IT’S BEEN 365 DAYS since we landed in quarantine-ville. I remember hugging my team at work and saying “Okay, we can do this… it’ll only be like 3-4 weeks.” That’s funny….. not funny.

It’s been 365 days…. since I drove my dad to Virginia Mason to have another PET scan and figure out what the heck the pain was in his lower back.

It’s been 365 days…. of my hard working husband only taking a small handful of days off as an essential manager.

It’s been 365 days…. of digital learning for our children

It’s been 365 days…. of wanting to hug our friends and family, but being told to keep our distance

It’s been 365 days…. of watching and witnessing our world crumble, rise, crumble, rise, crumble, rise.

It’s been a very long 365 days…. we’re all so exhausted.

Time to re-charge.

For the Todd clan, that means escaping to somewhere off the grid and that feels like a world away, where we can haul along our fur son, Brutus, and it’s only a brief drive. For this long weekend, we re-charged on Vashon Island.

VASHON-MAURY ISLAND is only reachable by ferry and is about 13 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point. There are mountain peaks and water views from just about every point. Everyone you meet is genuinely the kindest folks and with a quaint population, they all seem to know one another. The modest “down town” of Vashon is walking distance from The Lodges, where we stayed, and is a short and sweet stroll past family owned shops, restaurants with healthy and scratch made cuisine, locally crafted brews, flower shops featuring the season’s fresh picks, and bakery cafés exhaling a bouquet of warm pastries and freshly brewed espresso from their inviting front doors.

THE LODGES ON VASHON are situated just a short 10 minutes from the ferry, after a brief 20 minute ferry excursion from Seattle’s Fauntleroy terminal. It’s quiet and sleepy and dressed with all the magic of a lush green ocean-framed Pacific Northwest destination.

THE LODGES offer ample space to accommodate families and have thoughtfully crafted each lodge with a minimalist design and invitation for a vast amount of natural light. Attention to unique elements in these lodges makes for a memorable stay, such as the spacious shower room with heat lamp and a door that leads to an intimate patio to enjoy your nature retreat. Additionally, our lodge featured a room sectioned off by a drawn curtain which housed a small desk and chair space for our girls to work on their digital learning as well as a comfy bed corner with trundle.

Our room was situated at the other end of the lodge, just past the lengthy kitchen bar area, shower room and separate toilet room, to allow for a bit of privacy. A cozy fireplace, couch, and padded window seat filled the space between, creating quite the home away from home experience.

One of the special features of The Lodges is the shared outdoor spaces, including large wood picnic tables, deep set swinging chairs, fireside seating, a fire pit for a campfire style setting or roasting s’mores, and private rentable igloos designed for intimate gatherings or a quiet work space. We were celebrating Scott’s birthday the weekend we went, so we enjoyed a dine-in dinner from The Hardware Store and Holland made him a birthday cake for us to enjoy along side some glasses of sparkling cider.

One thing we don’t do enough of on family vacations is carve out time for ourselves and prioritize wellness. Most parents will agree that when planning family trips, the agenda usually weighs heavily on the kids’ needs and wants. If I’ve learned anything over the years, its that “a happy wife and happy mom make a happy family all trip long”.

SPA ECDYSIS & APOTHECARY is conveniently located right in the village of The Lodges. The moment you walk in to Spa Ecdysis, you are greeted by a rejuvenating aura that commands a deep cleansing breath. I received a custom facial from Kerri, which included: skin diagnosis, cleansing, steaming, massage or manual lymphatic drainage, exfoliation, nutritious mask, hand and arm massage, product application, education and skin care ritual suggestions for my skin type.

What treatments you can find at Spa Ecdysis:

Custom Facial Treatments
Moon Cycle Consultation
Reiki Energy Healing
Sugaring
Eye Enhancements
Post-Partum Consultation

Owner, Kerri, was such a light and I truly enjoyed every moment of my experience. Whether you’re going to Vashon Island for the day or for a weekend getaway, secure some time with Kerri to make your trip extra special.

SNAPDRAGON BAKERY AND CAFÉ is a unique and truly special café, with a passion for delivering a memorable dining experience. Warm, homemade pastries line the shelves of the window case as you walk in. Freshly roasted coffee beans can be seen funneling through the espresso machine grinder. The staff, including café co-owner Adam Cone of whom we met, are full of energy and warmth. Adam spotted our daughter, Holland, carting her camera about the café capturing pictures of the vintage atmosphere and desirable treats. He kindly greeted her, asking her about her visit, her photography, and made sure to provide a fresh out-of-the-oven baking sheet of baked goods for her to photograph. She felt special and important and I could see the sparkle in her eyes.

I think every bite of our brunch that day was filled with mumbles of “mmmmm” and “ohmygosh”.

Might I suggest:

Giant chocolate chip cookie
Latté
Scrambled egg croissant sandwich with homemade salsa and cheese
Cream cheese Danish
Cinnamon roll
Best ever Bloody Mary
Any pastry with ganache or a mousse! Trust!

TASTE OF VASHON!

Gravy - husband and wife team, specializing in American cuisine with Southern and French influences

O Sole Mio - New York style pizza, lasagna, meatballs and salads

Vashon Island Baking Company - delicious house-made baked goods and island roasted coffee

The Ruby Brink - bar and butcher shop focusing on whole animal butchery, thoughtful sourcing of ingredients, and creative cocktails

Glass Bottle Creamery - locally sourced milk, cream, and eggs for their ice cream, and local fruit for sorbet. Rotating flavors always include vegan and dairy-free options.