Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
You’ve done it again, haven’t you?
You worked right through summer. The year’s half-over and you have a pile of vacation days. The phrase “use it or lose it” so applies to you that it hurts. You’re tempted to not worry about it, just lose them and like a few teams in sports, “wait until next year.”
You’re making a mistake. Your brain can’t take the nonstop grind.
So, how do you get this done? First, understand that you’re not alone. Expedia.com® has an annual “Vacation Deprivation” report, and the latest reports, “nearly half (45%) of Americans left vacation days on the table in 2022.” This is like leaving money on the table!
Just because you’ve missed summer doesn’t mean that you’ve missed out. Yup, non-stop blue skies are not typically a fall feature here, but a vacation, especially here, is so much more than that.
The first thing you notice is the crowds, or rather, the lack of crowds. You can get a table at your favorite restaurant, and summer’s frenzy has chilled into a more relaxed way of doing things. Yes, the ferry lines are also shorter, and that prime room at your favorite inn is available. There’s even some bargains to be had!
Time things right and you’ll have a popular beach to yourself or a hike without seeing another person. The small shops that make our downtowns special are still filled with wondrous items, and there’s always holiday gift-giving to consider.
Camano Island’s Kristoferson Farm hosts the Camano Pumpkin Project in October. It’s two days of kid-friendly activities, arts and crafts, and a trebuchet contest catapulting pumpkins across the farm.
Central Whidbey has taken the haunted house idea to a new level with Fort Casey as a haunted fort! If you’ve ever been there you know it’s naturally a kind of scary place. No wonder it’s become one of the more popular fall events on Whidbey Island.
But, what about the weather? Contrary to the stereotype, neither is non-stop rain. Plus, Whidbey and Camano Islands are in the rain shadow of the Olympics, receiving, on average, less rain than just about anywhere else around!
So, take a few of those stockpiled days and use them to recharge and reenergize and remember what fun fall and winter can be.
Jack Penland lives on Whidbey Island with his wife, Diane. Even though they’ve lived here for more than 20 years, they keep finding new adventures, places to explore, and food to try.