I drive onto the 20-car Whatcom Chief and inch forward to meet the bumper in front of me, coaxed into position by the wagging finger of a salty-looking deckhand. I turn the engine off to wait out the 15-minute Hale Passage crossing from Gooseberry Point to Lummi Island. A trio of gulls keeps pace with the ferry overhead, advancing and then dropping behind in the wind as if playing a familiar game. Our destination is a sparsely populated spot off the coast of mainland Whatcom County, Washington, not far from the Canadian border. Ahead, a mammoth, evergreen-shrouded hill dominates the island, with lower rolling farms and shoreline properties in the foreground.
Lummi Island has become a renowned foodie destination for one reason: Willows Inn. Dining there is the highlight of our itinerary to celebrate my friend and traveling companion Robert’s birthday. Willows Inn is a special-occasion kind of restaurant; it has played gracious host to countless anniversaries, birthdays and honeymoons.
Read the full feature about Lummi Island here.
Read full feature article here: A Magical Journey to Lummi Island, WA