Discovering Sequim Part II – Lavender Soul
‘As Rosemary is to the Spirit, so Lavender is to the Soul.‘
– Anonymous
As soon as we drove into Sequim I knew something was different. It wasn’t the pastoral landscape or the rolling hills. It wasn’t even the stunning bluff or the spectacular sand spit. It was something about the grass. Something weird, something off…..I couldn’t quite put my finger on it….and then I saw it
“Honey” I exclaimed “Look at the grass…it’s BROWN!”
If there’s one thing you don’t expect to find in the moist, green Pacific Northwest it’s fields so deprived of natural water they’ve gone brown. Having just spent the last two weeks dripping in 90% humidity, this was a total revelation. We had reached the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, the place where rain magically parts, almost like the Red Sea of Exodus, to fall its separate ways. In this little, protected enclave they only get ~18 inches of rainfall a year, whereas just 90 miles to the west Forks receives over ~120 inches per year. It’s honestly dry here, right here and really nowhere else around here. This unique environment means Sequim (pronoinced squim) enjoys a weather very similar to (of all places) the south of France and that, in turn, means lavender. Acres and acres of lavender.
Ahhhh yes, balm of the soul, inducer of sleep, soother of burns, healer of mind and all-around rejuvenator of the spirit. There are few things a whiff of intoxicating lavender can’t fix. The heady scent seeps into your nostrils, invades your mind and just like that you’re gone -> drifting away in the happy never-never land of relaxation. Plus, who doesn’t like purple? I’d read about Sequim’s little lavender secret back in Feb and when I heard about the lavender festival (typically held around the 3rd week of July) that just happens to coincide with full bloom (it’s timed as such) I knew we had a destination to make. Full fields of blooming lavender topped with lavender margarita’s, lavender ice cream and lavender mocha….oh yeah, baby I am THERE!
We arrived a few days before the start of the festival and toured farms and booths much of the week-end. There are no less than 12 lavender farms in the area, each with their own unique character producing over 150 different varieties of lavender (seriously! I didn’t even know there were that many) and they all hold open house during the festival (5 of the farms were on a paying tour, the other 7 on a free tour). This was topped off by TWO downtown street fairs, and no end of either purple or lavender-derived stuff just about anywhere you could throw a stone. Purple houses, purple benches…even the local Costco was overflowing with bloomin’ lavender plants in their parking lot! The booths were pretty typical fair-stuff, lots of arts & crafts of similar genre, but the farms were superb and offered plenty of classic photo ops. My favorites were Purple Haze (by far the cutest) and Washington Lavender (a classy farm with an historic B&B) while the winner drink was a lavender mocha from Hurricane Coffee in downtown. Yum, yum!
Taking in Sequim at this time of year is really prime, not only for the mass of purpleness & good aroma, but because the farms start harvesting their crop soon after the festival ends. So, if you want to catch that classic field-of-lavender shot July is really the best time to do it. If the crowds of the festival don’t tempt you, target your visit right before the big week-end. Once harvested much of the purple goodness ends up as lavender oil which then gets re-purposed into sweet-scented bath oils, infusions, creams and such. The fields then lie dormant until the next bloom.
Between the lavender madness, our epic hikes to the lighthouse and hanging by the Dungeness bluff we really didn’t manage much else in town. Our moochdocking buddies from Bend were in the area so we joined them for a day in a dog-friendly hike on the Miller Peninsula (one of the better dog-friendly spots in the area -> Polly approved), plus we gorged ourselves shopping at Nash’s Organic Produce (fabulous store!), but that was about it. Hurricane Ridge, which is much touted for the area, teased us from the distance but remained enveloped in cloud the entire time. The same went for the ferry to Victoria (in Canada), a tease but no go.
Ah well, my soul came for lighthouses and lavender and both those needs were abundantly met. Besides, giving yourself a good reason to come back is always a smart plan. Shall we say around….next July?
NOTE/ Most of the lavender farms in the area do NOT allow dogs, however the down-town street fairs during the festival were both dog-friendly. For best dog-friendly hiking head on over to the Miller Peninsula half-way between Sequim and Port Townsend. The trails around the Dungeness Recreation Area (except for the spit) are also dog-friendly.
Useful Links:
- City of Sequim – Info on the town HERE and the lavender & berry farms HERE.
- Lavender Festival – Info HERE (typically held the 3rd week of July right around peak bloom)
Swquim has a Costco? Who’d have thought it. The town certainly has changed from my visit 40-plus years ago. But the lavendar is certainly beautiful!
Yup it has a Costco…right next to the Walmart and the Petco on the west end of town. All of them have lavender plants in their parking lots too LOL.
