Day Trip Diaries is a Cascadia Daily News travel series profiling communities within two hours’ travel of Bellingham. Do you have a suggestion for where to cover next? Send tips to cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com.
La Conner: Quick facts
Distance from Bellingham: 40 minutes (35 miles)
Population: 965
Notable: Prominent arts scene, historic buildings, boating culture and farm-to-table food
Community at a glance
Located along the Swinomish Channel, La Conner is a popular stop for birders, boaters and tulip enthusiasts alike. Travel blogs frequently label this historic fishing village as “charming” — but while La Conner’s quaintness is undeniable, there’s more to this community than meets the eye.
Since La Conner is a popular tourist destination, you might expect it to be dominated by kitschy gift shops. Take a stroll down 1st Street, however, and you’re more likely to find funky local artwork, New Age crystals or handmade soap than generic souvenirs. The town’s eclectic, at times bohemian spirit stems from an unlikely confluence of cultures — from the Swinomish Tribe to farmers, artists, fishermen and authors.
To get the most out of your stay, it’s worth reading up on La Conner’s history — or better yet, just ask the locals. During my visit, Chenoa Urness of Sacred Cedar Co. told me how, in the 1860s, La Conner was an important trading post for both European settlers and the Swinomish Tribe.
Early settlers also constructed dikes, resulting in acres of prosperous farmland. Industries like logging and fishing boomed until the Great Depression. Then, in the ’30s and ’40s, La Conner’s ecology and ethereal light attracted Northwest School artists such as Guy Anderson, Morris Graves and Richard Gilkey.
Gwen Knight, a waitress at Nell Thorn, told me about my favorite bit of La Conner trivia: Fishtown, a group of fishing cabins occupied by ragtag artists from the ’60s–’80s. Residents paid $1 a month in rent (raised to $100 a year in 1978), and the colony even had a self-appointed mayor.
La Conner was discovered by tourists in the ’70s — and despite the town’s ramshackle past, its historic buildings are surprisingly well-preserved. Its sense of community also remained intact, as did its artsy spirit: La Conner is home to one of the region’s leading art museums, plus several prominent artists and authors. (Make sure to mark your calendars for Tom Robbins Day on Sept. 2.) Stick around and you’ll find everything from fiber arts to artisan lotion bars and custom guitars, plus some of the best food between Seattle and Vancouver.
To-do list
Morning: Parking can get hectic in La Conner, especially on weekends, so I recommend arriving early and wandering the surrounding neighborhoods.
If you (rightfully) prefer to start your day with baked goods, you can’t go wrong with Calico Cupboard Cafe or the Scone Lady Bakery. For coffee, Raven’s Cup Coffee & Art Gallery has drinks with names like the Canadian Latt-eh and the Purple Haze Tea Latte, plus decaf options like iced cocoa with Forte Chocolate.
Virtually all of La Conner’s stores are located on 1st Street, so if you enjoy window shopping, you won’t have to wander far. Many facades bear evidence of the town’s blue-collar past; my favorite is Skagit River Boutique, an upscale clothing shop whose entrance is just beneath signage for a long-closed meat market.
Sempre Italiano carries hand-painted European ceramics, and owner Raffaele Chiusano also leads tours to his home country of Italy. Nasty Jack’s Antiques is somewhat of a community institution, while inventory at Latitude-Longitude is almost entirely nautical-themed.
For women’s clothing, Walking Mod has outdoor apparel, whereas The Stall has a more dressy selection. Handmade La Conner is a can’t-miss for small-batch body and home care products. They make all their goods on-site — and yes, the shop itself smells as pleasant as you’d imagine.
The Olive Shoppe and Ginger Grater has a vast selection of gourmet olives, groceries, kitchen gadgets and, most amusingly, decorative fowl. (When asked about the birds, owner Gregg Westover said every business in La Conner strives to sell something different — and this lack of direct competition reflects the town’s sense of community.)
Finally, given the annual La Conner Guitar Festival, it’s no surprise La Conner has a music scene. Guitar lovers should check out the custom electric models at Studio 623.
Afternoon: Once the clock strikes noon, the back patio at Firehall Kitchen and Taphouse is ideal for a lazy, sun-drenched lunch. This new-ish eatery is a sister restaurant of La Conner Brewing Co. and serves pub fare, plus unique bites like hibachi steak bowls and elk burgers. Other lunch options include COA Mexican Eatery and Tequileria and La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib, the latter of which has surf-and-turf eats and waterfront views.
After lunch, stop into the Museum of Northwest Art, a free-to-enter space that champions Pacific Northwestern talent and offers education and workshops for all ages. In addition to landscapes in the vein of the Pacific Northwest masters, they’re not afraid to venture into political, sometimes heavy territory. (I’m looking forward to their October exhibition, “Creative Response to Trauma,” and still regularly think about “Honoring Our Stolen Sisters” from 2022.)
Newly-appointed curator Brian Nigus brings a fresh perspective to the nearby Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum. For example, “Quilts Japan: The 16th Nihon,” on view July 10 to Oct. 13, is a traveling exhibition originating from the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
For a late afternoon pick-me-up, Chiusano from Sempre Italiano recommended I check out the newly opened Oneil’s Confectionery and Soda Fountain. (Pro tip: when an Italian tells you to get ice cream somewhere, it’s wise to obey.) Other indulgences on offer include baked goods, espresso and handmade candy.
And if you’re lucky enough to be in town on a Sunday, swing by Gilkey Square for La Conner Live. The summer concert series spotlights local musicians from 1–4 p.m. each week until Sept. 8.
Evening: As the day turns to evening, stop into the Skagit Crest Vineyard & Winery for happy hour. Their wines have a cleaner, lighter body compared to those originating outside the Puget Sound American Viticultural Area, and they pair great with seafood. La Conner Sips also has flights, bottles and pours by the glass, and they frequently feature local musicians.
For dinner, The Fork at Skagit Bay serves upscale-yet-unpretentious Southern food. Oyster & Thistle makes French-inspired dishes in a cozy setting reminiscent of a Cotswolds country inn. On the more laid-back end of the spectrum, La Conner Brewing Co. has wood-fired pizzas and craft beer.
It’s worth noting Nell Thorn Waterfront Bistro & Bar makes some of the best food around — not just in La Conner, but the region as a whole. Here, “farm-to-table” is more than just a buzzword: Virtually all ingredients are locally sourced, and everything from bread to pasta is made in-house.
Options for late-night fun are (perhaps unsurprisingly) limited in La Conner. La Conner Pub and Eatery — aka “The Tavern” — is too polished to feel like a dive bar, but will definitely scratch the itch for a laid-back after-hours hangout. Better yet, they have pool tables and stay open until midnight on the daily.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
