Neighborhood-Kids All Local. All for Kids. All the Time.

A Day Trip to Lummi Island

by Theresa Carpine6/19/2009 4:42:56 PM

Something that I look forward to each summer is an annual bike ride around Lummi Island. Just about a mile off of Gooseberry Point, Lummi Island is the most northeasterly island of the San Juan Islands. A day trip on Lummi Island is a great experience for local families and visitors alike. Half the fun of visiting this neighbor across the bay is simply getting there!

Lummi Island Ferry Dock.
Photo by Theresa Carpine

Although you can always load up the car with bikes and drive out to the Lummi Ferry Dock, I recommend taking advantage of Bellingham’s great public transit and take a WTA bus to the ferry (Route 50). Besides, riding the bus is an environmentally conscious option and it saves gasoline money too. Bus fare is only 75 cents per ride and it’s free for kids under 8 years old. Be sure to check Bus Schedules when planning out your trip.

The six minute ferry ride from the mainland to Lummi Island run once every hour on weekends and about twice every hour on weekdays, starting around 6 AM and ending around midnight. The fare for walk-on passengers and bicyclists is $4 round trip and free for kids under 12 (with parent). Visit Lummi Island Ferry Docks for updates and news.

Once on the island, your family can look forward to a moderate 7 mile bike ride on paved roads around the northern loop of the island. As you leave the ferry dock, a left turn onto South Nugent Road will take you up a big hill toward the center of the island, and you can coast around the rest of the island. A right turn means a gradual but steady incline throughout your ride. Just remember to exercise caution when riding around Lummi Island; bicyclists must share the road with cars.

Riding along the shores of Lummi Island provides your family with great opportunities for whale spotting, bird watching, and general sightseeing. From the western shore, you’ll also have views of other San Juan Islands from across the Rosario Strait.

If your kids are interested in farm life, consider stopping by one of the local farms you’ll find on the island. Nettles Farm encourages visitors to spend time exploring the fields, visiting the pigs, and getting a hands-on look at farm life at weekend workshops with owner/farmer Riley Starks.

Kids digging in the garden at Common Threads Farm. Photo courtesy Laura Plaut

Another local farm, found in the interior of Lummi Island, is Common Threads Farm, which offers a variety of farm-based educational programs for kids on weekdays and for families on several Saturdays throughout the summer. Along with engaging kids in the know-how of farm life, director Laura Plaut’s programs emphasize nutrition and sustainable resources.

For me, no bike trip to Lummi Island is complete without a stop at the Beach Store Cafe for one of their delicious pizzas, cooked in a Wood Stone Oven. I recommend the Italian Sausage Deluxe; non-carnivorous family members might enjoy the Fire Roasted Veggie. A 16” Specialty Pizza is just $20. Other menu items include burgers, sandwiches, steak, fresh local seafood, and breakfast on the weekend from 9 AM to noon. Once happily satiated, it’s time to mosey back to the dock to make the trip home to Bellingham.

No matter your age, a day spent biking around Lummi Island is a great Northwest experience. It’s a relatively inexpensive outing (frugal folks can save even more cash by packing a picnic lunch instead of dining out), the family gets some exercise and fresh air, and the kids will enjoy the view of their hometown from the other side of Bellingham Bay.

A Note About the Author: Theresa Carpine

Theresa Carpine graduated from WWU in 2006 with a BA in English Literature. She enjoys yoga, listening to music, riding her bike in downtown Bellingham, and babysitting really cute kids.