Tidal Tastings
Sustainable
Seafood Tour
Tidal Tastings
A Sustainable Seafood Tour
The Swinomish Tribe and surrounding Coast Salish peoples have been nurturing the Skagit River and the Salish Sea for over 10,000 years. Their presence as a community and caretaking of our waters is why salmon still run the river today.
To Start:
The Swinomish Shellfish Company is open for retail sales Fridays from 3-6. Their live Pacific Oysters are also available daily by the dozen at the Swinomish Market in front of the Swinomish Casino and Lodge. We recommend bringing a cooler!
If you’d like to try the Swinomish Shellfish Co. seafood in a culinary masterpiece, head to Nell Thorn: a five-star restaurant with waterfront views. A nice meal here is best followed by a waterfront stroll along the La Conner boardwalk, where you can view the Swinomish fishers unloading their catches. If you’re ready to land for the night, The La Conner Inn is pet-friendly and rents out e-bikes to tour the town and surrounding farmlands.
Next…
The next morning head over to Calico Cupboard for a local smoked salmon scramble, massive apple cinnamon rolls, and coffee. If you’re more of a morning hike person and want to see where all this seafood comes from, Kiket Island is on the way to Anacortes (as is Black Rock Seafood). Don’t miss the Anacortes Farmers Market for a hubbub of local goods and a taste of the Valley’s biodiversity. Next, you can wander like a grizzly over to SeaBear for smoked salmon samples.
Check in to the historic Majestic Inn and enjoy views of the Salish Sea and happy hour from the rooftop lounge. Enjoy made-to-order clam chowder with Taylor Shellfish manila clams or Moules Frites with Taylor Shellfish Mussels over at A-Town Bistro. If you are feeling adventurous, stay at the Guemes Island Resort. It’s just a five-minute ferry ride from downtown Anacortes and offers a sauna, wood-fired hot tub, and free use of rowboats, kayaks, and paddleboards.
The Grand Finale
Sunday morning, wander over to cob+cork for their brunch from 10-4 and order the local Dungeness, three cheese blend crab mac+cheese. And the grand finale of this trail is Taylor Shellfish Farm – Samish Oyster Bar and Shellfish Market. Tables inside or on the beach! If you visit in October or November, you can join Skagit Fisheries at Oyster Creek to view spawning chum salmon. Lastly, we hope there is still room in your cooler for a stop at Skagit’s Own Fish Market.
Skagit Food Trail
Skagit Food Trail tours are self-guided journeys through local gardens, family-owned farms, markets, bakeries, eateries, artisanal producers, farm stays, and experiences around the magical Skagit River Valley & Salish Sea. These curated trails will help you explore the bounty of the Skagit Valley. View them all on the Skagit Food Trail page.