7 Unique Things to Do on Lummi Island, Washington

I remember that feeling when I Googled “things to do on Lummi Island” and came up with just about nothing. It feels like no pocket of the world hasn’t been discovered, so I kept trying different searches. Yet, still nothing meaningful came up.

After visiting Lummi Island I realized why: this island off the coast of Washington near Bellingham is tiny (in fact, a lot of people visit Bellingham at the same time they visit Lummi to fill up their itinerary). Most people only visited after learning about a once famous, now defunct restaurant, which admittedly was the reason I also went for the first time. But this charming island has a lot to offer people interested in a secluded retreat.

Here are the unique things to do on Lummi Island that made our trip memorable. Add them to your itinerary to explore all the magic this teeny tiny island has to offer.

Lummi Island is a very remote, 9.25 square mile island in Whatcom County about 2.5 hours north of Seattle. With around 900 residents, it’s the quietest of the islands near Seattle, and the most perfect one for a secluded Pacific Northwest escape.

The island is only accessible via a 5-minute ride on the Whatcom Chief ferry that holds 22 cars. There’s no large food store on the island. No gas station. No traffic lights. Just a few people living the simple life and the tourists who come here in the summer to get a taste of it.

Things to Do on Lummi Island

Read my tips on visiting this tiny island below before embarking on your trip!

Visit Artisan Wine Gallery

The Artisan Wine Gallery is owned by Rich Frye and Pat Hayes. Rich used to be a lawyer, but decided to escape to Lummi Island and open a wine shop on his property. The wine shop is quite small, but includes a small bar with stools for tasting.

Rich curates affordable wines from around the world. I noticed some of the best wines in Washington state, like Cloudlift, Structure Cellars, and Latta Wines, all wineries I talk about in my best Seattle wineries guide. They are open on Friday afternoons and Saturdays for tastings.

What makes this place cute as hell, though, is the fact that one of their staff members, Janice, sells homemade bread and pastries through their newsletter. Every Sunday she posts the two breads and one pastry that she’ll sell that week. Members need to order by Wednesday and pick up Friday.

I witnessed pick up one Friday and it was obvious everyone knew and loved each other. They were joking around, talking about the island gossip, and exchanging warm hellos or goodbyes. Janice and Rich knew everyone that came in by name. It made us envy the community they have. This is not something I’ve ever experienced in Seattle!

Take pictures of the boats and buoys

When driving toward the Artisan Wine Gallery, we passed along a private beach with a ton of boats bobbing in the bay and buoys lining a few storage shacks. I squealed and wanted desperately to come back at sunset, as I knew it would be beautiful at the golden hour. But unfortunately we had dinner at now-closed The Willows Inn, so it wasn’t meant to be.

This area is called Legoe Bay. If you put Village Point Marina into Google Maps, you’ll find the picturesque area I’m talking about.

Note that this is a private beach, so it’s not recommended that you make a big scene out of being there. But nobody stopped us from snapping a few pictures. Be respectful and you shouldn’t have a problem either.

Hike Baker Preserve

Baker Preserve is managed by the Lummi Island Heritage Trust. It’s a protected area that offers a steep 1.6 mile climb to an outlook that provides views of the water and San Juan Islands.

Yes, I hiked this in a dress. Yes, I thought it was hard as hell at the beginning. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. But after the first 1/4 to 1/2 mile, the climb gets gentler. You will make it!

Also, random fact, we saw someone get proposed at the top of the outlook! It’s a beautiful spot, so I can see why.

Get lunch at Beach Store Cafe

There aren’t that many options for restaurants on Lummi Island, but the Beach Store Cafe was good. I’m not exactly sure why it’s called a store, because there isn’t a said store. But I had a good strawberry goat cheese salad that I asked them to put chicken on. The chicken was obviously poached in some goodness, because it was way juicier than I would expect from a humble lunch salad.

The Beach Store Cafe is a short walk from the ferry dock and has a porch with some water views and a back patio perfect for enjoying a few beers. If you find yourself needing a bite to eat, stop by here! However, know they only serve brunch on Sundays. Expect a lunch menu if you go earlier on a Saturday.

Go kayaking

This was one of the activities we didn’t get to because Dan broke his arm a few weeks before, but it’s my dream to kayak with orcas and the Salish Sea is the place to do it. Moon Dance Kayak is the only option for departure from Lummi Island, which they offer through full-day guided kayaking tours.

One of the cool things they have is a wild foraging educational tour. I was disappointed to read you don’t actually forage because of seaweed harvesting laws, but it sounded like a fun way to learn more about the island and the types of seaweed best for foraging yourself. If you end up doing this, please let me know how it is!

Visit the few public beaches

Sunset Beach is one of the few public beaches on Lummi Island. It has a parking lot right across from the late The Willows Inn restaurant and is accessible a few steps south of the property. Come here for pretty views at sunset thanks to its prime real estate on the west side of the island.

Another beach option is Church Beach. It’s accessible from behind the Lummi Island Congregational Church, which also has a stone labyrinth you can meander.

You can also visit Lummi Island Beach Access. It used to be the old ferry landing, but is now a county park with an observation deck perfect for watching the ferries cross the Salish Sea. There’s also a stairway to access the tidelands below during low tide.

Go truffle hunting & have a feast

This is also something we didn’t do, but I read how local Alana McGee takes people on truffle hunts in the spring. This sounds like a dream experience and one of the more unique things to do on Lummi Island.

Is Alana not offering truffle hunting when you’re on Lummi? Hire Ebb & Company to cook you a beautiful feast using local island bounty. They also have a property you can stay at if you’re looking for accommodations.

What to expect on Lummi Island

I found a few things rather surprising on the island, so I thought I’d share so you aren’t surprised.

Lummi Island isn’t really a beach destination.

I was really surprised to discover that most of the Lummi Island beach access is limited. Many of the beautiful beaches you’ll drive past have signs that say private property.

The farmers market is super tiny.

I love going to farmers markets when I travel. I was especially excited to go to Lummi’s farmers market because I expected it to be hyper local and quaint.

Well, it was quaint alright. It was sort of like a few neighborhood friends decided to put tents up in a grassy spot next to a convenience store and sell things. There were about 8 tents and it took us less than 5 minutes to make the rounds. I encourage you to go and try to support the local craftsman, but know it’s really, really small.

There aren’t that many restaurants.

What I mean is there are 2 places to eat. There used to be a burger shack called Sauseburger right across from the ferry landing, but sadly it’s permanently closed.

There aren’t any gas stations on the island.

So gas up before you get on the island ferry dock!

You can’t drive a loop around the island.

I was excited to drive the length of the island and make stops along the coastline for bomb photos. So I was disappointed to find out that there aren’t accessible roads to do a full loop of the island.

At the end of the day, Lummi Island is a teeny tiny island that’s more about a relaxed way of life than filling up your days with adventure and attractions. I think if you plan to bike, fish, boat, or possibly camp, you’ll love this place. But if you’re looking to fill your days going from one destination to the other, you’re going to be disappointed.

All that being said, I still had a great time on Lummi Island and think it’s worth spending the day there!

Areas to explore near Lummi Island

Here are places to visit on your way to Lummi Island or to tack on for an extended trip.

Let me plan your trip

Did you know most people spend 15-30 hours planning a trip?! Delegate the work to me so all you need to do is book your accommodations (which I’ll find) and then show up with itinerary in hand.