San Juan Islands Shops

Girl Meets Dirt’s traditional preserves are a beautiful homage to Orcas Island’s unique history of orcharding. Founder Audra Lawlor moved to her “farmette” after leaving a Wall Street job in the downturn, and hasn’t looked back since. You can pick up her preserves (all made with island fruits) at gourmet shops around the country, but she reserves the small-batch specialty stuff for the island. The shop is open weekdays from 9am-5pm, but you can also call ahead to arrange a tasting—the jams make great souvenirs, and she also sells a gorgeous little selection of home goods like hammered copper pots and wooden serving boards, which are also made locally.

Nestled into adorable Friday Harbor and identified by a gold-lettered sign, Griffin Bay Books is every bit the small town bookstore. There’s a cute coffee shop inside, and it’s a great place to hide out if there’s unpredictable weather.