ORCAS ISLAND — There’s no quick way to get to the Doe Bay Resort and Retreat. That’s the idea.
Nestled around a small cove on the southeast flanks of Orcas Island, the resort offers a quiet, secluded getaway.
It may not seem like the ideal place to go when the weather is cold, the days short, the rain frequent, and the sky so dark, gray and low you could almost reach up and touch it.
Actually, winter months are a great time to visit farflung small resorts in the Pacific Northwest. Rates typically go down in the off season and there are fewer guests, so it can feel like you have the places to yourself.
It’s a wonderful, relaxing way to disappear from your busy life and cuddle up with a good book, play a game of Scrabble or simply watch the fog roll in.
I recently paid my first visit to Doe Bay for a soggy, cold November weekend. It was wonderful to listen to rain, watch the waves and enjoy the bounty of views.
The resort offers a variety of accommodations including inexpensive hostel-style dormitories, campsites and canvas yurts on the cheap end. For about the same price as a room in a bed and breakfast, choose one of the well-furnished and rustic small cabins, many that include kitchenettes. There are a few buildings that will hold a dozen or more people, making Doe Bay a popular spot for retreats, family reunions and weddings.
I stayed in a small, nicely appointed cabin called “Eden” that was surrounded by a large organic garden. One night I ate at the restaurant, and I chose to cook-in the second night, enjoying all the comfy little cabin had to offer. Some cabins even have fireplaces.
Wireless Internet provides a link back to the rest of the world. The free wi-fi even includes a message to stop looking at e-mail and go outside, a reminder I appreciated.
To get to Doe Bay, take the ferry from Anacortes to Orcas. It then takes about 45 minutes to drive from the ferry landing through Eastsound, Moran State Park and Olga before finding the resort entrance at the bottom of a steep rise.
The office, store and dining room are in a fun old building that offers great views of the bay.
Much of the food offered from the kitchen is harvested from the garden. My friend and I ate dinner here the night we arrived and were impressed by the gourmet offerings that were made from local and fresh ingredients. Breakfasts were terrific, especially the toasted homemade bread.
Our waitress told us that each leaf of the winter kale in my dinner salad was hand massaged to bring out the tenderness. She also said the place “used to be” a hippy retreat.
She was wrong about the “used to be” part. It’s still has plenty of hippy vibe, including the Grateful Dead playing over the sound system, and a extra-crunchy crunch to the food.
A little throwback to the 1960s is fine. The special attention paid to the kale is spent on guests, too.
There’s actually much more to do at Doe Bay than just read or play board games. Moran State Park is a short hike away. The resort grounds are lovely to stroll. There are yoga classes, massage (not just of kale) available, and blissful hot tubs and a sauna perched on a bluff over the water.
Be forewarned that the tubs are co-ed and clothing optional. That means even if you opt to cover up, there likely will be others who opt to go without.
There also are plenty of doe at Doe Bay. I saw fawns and deer nibbling at the grass.
I made friends with Gorgonzola, the resident cat, whose job, I learned, is to keep the mouse population down. And I thought he was just there to help me relax.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3447; jholtz@heraldnet.com.
If you go
Winter rates for accommodations at the Doe Bay Resort and Retreat range from $35 for a bed in a hostel to $275 for a cabin that sleeps up to 12. There often are special events and other activities planned, even during the off season. For more information, check www.doebay.com or call 360-376-2291.
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