Dining at The Willows Inn on Lummi Island has been on my bucket list since the first time I heard of this quaint inn/restaurant that’s on a magical-sounding tiny island west of Bellingham. We love food and are willing to plan and spend money on epic meals – for the enjoyment in the moment but even moreso for the shared experience. They don’t even have to be fancy or at 5-star restaurants, as long as the food is objectively delicious. This weekend, we were lucky enough to enjoy a stay and dinner at The Willows Inn, and the service, food, accommodations were all more enjoyable than I even imagined. We brought the kids, and now having visited in winter, I know that summer would be the best time to come with kids. The weather was too cold and rainy to enjoy any beach time, and we didn’t have access to a pool or playground for the kids to burn off their energy from a 2+ hour car ride. BUT the house we stayed in was the perfect setting to hang out and get cozy in. I brought some books, drawing/coloring activities, and our new favorite board game, PicWits. Add snacks, tea, and plenty of indoor heating, and it was a wintering dream come true!
First Impressions
Upon arrival, we checked in at the most adorable and comforting “reception” area, which is technically on the ground floor of the Willows Inn. There was complimentary herbal tea, a sweet sitting area, and an amazing “snack bar” lined with any type of treat you’d want to munch on. The best part of this area, in my opinion, is the tiny Hobbit-like window at the back of the room that looks into the baking area. It was so fun to watch the bakers and staff working their magic in real-time!
The Taft House
Since we needed at least two bedrooms, we weren’t able to stay at the Inn itself, which only has one-bedroom options. Optimizing for space and proximity to the Inn, we decided to book the Taft House, a stand-alone house that’s owned by Willows Inn. It’s only about ⅛ of a mile away from the Inn, and felt like we were in another, more slow-paced and Little-House-On-The-Prairie-type world. We had all the conveniences of a home – laundry machines, full kitchen, spacious living and dining area, separate bedrooms – with the added benefit of gorgeous 20th-century charm in the furnishings and decor. The vintage kitchen, especially, reinforced my love for farmhouse style. I loved feeling so cozy and warm inside, while admiring the beautiful ocean view that was outside.
The Food
Dinner was everything I had read about, and more. We arrived 45 minutes before dinner service for drinks and relaxing in a room that was clearly the Inn’s living room. Beautifully furnished and charmingly-decorated, we enjoyed craft house cocktails and tasty local-ingredient appetizers by candlelight, surrounded by our fellow diners. At the designated time, servers led us to our dining table, and we began our gustatory adventure. We decided to share one wine pairing and one house-made juice pairing, since we just couldn’t pass up the unique juices that were made completely with local ingredients. The majority of our courses were seafood-based, and all of our courses were perfectly timed and really well-balanced.
Based on some reviews and advice from friends, we made a breakfast reservation for the following morning with the kids. And I’m VERY happy that we did! It was one of the most fun, interesting, and delicious breakfast experiences we’ve had as a family in maybe forever. Breakfast is composed of multiple small dishes of veggies, protein, and sweet elements – all combined to create a harmony in our mouths and bellies. We were tickled by how many things there were to try, and the set-up really complemented our kids’ naturally curious and fun-loving natures. Plus, it was really fun for us to share the dining room experience (where we had just had a grown-up dinner) with our kids. Since we were the first breakfast guests to arrive, we enjoyed the dining room to ourselves for a bit, and the staff was wonderfully patient and understanding with the kids. A perfect way to end our overnight on the island!
In Conclusion…
This was our first trip to Lummi Island and The Willows Inn, but most definitely won’t be our last. Even before we boarded the car ferry to head back home, we started planning our next trip back in the spring or summertime. This is one of those places that you can return to again and again, in all the different seasons and times of life, and experience something magically memorable each time.
