships that seemed to slow just a few feet away.
Another great advantage in the La Conner Channel Lodge was the bathroom area which offers Jacuzzi style tub stylishly situated in a room used dark and gray marble and tiles and dark wood accents to give the room a luxurious feel that helped make this break seems extra-special.
Conner's history is evident in downtown buildings and historic homes that are in all residential areas. With just 900 inhabitants, the city is small and visitors can walk the neighborhoods and, because of the hills of the city, get some exercise doing it. At the top of a hill is the Skagit County Historical Museum, which has many reminders of the last U.S. city, such as baskets, dolls Shirley Temple and a rich collection of historical documents and photographs.
One of the most historic buildings is the Mansion La Conner Porridge, which was Built in 1891 by George and porridge Luisa as his residence. Over the years, the mansion changed hands several times until it opened to the public as La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum in 1997. The first floor of the museum is decorated with Victorian furniture, while you'll find the main exhibition space on floors second and third. The museum features new exhibits every eight weeks, and features quilts and bedspreads in the world – in fact this is one of 12 museums in the world.
La Conner is also a good base for short drives to many scenic spots of the area in general. For example, about 15 miles west is Deception Pass State Park, 4134 hectares of marine and coastal camping with considerable, both freshwater and saltwater. With its steep cliffs and Bridge, Deception Pass is a destination favorite for locals. The old forest and offer spectacular views of coast.
Just southeast of La Conner is the 13,000-acre Skagit Wildlife Area, which is primarily estuaries and intertidal marsh habitat. Visitors can see 180 species of birds, including bald eagles, golden eagles, and osprey. Also observed in the area are coyote, raccoon, opossum, skunk, beaver and muskrat in addition to many other species. Local residents use the Wildlife area for hiking, bird watching, photography and kayaking. There are six developed access points and 12 pedestrian bridges in the lower area.
Larrabee State Park, in the Bellingham area, easy access to the north of La Conner and has 2683 hectares with a coastline of scenic saltwater Samish Bay. The park has two freshwater lakes and estuaries and bays.
La Conner is a fun and picturesque destination any time of year, but perhaps the most beautiful place to visit is in April when the area comes alive with the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Acres and acres of daffodils, tulips, lilies, irises and are displayed at this special time of year. All the action begins in mid March or so when the daffodils are in full bloom. Continues until mid-May. Events include a fair high street, parade, quilt walk and many other festivities both in La Conner and in nearby Mount Vernon.
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: La Conner is about 65 miles north of Seattle and is easily accessible by taking exit of Interstate 5 Conway and following the signs to La Conner.
WHAT: La Conner is a charming historic town with a population of only about 900 people, but with an excellent selection of shops and restaurants, and some good quality accommodation options. It has the feel of a fishing village and features picture-postcard landscape. WHEN: This is a destination all year, but will be much quieter mid-week and in the winter months. On the contrary, may be more difficult to get accommodation in the late summer and week of summer, especially around the time of the Festival of Tulips in April.
WHY: La Conner offers the ideal combination of environment and of solitude with sights and sounds that are bound to stir your passions.
HOW: For more information on La Conner, call the La Conner Chamber Trade at 360-466-4778 or visit www.laconnerchamber.com. For information on the LaConner Channel Lodge, call 360-466-1500 or visit www.laconnerlodging.com.
About the Author
Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of Getaway Media Corp, which publishes websites focused on regional getaway travel. Among the sites currently offered by GMC are http://www.californiaweekend.com , covering California beach vacations and other Golden State destinations, and http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com , covering Northwest travel .
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