Washington's Olympic Peninsula and surrounding islands are more than just pretty faces of spectacular mountain scenery in a flowing gown of marine passageways, bays and inlets.
There is an almost inexhaustible supply of vistas to enjoy and events in which to participate. Recreation in every part of the region includes swimming, bicycling, golfing, kayaking, boating, sailing, birdwatching, whale watching, fishing and hiking. Special sights like Hurricane Ridge high up in the Olympic Mountains, the Olympic Game Farm near Sequim and Whitney Gardens & Nursery at Brinnon are spectacular.
The region is filled with wineries, breweries and brew pubs, excellent restaurants, tiny bistros and comfortable lodgings. The wineries primarily are family operations that craft a few thousand cases of wine at most.
To enjoy this little slice of heaven will take more than a weekend, so do plan accordingly.
Bainbridge Island and the Kitsap Peninsula
Starting from Seattle, it's a half-hour ferry ride to the town of Bainbridge Island (formerly Winslow) and just a few minutes from there to Bainbridge Island Vineyards and Winery. Its European-style wines include a fun blend called Ferryboat White, as well as pinot noir and Muller-Thürgau. For a rare treat, try the late-harvest siegerrebe, a superb white dessert wine. All wines are from grapes grown on the island, and the winery's owners were key to establishing the Puget Sound appellation.
Places to stay and eat on Bainbridge Island are plentiful. Try Island Country Inn and Monarch Manor, both B&Bs. Restaurants include Cafe Nola (vegetarian lunches), Ruby's (European gourmet) and Bistro Pleasant Beach (seafood and lamb specialties).
Bainbridge Island is connected by bridge to the Kitsap Peninsula, and a short drive takes you to the Scandinavian village of Poulsbo and its Marine Science Center, which usually has a resident octopus. A must stop is Sluys Bakery for everything good. That's-A-Some-Italian Ristorante is a good place for lunch, dinner and retail wine purchases.
From Poulsbo, head south to the Naval Undersea Museum at Keyport, which presents the history of human enterprise under the sea, then on to Silverdale and the Silver City Brewing Co. The eatery has an extensive pub-style menu to match its Northwest ales and lagers.
Customers of nearby Heads-up Brewing Co. can make their own beer, wine soda and cider from an extensive list of recipes. Brews on tap and wine by the glass are produced on site.
Waterfront dining is available at the Yacht Club Broiler in Old Town Silverdale, and stop by Grape Expectations, a wine shop also in Old Town.
South to Hoodsport
Travel south on Highway 3 to Highway 106 for a relaxing drive around the south side of scenic Hood Canal past local favorite Twanoh State Park to Highway 101 North and Hoodsport Winery. The Olympic Mountains and Hood Canal are so breathtaking, people sometimes drive right past Hoodsport Winery. But do stop and sample the wines, especially the popular rhubarb wine and the unique Island Belle, with grapes from nearby Stretch Island.
At Hoodsport, consider an interesting side trip to Lake Cushman, which has 23 miles of shoreline. A short drive north on Highway 101 is the famous Whitney Gardens and Nursery at Brinnon. These charming gardens showcase more than 1,000 varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas grown here.
North to Port Angeles, Sequim and Port Townsend
Continue north past Sequim to Olympic Cellars. Originally called Neuharth Winery, Olympic Cellars is in a huge remodeled barn on Highway 101. Sample its blended Dungeness red and white wines.
Continuing on to Port Angeles, find Black Diamond Winery hidden away in a small valley in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains on the outskirts west of Port Angeles on Black Diamond Road. This newer operation makes fruit wines from locally grown Shiro plums, as well as strawberry-rhubarb, red currant, apricot and Oregon loganberry. Black Diamond also makes pinot gris out of grapes from Oregon's Willamette Valley.
Camaraderie Cellars is five minutes west of downtown Port Angeles, where the focus is on upscale red and white Bordeaux-style wines. Camaraderie gets its grapes from some of Eastern Washington's best vineyards, and its Grâce is an award-winning blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc.
If you plan to stay overnight in Port Angeles, consider the Port Angeles Inn, which overlooks this city, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and, on a clear day, Victoria, British Columbia. There also are a number of fine B&Bs. For dining, try Bella Italia or waterfront dining at Landing's Restaurant.
Port Angeles is awash in summer and winter recreation, and Hurricane Ridge is a must if the weather is good.
Traveling east to the town of Sequim (pronounced Skwim), drive about six miles off Highway 101 to Lost Mountain Winery. It's called Lost Mountain for a reason, so be sure to get a Winery Loop map at one of the wineries. Wine tasting should include Romeo's Blend, from a recipe handed down for generations in this Italian family.
Back on Highway 101, stop in sunny Sequim, a popular retirement and recreation area. In the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, average rainfall is only 16 inches per year. A visit to Cedar Brook Herb Farm during the summer is heavenly, and nearby Petals Garden Cafe and the Church Deli are local favorites. And for something exotic, try Khu Larb Thai restaurant. For an overnight, try the Best Western Sequim Bay Lodge, Margie's B&B or Toad Hall B&B. And you don't have to go to Hollywood for a touch of the silver screen. The destination for families is the Olympic Game Farm, home to animal stars of movie and television fame, as well as many rare animals. Drive-through tours are available year-round, with walking tours in the summer.
From Sequim, look for Highway 20 east to Port Townsend, a charming town with two wineries and two microbreweries.
Sorensen Cellars, on Otto Street in the Glen Cove Industrial Park, is dedicated to premium red wines, including cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, and its wines already are making a name for this newer operation.
