The first stop on the Great Eco-friendly Summer Road Trip was Lopez Island in the San Juans. The pace is slower, the people are friendlier (be sure to learn the local way to wave – at every car and bicycle that passes), there is low-income housing which uses solar energy, and it is simply drop dead gorgeous.

This is the place that has me longing to move every time we visit. This is the place that has my sensitive boy in tears when we leave and all of us leave a little of ourselves there…

How To Get There: Most people go by ferry from Anacortes. Check with Washington State Ferries for schedules.(800) 84-FERRY or (206)464-6400

Another option, especially for those arriving in Washington by plane, is a small plane. There are two options: chartered and scheduled. Check with Airporter Shuttle for schedules and reservations.

Where To Stay: Anywhere you stay on Lopez is sure to be well worth it, but Lopez Farm Cottages are a perfect match for the feel of the island. Tent camping is also available on the 30 acres of woodland and meadow. Plus, no bears!

What To Do: Biking, walking, beach combing – see if you can find sea glass, kayaking, whale watching, shopping, wine tasting, Saturday Farmers Market, and relaxing.

Where will we stop next? Idaho.