Vashon Island is a snapshot of Pacific Northwest storybook life. Its glacial history has made the soil nutrient rich and perfect for farming, in turn making Vashon a popular destination for its lavender, garlic, and annual strawberry festival (since 1909). There are also swashbuckling pirates, bikes stuck in trees, and curiosities at every street corner. Every visit there is a story in its own right.

For centuries, it's been cut off from the mainland and is only accessible by ferry — not an engineering problem but rather a choice of the islanders. That said, it's but a short adventure away for Seattleites.

Start your journey off by exploring the Vashon Pirate Camp, a massive ship hidden in the woods, which includes a multitude of playground equipment and a sandbox.

If the vintage silver-screen aesthetic is more your style, a meander down Main Street will lead you to Vashon Theatre. Built in 1947, the island's only cinema features first-run films, comedy, and concerts. The place itself is a time capsule, maintaining art, posters, and even a popcorn machine from the early '50s.

Have you ever been to a pinball museum? Den of Pin is a one-of-a-kind electromechanical interactive museum owned by Moe Davis, who found his niche restoring old machines. He's taken his passion to the public, and for $10 you can travel back to a true vintage arcade.

Vashon is whimsical and full of lore. Remember how I mentioned a bicycle stuck in a tree earlier? There's a local tale about a boy who heroically fought in World War I but left his bike in Vashon's woods. Over time, the forest grew around his bike, which can nowadays be seen embedded in a tree trunk. Various bikes can be spotted in trees across the island, according to the Vashon-Maury Beachcomber (which also tells the real story of the original bike).

If all those activities weren't enough for you, a walk through the woods will give you a plethora of wild and wonderful things to be awed at. There's a reason why it's an island of nature writers, with a king of the birds calling its woods home.

Oscar the Bird King is a whimsical wooden sculpture created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, known for his large, eco-friendly art installations made from recycled materials. Dambo's work often focuses on creating environmentally conscious art that is interactive and accessible to the public. His creations, such as Oscar, combine playful designs with an underlying message of conservation, blending art and nature in urban settings. The last of his exhibits, The Bird King, is a main character in his own right: Dambo says Oscar is the protagonist of Dambo's own book documenting his troll-building journey.

A visit to Vashon Island is like coming home to a warm cup of tea or your favorite fairytale after a stop at your grandmother's place. It's a spot where you can go to forget the hustle and bustle of the city and remind yourself that sometimes less can be more, that simple things like taking a bike ride are really among life's pleasures.