How a trip evolves is almost as interesting to me as the destination. I find it utterly fascinating how people plan what they want to do and how those plans change once the trip begins. Eric and I are a fun example. Our trips always begin with a solid itinerary of healthy activities and lofty goals. “We’re going to hike 8 miles today and eat tuna and crackers” becomes “let’s stop in this town that has an amazing bakery and we’ll squeeze in a quick beach walk.” Such was the case after a week into our Hiking Washington trip.
Bakery?! Where?!!!
Day 7 could have easily been a hiking day, as the route from Lake Stevens to Darrington was short and full of hiking trails. Whilst searching for food options the night before, however, Eric discovered an old Dutch bakery in the small town of Marysville. This of course led me to Google Maps where I veered further off course to Camano Island which had walking trails all over the island (so I could justify the pastries). An entire day’s itinerary being altered based on the promise of a fabulous bakery is quite common for us. Hell, our trip to Austria and Germany revolved almost entirely around pastries. I wrote a confessional about it. Pretty sure I’ll have to try water fasting before visiting France.
Thankfully Oosterwyck’s Dutch Bakery in downtown Marysville did not disappoint. The woman behind the counter was delightful, her selection was good (just don’t expect fancy French pastries), and best of all the 3rd Street Book Exchange was a few buildings down. Both of these businesses have a great history. Oosterwyck’s is a family-run business that is over 65 years old. It was founded by Gerard Oosterwyck who was born in the Netherlands, spent three years in a labor camp during WWII and was a baker for the Royal Family before immigrating to the United States. There’s a wonderful story about it HERE.
The Book Exchange is also a family tradition. Started by Darilee Bednar in 1987, this two-story book haven is overflowing with books and you can feel decades of love seeping into your pores as you peruse the dusty tomes. Nothing is too old or too damaged to have a home here and you’ll find some fascinating titles. Eric is still shaking his head over the collection of Philippine folktales I bought called The Termite Queen.
Food on Camano Island
But I digress. Let me tell you about the lovely Camano Island. Sandwiched between the mainland and the much larger Whidbey Island, Camano is one of the easier Puget Sound islands to visit because it doesn’t require a ferry. It doesn’t have much in terms of restaurants, but that was fine by us because we had our own picnic lunch and we found a great place to pick up snacks. Hidden in a strip of storage buildings tucked away in farmland on the northern shore was a Filipino catering business called Cristy’s Lumpia. They’re mostly a catering and takeout service but they did have one small table outside and were great in helping us choose something that wouldn’t take too long to cook. They keep a freezer full of items that they just heat up. We tasted our first lumpia (similar to a taquito) and humbao (sweet bun with sweet meat). We noticed locals stopping next door to pick up liquid refreshment at Ale Spike brewery to go with their lumpia.
Walking Trails of Camano Island
The walking trails are wonderful on Camano and the lack of commercialism on the island is one of the big reasons we love the Pacific Northwest. No tall condos or strip malls here. Homes are surrounded by towering trees and hilly roads throughout most of the island but there’s a section on the north shore with flat open farmland. It’s a surprising mix of terrain for such a small area, similar to the San Juan Islands which lie further north. The island is only 15.6 miles long so you could walk the entire thing in one day. While we didn’t attempt that, we did have some lovely walks.
Cama Beach State Park was small and offered limited trails but well worth the visit because of the beach. You don’t need designated trails when you have miles of coastline to walk. It’s a great beach walk, with good bathrooms and logs strategically placed for sitting. We had lunch under a shady tree adorned with clam shells. This park is connected by a mile long path to its sister park, Cama Beach Historical State Park. Both offer cabins which looked very nice and had beautiful water views, just know that you have to bring your own linens and supplies.
For those who want a good walk without a state park fee, Barnum Point is a good option. It’s a fairly new park and a testament to Washington’s commitment to land preservation and open access. No bathroom but plenty of parking and a lot more trails which include walks in the forest and along the beach. At the parking lot there is a trail map which is also available on their website. We only had time to do the Beach Walk and I’d love to return so we can walk the rest of it.
Other free walking trails on Camano include Camano Ridge Forest Preserve offering 5 miles of lush forest paths and Iverson Spit which packs a lot of beauty into a one mile walk. On the north shore, where you can find some really cute house rentals for affordable prices (by Seattle standards), there’s a short waterfront trail in development called English Boom. It would be a good place to kick back with your Cristy’s and Ale Spike.
Camano Island was great for a day trip and would be even better as a weekend getaway. We’ve added it to our list of favorite Washington islands and I love that it still has that “not yet discovered” vibe. The way they’re quickly developing parks and the new buildings we saw point to a place quickly on the rise, so I’m not sure how much longer it will stay this way.
Next stop on our Washington trek: a remote logging town and more gorgeous alpine lakes!
