Vashon is the largest island in Puget Sound, with an area of 37 square miles. It is hilly with lots of trees and is only a 20-minute ferry ride to downtown Seattle. The population is around 11,000, which doubles in the summer months. With more than 55 vacation rentals available, the fun starts with exploring beaches, walking forest trails, and visiting the little towns. Orchards and strawberry farms play a major role in the economy and dozens of small family farms sell free-range eggs, vegetables and berries at unmanned farm stands, so payment is on the honour system.

This quiet little island has much to offer. On an average Friday night, the choices are rock, folk, bluegrass, chorale, opera and jazz. On Saturdays, the farmers’ market sells island-grown produce, meats, wines, breads, cheese, as well as gifts for the people you left at home.

The people are friendly, so it doesn’t take long for a newcomer to feel at home. The only way on or off the island is by ferry, so crime is almost non-existent. The rural charm is unique and peaceful. The hub of activity is the main town called Vashon, in the northern third of the island. Locals call it Uptown and there are three banks, a post office, theatre, bookstore, a few supermarkets, a fair-trade gift store and several art galleries.

Maury Island, just across the bay called Quartermaster Harbor, was a separate island until 1916 when the two islands were joined. The small village of Burton has a post office, general store, garage, art gallery and an antique store.

A large number of arts-minded people live here. They are both creators of art and buyers. The island has its own opera, a chamber music society, and regular tours of many artists studios. Shakespeare in the Park and a concert series performs throughout the summer. An impressive $16.5-million performing arts centre is the latest addition.

There are many good restaurants, but the Hardware Store Restaurant is hard to beat. The building is 121 years old and was, as the name suggests, a former hardware store. Stained glass transoms from the original building advertise guns and ammo, buttermilk fried chicken, Dungeness crab cakes and vegetarian hamburgers. Photos of Mount Rainier grace the walls.

Point Robinson Lighthouse, on the east shore of Maury Island, was built in 1885. It was fully automated in 1978, but is no longer in use. Driftwood is strewn over the long sandy beach. The lighthouse is open for tours on Sundays from May to September and the elegantly restored keeper’s quarters are available for rent.

Whale-watching off the shore of Point Robinson is an exciting place when the resident orcas pay a visit. Pods J, K, and L have about 75 whales (it used to be 90). They come to feed on salmon, but because of a short food supply they are starving. These are the same endangered whales that reside in coastal waters off Vancouver Island.

There are several local vineyards and wineries that are doing well on Vashon. Back in 1852, pioneers from Seattle cut down many trees and the Indigenous people who lived here were forced to leave. The first land claim was 80 acres in 1864. Fishing, logging, brick-baking and shingle-making were the only industries. A school was built in 1880. There were many Japanese farmers who had successful strawberry farms, but during the Second World War, they were rounded up and put into internment camps and lost everything in which they had invested.

Seattle is an exciting city and only 20 minutes away. Our first stop was Pike Place Market, a bustling place with locals and tourists who come to browse the 150 stalls of fresh seafood, local produce, flowers, local art and giftware. The market covers nine acres with 24 buildings, all busy with 20,000 to 40,000 shoppers daily. We bought tickets for the Space Needle, an observation tower that took us 605 feet into the sky. From there we could see the Olympic and Cascade mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and the surrounding islands.

The top of the needle has the world’s only rotating glass floor. Close to the needle is the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit showcasing the beautiful work of Dale Chihuly. His work is in more than 200 museums worldwide. I was mesmerized by the beauty of his glass creations on a two-hour tour and saw several demonstrations of glassblowing. I was impressed by the waterfront, and tried to ride the Seattle Great Wheel, but the lineup was too long, so I used the time walking along the seashore, hoping to return soon

-Doreen Kerby