The Downing Family: San Juan Island, Lakedale Resort

These pictures may look familiar as it was about a year ago this time that I posted some of my first pictures - our trip to Lakedale Resort on San Juan Island. We planned this trip just a few weeks ago. I had reservations at a state park up north but then decided I really wanted to go back to Lakedale. It is so beautiful up there and I like that you can have the camping experience but then go into Friday Harbor or Roche Harbor for more civilized fun!

We planned to take the 11:00 ferry from Anacortas. We knew if we missed it there wouldn't be another until 3:00 so we left at 6:30 in the morning. We ended up getting there at 8:38 and making it on the 8:45 ferry - the last car to get on the boat! Yea! We at least started off lucky on this trip!

We got to Friday Harbor and looked around and had lunch before going to Lakedale.

Here is the lodge at Lakedale. Only adults can stay there. It is very nice inside and quiet, of course. I took this picture from the rowboat we rented.

Here is one of the cabins. Last year we shared a cabin with the Wilkinsons which was very nice. Hopefully they'll be able to do this with us again next summer!

They also have canvas tents which are luxury camping. We would have liked to have stayed in one of those but dogs are not allowed. Next time we'll leave Jones at home - he definitely cramps our style at times!

Here are Alec and Hannah at our campsite. I don't know why they think this is "posing" for the camera. I'm getting quite a few pictures like this. Anyway, you'll notice we were by the lake. There was also a large grassy field on the other side of the site where the kids could play volleyball and run around.

David and Alec fishing from our campsite.

David and Alec went out a couple times to catch a fish. Here is Alec's BIG catch!

We don't think they stock their lakes with many fish!

This photo looks so peaceful and serene. It just doesn't feel right though. I can't remember what I did to make them sit still with their hands to themselves . . .

There are so many dragonflies! They are pretty cool looking.

Swimming in Dream Lake

While David and Alec went fishing, Hannah, Jones, and I relaxed on the deck of the lodge. Hannah said, "I do not have the patience for fishing." I think she is right. She has to be "doing" and fishing requires way too much waiting. She was happy hanging out with me - as long as she had a sucker from the general store.

Alec and Jones at the campsite in the evening where we made lots of smores. The kids got creative adding peanut butter to theirs. Hannah took it further and even added licorice. She soon had a sugar high and then a sugar crash.

We have two air mattresses and the kids claimed one right away, leaving David and I with the other. It seemed like the smaller one but we thought we could handle it. I think they knew that was the one with the slow leak. After a couple hours we were sleeping on the ground. Not that we could sleep, with a moaning duck or goose that made it impossible to sleep. I ended up blasting my ipod to drown out the noise and slept with the kids. David ended up sleeping in the Pilot. The joys of camping!

One of my favorite parts of camping on San Juan Island is going to Friday Harbor, where the ferries dock, and to Roche Harbor. There are a few restaurants, stores, and art vendors. It is beautiful there - manicured gardens, sailboats, yachts.

Our plan was actually to get to Roche Harbor early enough to look around a bit before dinner. Well, we ended up having to make a trip to Autoquest first. We went to leave the campsite and the battery in the Pilot was dead. We had to get help charging it but it wouldn't hold its charge so we had to go into Friday Harbor and get a new battery - not an expense we were happy about. We stayed calm though, knowing it was better it happened there than on the ferry or something! I didn't take a picture of this part of the trip! (Note to self: Bring ipod dock and do not use car stereo to play music at campsite.)

We had dinner at the restaurant in the above picture. It always feels like vacation to me when you can dine outdoors!

On our last day we decided to take the 5:00 ferry home which gave us almost another full day on the island. We went back to Roche Harbor and then to the beach. It was pretty hot. Poor Jones - he was panting up a storm and looked for pieces of driftwood to give him some shade.