Nina
I didn’t know about the lavender fields in Sequim! We have been there, but not in the right month. Thank you for that info, now we have to plan a trip for next year. It is too bad you didn’t get to go up Hurricane Ridge, but maybe next time? It is quite nice, and kind of other-worldly. I have been up there when it seemed like it would be clouded over, but we ended up above the clouds once we got to the top. It is definitely not a drive I would do with a big RV, though. Are the lavender fields actually full fields of rows of lavender like you see in Tuscany pics? That would be amazing.
The fields are not as long/sweeping as the ones in Tuscany, but you’ll definitely see fields of several acres in size at the farms in Sequim. Quite a stunning sight when they’re all in bloom.
I too wish we’d made it to Hurricane Ridge, but it just didn’t work out. There was a front in the area that kept the mountains under cloud the whole time. Plus, we ran out of time too…It’s definitely on “the list” for the next trip though!
Nina
Lavender is beautiful, but I am so allergic to it I would end up in the hospital! I’ll be sure to avoid Sequim in July!
Oh noooooooo! I guess this would be your worst nightmare, then. So sorry to hear that. This would definitely be a place to avoid for you.
Nina
Beautiful photos of the area, thanks for those. It’s neat to read your take on the lavender fields and the festival. It does draw a number of people to the area each year.
I hope you’ll be able to spend a little longer in Sequim next time, as there is sooo much to see and do while there, Hurricane Ridge being a big one. And Victoria is amazing, but best experienced of you can go over there with a few days time to spend there. A day trip is just to short, with to much time spent on the boat ride and getting thru customs each way.
I’m looking forward to your posts on Port Townsend area next.
Have fun!
Indeed we’re going to have to come back for a longer visit to see more of the area. It’s always good to have a reason to come back!
Nina
Nina, thanks for the tip about Sequim’s lavender fest! I never knew about it. Looks like a fun town!
Another fun place to indulge in lavender if you get up to the San Juans sometime is on Orcas Island. A shuttle takes one from Friday Harbor; fun ride fields galore.
We’ll be hosting on Orcas Island all of Aug. So, we’ll have plenty of time to explore the area. Looking forward to it!
Nina
oops… correction… Pelindaba Lavender Farm is (not) on Orcas as I previously wrote…. it’s of all places, on San Juan Island. They also have a shop in Friday Harbor. 🙂
Gotcha! We’re hoping to use one of our free days (in Orcas) to take the ferry over to San Juan Island and bike around. It’s on “the list”!
Nina
There is also a lavender farm on San Juan Island. We will be out on the OP the first week in Sept. and can’t wait to see what you have seen. We live on the east coast and wish we could get there by RV. Just cant make that happen.
Looks like a few other commenters posted about the lavender farm on the island. We’re hoping to do a day-trip to San Juan to check it out.
Nina
Simply luscious photography! I’m so glad you found Purple Haze!!! It’s been over 10 years since we visited Sequim, but we’ve passed through and I’ve been able to tell that it’s really been growing and losing the small village atmosphere that it had when we last stayed. I remember walking into a small gift shop and the lavender fragrance wafting completely over me! And I have an old jar of lavender heads that I used to take the lid off of and get a sniff to reminisce… alas, my next to last sinus surgery took care of my sense of smell so take care of those sinuses people!!!
Ready for Port T now!
Sequim definitely feels quite developed now. There are still allot of open farm areas, but the downtown is rocking. So sorry your sense of smell is gone. That must be rather difficult, both for smell and foods.
Nina
Completely agree with Rowanova about Victoria. You were so close you really, really should have walked on the ferry and spent a day or two there sipping tea in the ‘old world’. After all, you’re retired so what’s the hurry:)
And if you like flower festivals you should add the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival http://www.tulipfestival.org/ to your future calendar. It happens every April with tulips and daffodils everywhere. If you go you’ll probably need to take the hosted tours since it would probably be too hard to maneuver the narrow farm roads in your beast. Happy trails to you…
Well we do actually have a schedule to meet with our hosting job in Aug, and reservations made (important in the craziness of summer), plus dog and cats in tow so sometimes we just can’t see everything. I toyed with the idea of leaving Paul with the dog and going to Canada on my own for a day, but in the end it didn’t work out. One day we’ll make it there…and when we do we’ll allocate more than a day.
Cheers for the tip on the Tulip festival.
Nina
While at the tulip festival, be sure to take the horse/wagon ride through the fields / we did that at farm called Westshore Acres. We also did sunset balloon ride over the fields and got the most fantastic pics ever. A gorgeous day to be flying high!!! Lived in Seattle then and now on East Coast but retiring next year and hurrying back to stay with daughter who lives in Kingston on an island.
She told me about the lavender fields and promised we’d go there when I move back. Can’t wait.
We love lavender so much we use lavender baby shampoo to bathe sweet Lewis! The fragrance lingers from shampoo to shampoo, ahhhh.
thanks for taking us along….
