I couldn’t think of a better way to salute the summer than by basking in some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest with my family for four days. The Doe Bay Resort and Retreat, tucked in the woods on the eastern shore of beautiful Orcas Island, is basically summer camp for adults. And they’re doing everything right. Cabins, yurts, and campsites along the bay have names like “pea pod” and “salmonberry,” and the soaking tubs are clothing optional. We read on the beach, watched seals swim by, drank wine, played Balderdash, and cooked up a storm (Tupp Ups leftover bread series coming soon!).

On our last night, we celebrated mom’s birthday with a special dinner at the Doe Bay Cafe, where the food is all sourced from the Doe Bay garden,  other Orcas Island farms, or Puget Sound. The hand-cut pasta with morels, fava beans, pecorino, and lemon was my favorite of the many dishes we devoured. It was truly one of the most divine meals I’ve ever had.

If you haven’t been, hop on a ferry and spend a weekend on the San Juans. Those rugged islands are a magical little pocket of our state worth visiting.