Orcas Island, Washington for Spring Break
 

I'm thinking of taking my kids to Orcas Island, Washington for spring break. It would be the last week in March. But I'm wondering, am I going to have any good weather? I'm planning on renting a house and possibly staying for a week. I've never been there and it looks so beautiful I'd hate to go at a bad time of year, and miss out on everything. Please tell me if you've ever been there at that time, and if you have any advice.
Thanks!

(This should be posted in the Washington forum, of course.)

The San Juan Islands are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, so relative to other places in the Pacific Northwest is has better weather. I don't know what a "bad time of year" means to you.

There are folks on the Washington forum who live in the islands and can do a better job of describing the weather than I can, but just for fun go to www.weatherbase.com to look at historical weather statistics.

<i>But I'm wondering, am I going to have any good weather?</i>

If you want to be relatively certain you will have good weather, Orcas Island is probably not the place to go in March.

<i>I'd hate to go at a bad time of year, and miss out on everything.</i>

Our summer months are July and August, and the early fall is also usually very pleasant.

HTTY

March is a rainy month no matter where you are in that area.

Hey - I like rain. :) Well, maybe not for months on end, but I am guessing there are breaks between the storms. It's such a beautiful place - and we enjoyed seeing a pod of Orcas from the car ferry.

Here is the website for the Islands - and why don't you send them an email and ask them what the weather conditions are like during the month of March.

http://orcasislandchamber.com/

I would save a trip to Orcas Island for the summer months...besides having some of Seattle's rain, although it is drier...the San Juans are cooler, usually around 6 degrees cooler than whatever temp you see for Seattle. I have spent many weekends on Orcas because I have family there. Without nice weather, Orcas can be a little bit boring for young people, although little kids would be OK; teens would probably be bored if the weather isn't great. Some of the Orcas restaurants even close for the winter and re-open in the spring, so you might be somewhat limited on eateries in late March, but the Chamber of Commerce would know the details on that.

On the other hand, in the summer, it's great for camping, hiking, kayaking and whale watching.

I would agree with the July August timeframe. We went in August & it was absolutely gorgeous but cool in the evenings & rainy days! I have no experience about march/April time frame at all. It is a quiet safe beautiful area that I look forward to a return visit!