Turtleback Farm Inn (Orcas Island, WA)

Situated on Orcas Island, Turtleback Farm Inn is listed in 1000 Places to See Before You Die. Other travel publications have chimed in with equally effusive praise, backed by the reviews of the many visitors who have stayed there. Susan and Bill Fletcher purchased the farm when they were simply looking for a second home, a getaway from the Bay Area where they lived. Over time and after a lot of hard work, they transformed the farm into a bed & breakfast. In the process, they retained the farm’s original character, including the Orchard House that was subsequently built to resemble a barn.

Why is this B&B regarded so highly? The inn’s eleven rooms are very comfortable, furnished with appointments thoughtfully selected, each room having a unique character, with daily and unobtrusive maid service. Several of the rooms have their own decks with outside seating and views of the surrounding meadows and forests. Freshly baked cookies and sherry are provided for afternoon relaxation. But, these are amenities that almost any good B&B will provide.

What most inns don’t provide is Turtleback’s beautiful setting, nestled in 80 acres of mostly pastureland for sheep, surrounded by rolling hills, forest and Turtleback Mountain. Whether you’re simply gazing out toward the pastures or taking a leisurely walk through the property, you can literally feel the stresses you may have arrived with simply melt away. On top of this, you are on Orcas Island, the crown jewel of the San Juan Islands.

But, the crowning touch is arguably Susan Fletcher’s breakfasts that change daily, served on fine china, her famous granola available every morning along with all her homemade jams and freshly squeezed fruit juices. It has been said that she serves the best breakfasts on the island. Her cooking has won so many admirers that a cookbook with many of her recipes was published in 1990.

The proprietors are so friendly and gracious, always making guests feel at home and thanking you for your stay. We’ve been here twice now; it certainly won’t be the last.

By the way, when you look at Susan Fletcher, you can see that she’s the daughter of Buster Crabbe, about whom a framed newspaper clipping is proudly displayed at the front entrance.

Turtleback Farm Inn
1981 Crow Valley Road
Eastsound, WA 98245
800.376.4914