Sue
I just knew you’d be a lavender babe, Sue! I’m a hopeless addict too. I can never resist lavender cream or lavender soap. In fact I’ve got some on right now!
Nina
We are certainly enjoying our lavender scented RV thanks to you! That shot of the little girl is incredibly sweet. I’m glad I missed the hustle and bustle of the Lavender Festival but do hope to capture a a couple of untouched fields…if we’re lucky! With rain expected over the next couple of days they may have harvested today!
So glad you like the lavender. I do hope you catch a few of the fields before they harvest. They are gorgeous right now.
Nina
I love lavender!! I use to have plants lining my herb garden. I would weave lavender wands with the blossoms. But seeing fields of it would be heaven. Thanks for the info!
We have a Danish tradition of weaving the lavender together too. I’ve always loved lavender wands & lavender wreathes. Didn’t see anyone doing it in Sequim so sounds like an opportunity to me 🙂
Nina
So glad you discovered the Sequim Lavender Festival — we loved it when we visited a few years ago and plan to return. Like you, our favorite was Purple Haze farm — I have fond memories of wandering the fields sipping lavender infused gin and tonics! (P.S. If you make it over to Friday Harbor while you’re on Orcas, Pelindaba has a lovely shop filled with all things lavender from their farm on San Juan Island — including lavender ice cream.) 🙂
Oh yes, lavender-infused gin & tonic…another great drink. I got alot of new lavender ideas from our time at Sequim.
Nina
If you are a Officer and a Gentleman movie fan, Port Townsend is the place to be. the pic was filmed at Ft Worden in PT. Google it if you want to follow the trail. Thanks for sharing your adventures of my birth state. We are Rving there Aug thru Nov.
Now there is something I didn’t know. I remember that movie well (was a huge fan at the time). I’ll have to look-up some of the details.
Nina
Sounds like a local festival I would love. Nothing more calming than lavender-anything. I’ll have to try the lavender mocha!!
The Lavender Mocha was FABULOUS! I’m not sure what kind of lavender syrup they used in it, but it was a special sort which they were also selling at the coffee shop. Really very addictive.
Nina
We vacationed in Sequim one time around lavender blooming time, and also to bike the Olympic Discovery Trail. It’s long enough to be worthwhile.
I’m hoping to catch a portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail here in Pt. Townsend. Didn’t have enough days in Sequim to catch it there. Weather is rainy right now (believe it or not), but should clear up by Friday.
Nina
My favorite color, too. Exquisite postings found HERE, for sure.
Box Canyon Mark
Cheers Mark. I had fun taking the pics. It was interesting to have such a specific subject to photograph.
Nina
Washington Lavender is my favorite too but there is a reason. My grandparents owned the land and that of the neighboring B&B. My mom was raised there. There’s so much to see around Sequim but we went the opposite direction of you and are now at your La Push hideout. We also did the orca tour from Port Townsend . It was an amazing tour and a super boat.
Oh WOW! Your mom lived right there! That’s amazing! That place (Washington Lavender) is just stunning. Such a classy historic house with beautiful bluff views on the other side too. I’m sure your mother and grandparents have tons of amazing stories from that time.
Hope you’re getting some sun out there in La Push. That beach gets some great sunsets when it’s clear.
Nina
Nothing more special than lighthouses and lavender. Terry has already marked the calendar for this festival next year. Love your sunset shot on the bluff.
You would definitely enjoy this area Lu! I can already see you both here.
Nina
Looks like you scored a pic of the George Washington Inn (?) reproduction of George and Martha Washington’s “Mount Vernon”. Congrats on the nice clear shot with lavender! The views out the back are vaguely reminiscent of the original’s view of the Potomac River. Nice work! Seemingly always fab(ulous) fotos here!
Yup, that was one of my “money” shots. Took me three days of waiting before the time and light was just right to photograph the inn. So happy I got the shot. Early morning is the best time.
Nina
As you have made it up to Washington, I thought I would suggest that you go further north and visit Banff, Canada – we thought it was the most spectacular place we have ever seen. Last September we left Washington and headed east to spend fall in New England, but made a detour up to Banff – would suggest going then and not in the summer, when it is extremely crowded. Don’t know about any boondocking, but we stayed here in a very gorgeous setting: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g154911-d1754688-Reviews-Tunnel_Mountain_Trailer_Court_Campground-Banff_Banff_National_Park_Alberta.html#REVIEWS
I drove to Banff (on a solo-tour) many years ago. Agree that it’s one of the most spectacular spots I’ve seen. The mountains there are gorgeous. Have never taken the rig up there, but one day I’d like to show it to Paul.
Nina
Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE Sequim. I used to live in Olympia and went to the Lavender Festival a number of times, and a couple of times went out there just to hang out around the Dungeness Spit. So cool to see this post!
I have to admit the Spit is a cool little place. I’d go back there, for sure.
Nina