The Most Relaxing 3 Day Road Trip from Seattle: La Conner and Deception Pass State Park
From his room on the 21st floor of our high rise apartment building in downtown Seattle my son, who doubles as my teaching/travel assistant, dreams of two things: becoming the next Spider-Man (Miles from Brooklyn did it, so why not “H” from Seattle?) and having a yard.
While a substantial house in the suburbs with a garage or three, long driveway and expansive fenced-in lawn is my personal vision of hell, it’s H’s version of Shangri-La. I get it buddy – you want to run and dig and play. Get filthy dirty. Have an impromptu adventure with your neighborhood friends. You’re sick of traffic and crowds and sirens and elevators and small enclosed spaces. You’re tired of carefully choreographed play dates with parents hovering so close it’s as if they fear one raised voice between 6 year-olds will result in permanent expulsion from the “good parents club” or, I don’t know, death.
I get it. You want to roam free. And even though I’m a city gal at heart, I like to retreat from it all too. To breath in clean, crisp air. To hear only the leaves rustling and birds and crickets chirping and the crackling sounds of a campfire. To feel cool mud between my toes and waves crashing over my feet. To feast my eyes on the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
Which is why H and I almost never let a weekend go by without escaping into nature. And we never let an extended weekend go by without venturing further, discovering what’s out there beyond our usual orbit.
Day 1: The Driftwood Cabin and Skagit Bay
So look out La Conner, here we come!
We packed our car with the essentials – marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate squares – and drove an hour and a half north from Seattle to La Conner where we proclaimed in unison, “OMG, this place is SO CUTE,” upon pulling up to The Driftwood Cabin.
The Driftwood Cabin
Any disappointment we’d initially felt – upon learning the camp grounds at Deception Pass State Park were full – evaporated, weaving through the towering fir trees before escaping up toward the cloudless azure sky.
Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO) had never failed me before and this time would be no exception. Nestled along the banks of Skagit Bay, about 3 miles from downtown La Conner and 13 miles from Deception Pass State Park, The Driftwood Cabin ($110 per night) was quaint and charming with a cozy Pacific Northwest vibe on the inside and spectacular views and beach access from the back. We took full advantage of the fire pit – roasting dogs and marshmallows for s’mores on the tips of brushed off fallen branches kindly donated by the surrounding trees.
We discussed important matters like what we’d do with three wishes and which superhero powers we’d choose while gazing out at the setting sun and growing weary at the sight of slowly fading embers. Then we curled into our loft bed as the final bits of light disappeared from outside the window and fell asleep while thinking, “I can’t believe how quiet it is here.”
For the Boy Who Wishes for a Yard: Skagit Bay
But before we sacrificed nutrition and good hygiene in favor of white cylinders of sugar and gelatin dusted with dirt and char and then smashed into filling for the best kind of sandwich and said goodnight to the sun, we ventured down to the pebble beach to explore the shores of Skagit Bay.
Overturned rocks revealed hundreds of tiny crabs, rain boots ventured out into the mud, and sticks transformed into toys. All while a Sandhill Crane supervised, his long legs partially emerged in the gentle tide. With never a shout of, “stay close to me!” or “be careful of cars!” or “watch out for people!”
Day 2: La Conner, Deception Pass Bridge, and Macs Cove
With our buds craving a hearty diner breakfast, we headed into downtown La Conner where I would have to query my brain: “wait, why am I a city gal again?”
La Conner, Washington
Then when I learned the population of La Conner hovers around 1,000 people, I remembered. Because everybody knows everybody and as one who regularly does her grocery shopping in pajama pants and hastily bunned hair, I’d be too tempting a candidate for town outcast. I would have to return to the big city where no one knows my name. But boy did I enjoy this small town while I was there!
The downtown corridor, listed on the National Register of Historic Places oozed charm with it’s many local shops and restaurants situated along the Swinomish Channel.
We selected the Calico Cupboard as our breakfast spot and found the portions large enough to satisfy even Prof. Cruise’s appetite. An appetite that frequently invites the following comment from people so shocked they momentarily lose their manners: “you’re so tiny, how on earth can you eat so much!”
With full tummies and happy hearts, we moved on to our second stop: Deception Pass State park.
Deception Pass Bridge
The iconic Deception Pass Bridge, completed in 1935, connects Whidbey Island to Fidalgo Island. And behind the Space Needle and Prof. Cruise, it has to be one of the most photographed attractions in Washington State. See for yourself what all the fuss is about:
Brave soles can walk over the bridge, but H and I didn’t want to lose our still digesting breakfast over the side. So we elected to drive over it a few times and gaze at it from several other spots in the park where, if we lost our footing, we wouldn’t go plunging to our deaths. Dramatic? Who, me?
