This Washington Town Has The Biggest Heart
While the Pacific Northwest is often stereotyped as rainy and cold, many of its towns defy that gloomy reputation with warmth and energy, with La Conner perhaps being the best example. This welcoming town makes visitors feel at home from the moment they arrive. Even in late winter and early spring, La Conner comes alive with vibrant events like the Tulip Parade and the La Conner Guitar Festival. Its hospitality shines through in locally owned restaurants and inns, where guests are treated like one of the community’s own. If you are looking to experience the warmest side of Washington, La Conner is truly at the heart of it.
Community Festivals And Events
Located in the beautiful Skagit Valley, La Conner is a key participant in the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, an annual celebration of the region’s famous tulip bloom. One of La Conner’s most significant events during this festival is the Tulip Parade, which takes place in the downtown district. Throughout the parade, attendees can enjoy a lineup of locally made floats, costumed marchers, farm vehicles, and animals that commemorate the tulips’ bloom. This past year, the town added a KidZone, which consisted of a family-friendly space with face painting, games, and other interactive activities.
If you have an interest in guitars, check out the La Conner Guitar Festival that takes place later in the spring each year. This event brings together artisanal guitar makers from around the world, showcasing their unique, handcrafted instruments that cannot be found anywhere else. The event also features a series of guitar-related workshops and concerts. Workshops this past year included topics like songwriting, fingerstyle guitar, modulation techniques, riffs and body percussion, and solo guitar playing. Attendees who simply want to enjoy some fine guitar music, meanwhile, can register for a morning, afternoon, or evening concert from renowned guitar composers and guitarists.
Culinary Scene
La Conner has some of the best restaurants you will find in the region, particularly if you are craving seafood. For a waterfront meal, grab lunch or dinner at La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib House, which lies right along the Swinomish Channel. This family-owned and operated restaurant has been part of the La Conner community for over 30 years, serving guests in a historic building that is more than a century old. There is plenty of fresh seafood on the menu, including specialties like pan-fried local oysters, macadamia nut-crusted halibut, Dungeness crab cakes, and fish tacos. If you aren’t a big seafood fan, you will find various other entrees on the menu, like pasta, steaks, sandwiches, and burgers.
Celebrating a special occasion or simply in the mood for an elegant, upscale meal? You will love Oyster & Thistle. This restaurant specializes in fine cuisine made with regional ingredients, ensuring each dish is fresh and flavorful. Like La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib House, Oyster & Thistle has been in the community for years, operating for over two decades in an old-English country inn-style building. A few of the items that guests may be able to order here include steaks, scallops, risotto, fresh pasta, and handcrafted cocktails.
Local Inns And Lodges
One of the best ways to experience the friendly atmosphere of La Conner is by staying in one of its locally operated inns or lodges. The La Conner Inn has been a pillar in the hospitality industry since its opening in 1977, offering two floors of cozy rooms. Each room comes with a variety of amenities, including a gas fireplace, in-room coffee and tea, a sitting area, 55” flat-screen TVs, and comfortable bedding. Inn guests can also enjoy a continental breakfast each morning, which includes the inn’s famous homemade granola!
If you are hoping to lodge on the waterfront, the La Conner Channel Lodge is the perfect option. As the town’s only waterfront hotel, visitors can appreciate views of the Swinomish Channel from the lodge’s scenic outdoor patio. Each Friday and Saturday evening, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, the lodge also hosts piano performances in the lobby, allowing visitors to enjoy some elegant live music. For those feeling hungry, room service from The Oyster & Thistle Restaurant delivers fresh, flavorful meals right to their room!
Final Thoughts
Summer is the perfect time to sit back and relax. While La Conner may not have the heat of the Gulf or Southern California, its atmosphere is undeniably warm in spirit. Whether you want to enjoy waterfront dining at La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib House or unwind at the welcoming La Conner Inn, the town’s hospitality is easy to feel. However you choose to spend your time, the friendliness of La Conner’s residents is what will truly leave a mark.