FairWinds Winery, a partnership of two ingenious ex-Coast Guard captains and their wives, offers a tasty lemberger, a spicy gewürztraminer and a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon. FairWinds also is quite proud of its aligote, a white wine rare in the Northwest.
The Port Townsend Brewing Co. is in the boat yard across from Safeway and serves ale, porter and stout. In town, find Maxwell's Brewery and Pub to enjoy food with pilsner, pale ale and porter.
Port Townsend is one of those wonderful towns that seems to be caught in a Victorian time warp — and is proud of it. The main street downtown and the bluffs above the town have a number of restored Victorian buildings, some of which are businesses and delightful B&Bs. Enjoy an overnight stay at the historic Manresa Castle Hotel or Ann Starrett Mansion Victorian B&B. The town is a known art mecca and abounds with antique and other interesting shops. The Wine Seller wine shop downtown on Water Street is noted for its extensive collection of Northwest and international selections.
Some enjoyable places to eat on the waterfront include the Belmont and Cheek's. Off-waterfront eateries include Landfall, Silverwater Cafe, The Upstage, Sentosa, Lonnie's and Osamu.
Summertime attractions include the Olympic Musical Festival, the Wood Boat Festival and fiddle, jazz and writing conferences. Nearby Fort Worden is a picturesque state park and a fun place for beachcombing and walking. The movie An Officer and a Gentleman was filmed at Fort Worden.
The Islands
A 30-minute ferry ride from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island lands at mid-island, so take Highway 525 south toward Langley to Whidbey Island Vineyards & Winery, which specializes in wines produced from estate-grown grapes. Its most popular wine is Island White, primarily Madeline Sylvaner with a little Madeline Angevine and Müller-Thurgau.
Langley is home to art galleries, antique stores, shops, restaurants, bakeries, coffee houses and brew pubs. On most days, see great blue herons, sea lions and occasionally a gray whale. The Eagles Nest Inn, Inn at Langley and Villa Isola B&B are among many nice places to stay, and the Mediterranean Cafe and Star Bistro restaurants are local favorites. The Whidbey Island Brewing Co. also is a recommended stop.
Head north to Greenbank Farms, a winery that also specializes in island produce. Nearby Greenbank Cellars, the newest winery on Whidbey Island, has small quantities of quality wine, including sauvignon blanc and loganberry.
Coupeville is the second-oldest town in the state and has more than 100 buildings on the National Historic Register. The town's shopping areas and historic waterfront reflect the charm of bygone days. Coupeville Inn of Penn Cove, Captain Whidbey Inn and the Victorian B&B are good places to stay. For seafood, try Tortuga on Front Street
Your destination now is Anacortes and the ferry ride to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Travel north on Whidbey Island and enjoy the scenery, especially from the viewpoint at Deception Pass, one of the most popular state parks in Washington. The terrain ranges from large Douglas fir trees with soaring eagles to sand dunes. The park covers 3,500 acres and includes fresh and saltwater shorelines.
The ferry ride throughout the San Juan Islands will likely include some sea critters swimming about. Look for sea lions and pods of orcas. The ferry schedule from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands can be a bit confusing, so be sure to examine it well ahead of time to plan your trip. The 8:35 a.m. ferry is nonstop to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, an interesting town with a variety of stores that feature the works of local artisans. One of the better accommodations is The Inn at Friday Harbor, where off-season rates are about one-third of those during summer.
The Fat Cat Café is a delightful eatery just a few blocks up the street from the ferry terminal. Cat lovers will enjoy the owner's obsession with cats — pictures, books, statues, etc. Best of all, the food is outstanding. Other restaurants recommended to us were The Place at the San Juan Ferry, Duck Soup Inn, The Springtree and Roche Harbor Resort. The Front Street Ale House/San Juan Brewing Co. is up the street from the ferry exit and is a pleasant respite after the ferry ride.
Be sure to visit Roche Harbor and the American and British camps, remnants of the Pig War, a notorious dispute over ownership of these islands. Learn more about that and other island history at the Information Office in Friday Harbor.
San Juan Vineyards is three miles north of Friday Harbor on Roche Harbor Road. The tasting room is in a one-room schoolhouse built in 1896. This 30-acre property has 10 acres of vineyards planted to chardonnay (winemaker Michael Carr's specialty), gewürztraminer, Madeline Angevine, siegerrebe, pinot noir and some experimental vines from Eastern Europe.
A short ferry ride finds Lopez Island Winery owner and winemaker Brent Charnley. From the Lopez ferry terminal, take Ferry Road and Fisherman Bay Road about three miles south to the winery. Known for its estate vineyard of organically grown Madeline Angevine, siegerrebe and gewürztraminer, Lopez Island Winery also makes raspberry, apple and pear wine from locally grown fruit, and chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and merlot from Yakima Valley grapes.
Lopez Island is a small, friendly community of 2,200 residents. After visiting the winery, continue on to The Village, a mile or so past the winery and the center of island commerce. Here you will find a number of places to eat, including The Love Dog, Holly B's Bakery, Isabel's Espresso and Bucky's Lopez Island Grill. There are at least 11 places to stay on the island, including inns, resorts and B&Bs.
Another short ferry ride takes you back to Anacortes after a tour of some of the most interesting and awesome sips, sights and sounds of the Pacific Northwest's Olympic Peninsula and nearby islands. The wines and beers are special because they are the dreams and passion of dedicated, small, family-owned wineries and breweries.
Nick Tomassi, a regular contributor to Wine Press Northwest, teaches wine and beer appreciation classes and writes for The (Bremerton) Sun. His columns can be read at www.silverlink.net/winecabinet. E-mail him at nicktom@silverlink.net.
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