Parking at Deception Pass State Park
A quick note about parking at Deception Pass State Park. As is the case for all lands managed by Washington State Parks, a Discover Pass is required to park a vehicle at Deception Pass State Park. Annual passes are available for $30, which we always purchase when we renew our car registration each year, or you can buy a day pass for $10. However, there are a number of free days. Here are the free days for 2019:
- Jan. 1 — First Day Hikes; New Year’s Day
- Jan. 21 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- March 19 — State Park’s 106th birthday
- April 20— Spring day
- April 22 — Earth Day
- June 1 — National Trails Day
- June 8 — National Get Outdoors Day (State Parks and Fish & Wildlife free day)
- June 9 — Fishing Day (State Parks and Fish & Wildlife free day)
- Aug. 25 — National Park Service 103rd Birthday
- Sept. 28 — National Public Lands Day
- Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
- Nov. 29 — Autumn day
Macs Cove at Deception Pass State Park
After thanking our lucky stars that there wasn’t an earthquake while we were midway across the Deception Pass Bridge, we parked and headed down a short, wooded trail to Macs Cove.
We had Macs Cove entirely to our lonesome selves. That is until a friendly sea lion joined us. Actually I don’t know if he was friendly, but he certainly had a lot to say. He barked like my dog Henry does when we’re watching TV together and another dog comes on. Which is to say, with great enthusiasm, but uncertain motives.
We had a great time at Macs Cove playing on the driftwood, constructing rock stacks, and taking in the views. Then, while I was counting to ten and shielding my eyes and about to yell “ready or not” in an epic game of “hide and seek,” H screamed, “MOM, I FOUND A TREASURE!” I was expecting something that looked deceptively like something cool, but actually turned out to be poop, when he ran over to show me this:
Fidalgo Island Rocks
On the back of the rock was a tiny note saying, “post pic to FB at Fidalgo Island Rocks. Keep or re-hide.”
After returning to Seattle, I posted a photo to the Facebook page with a word of thanks for making one little boy very happy. I also learned about the origin of the project, written by the founder:
“I began Fidalgo Island Rocks -FIR- in June 2016. The news was exceptionally horrific in our country; mass murders in Orlando, a 2yo killed by an alligator at a Disney World beach, all time high #’s of police officers executed in the LOD, and a presidential election that was led by a human that has no moral compass. I remind you of this because FIR group is intended as a place to leave all that hate and anxiety behind & create a better community (for Fidalgo Island & beyond). We CAN DO THIS by random acts of kindness. The idea is to decorate rocks or other found items in nature and hide them in various locations to brighten someone’s day.”
This random act of kindness became the icing on our outstanding day and we headed back to our humble cabin. We would return to Deception Pass State Park the next day with two additional family members in tow. Henry, the TV watching terrier, and Eric, the man who hates nature, but had to admit that Deception Pass State Park is pretty spectacular.
Day 3: Pass Lake Trail, Rosario Beach, and Tide Pools
After sharing our love for giant breakfasts at Calico Cupboard with Eric and Henry and stocking up on bakery items for later, we started our second day at Deception Pass State park with a short hike (1.3 miles) along the Pass Lake Trail.
Pass Lake Trail at Deception Pass State Park
With parking right at the trail head, we hiked through an old-growth forest filled with Douglas Firs. And we were treated with several gorgeous peaks at Pass Lake as we made our way around half the perimeter.
With tired legs, we headed by car to the Rosario Beach area to relax and spend the rest of our afternoon. Before I continue, you may be asking, “wait, are dogs allowed at Deception Pass State Park?”
Are Dogs Allowed at Deception Pass State Park?
Henry says, WOOF (translation: yes). But pick up your poop and keep them away from sensitive areas like tide pools.
Rosario Beach at Deception Pass State Park
A short walk from the parking area at Rosario Beach led us to one of our favorite activities to do at beaches around the Pacific Northwest:
…building driftwood forts! This rock and sand beach is located in a cove on the southwestern corner of Fidalgo Island. Explore around the area for some breathtaking views:
And for another one of our favorite activities to do at beaches around the Pacific Northwest:
…explore tide pools!
Tide Pools around Rosario Beach
This is a six-year-old’s paradise, and not just my city hating six-year-old. With giant rocks to climb on and plenty of sea creatures to discover, there’s enough here to fill an entire afternoon. And that’s just what we did! If you’re bringing kids with you, be sure to download and print off this Tide Pool Discovery Hunt before you go. See how many creatures you can check off the list!
Goodbye Deception Pass State Park, Hello Seattle
And with that we said a final goodbye to our cabin and headed back to city life. We returned to Seattle with a precious souvenir, thanks to the talented hand of a kind stranger, a deepening of breath and a lighter load, and memories to last us until our next outdoor adventure.
Wishing you kindness and beauty wherever your outdoor adventures take you. But consider one to La Conner and Deception Pass State Park. You won’t regret it!
Class Dismissed.
