Camano Island,WA - suggestions, please
 

I've had the offer to swap my flat in London for a sea-view house in Camano Island. I've done some web searches as to what there is to see and do in the area, and I'd like to take the opportunity to visit relatives in Victoria/Vancouver as well. <BR>What else in the area are musts? I'm assuming I would need to hire a car to get there from either Vancouver or Seattle airports, so some other suggestions for touring trips would be welcomed...

Would a trip up to Mount Rainier be out of the question? My most favorite drive when in the WA area.

Patrick, Camano Island is reached by a bridge connecting it to the community of Stanwood in northern Snohomish County. Camano is a lovely island but very (that's very) quiet with minimal tourist or commercial facilities, although all services are located in Stanwood. A car is mandatory.<BR><BR>Because Camano is accessible by road, trips to Seattle or Vancouver are straightforward. Seattle is about an hour by road; the Canadian border is maybe 90 minutes or less, depending on where on the island you're located. Vancouver is 20 min. past the border, following whatever delay there is in these security-conscious times. <BR><BR>Access to other islands entails returning to the mainland, then driving to ferry terminals, the nearest of which is at Anacortes (maybe 45 min. from Camano) with access to the San Juan Islands (US) and Victoria, BC, via the Washington State ferry. From Victoria one can travel either to Vancouver or back to the US for visits to the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park, a major highlight of this region. East from Camano, you can easily reach the North Cascades, with a national park, wilderness hikes, etc., and from there complete interesting loops into the dry eastern portions of Washington or BC - Indian country, orchards, big scenery. <BR><BR>You don't indicate when your exchange might take place. If you're contemplating a spring exchange, you'd be in for a treat as the area between Stanwood and Anacortes is the center of a vast tulip and daffodil growing operation, and the fields in April and May are stunning. <BR><BR>If I had to compare Camano with a British equivalent, I'd probably pick the island of Mull, but less hilly. Very tranquil, rural, nothing spectacular but well worth exploring. Write if you have more questions.

Many thanks for the thoughts so far - encouraging (I don't mind quiet). The plan is to visit in late September - I gather from other posts that weather is OK at that time of year (and I'm no sun-freak - just as long as we're not confined indoors by endless rain.

Late September ought to be ideal - autumn color appearing in the lowlands, in full glory in the Cascades and Olympics. I especially urge you to plan on a loop trip (2-4 days) across the Cascades into eastern Washington or the BC Okanagan country at that time of year - really lovely. If time permits, another drive to the Pacific coastal areas of Washington and/or Vancouver Island will be spectacular.<BR><BR>PS if you're an angler, there will probably be some good salmon fishing available around the area at that time, not to mention oysters, Dungeness crab, clams and other yummies from D. Jones.