Going on vacation can give you a break no matter where you end up. But for a lot of people, “getting away” means going to a place where not even the roads can reach you.
KNKX travel expert Matthew Brumley is a huge fan of heading to islands for time away. He grew up on one (Whidbey), lives on one (Bainbridge), and often vacations on one.
“It forces you to slow down,” he said.
Here are some of his favorites:
Nearby
Whidbey Island, specifically the city of Langley, tops Brumley’s list of destinations for quick island escapes. Vashon Island, too, has a laid-back feeling. The San Juan islands each have a different vibe worth exploring, and Salt Spring Island, in British Columbia, is another great retreat.
“For the last couple years we’ve been heading up to Salt Spring,” he said. “There’s only two villages and little places to go wine tasting. If you spend a week you find yourself kind of visiting the same café every morning, and very quickly you get to know the locals.”
Around The World
“When I close my eyes and picture paradise, two places come to mind,” Brumley said.
One is the island of Koh Kood, off the coast of Thailand.
“I’m one who always wants to run around and do as many things as possible,” he said. “My wife is my polar opposite. It really forced me to kick back and read a book and go on walks, and I loved it.”
The other place Brumley loves is the coast of Dalmatia, in Croatia. The island of Hvar features a town of the same name.
“Close your eyes and picture Tuscany,” he said. “Then put Tuscany on an island. It’s covered with herbs and rosemary and cypress trees and umbrella pines, vineyards. There’s goats walking around in the hills. And then there’s this azure blue sea that’s kind of unreal. And very few sharks.”
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"Going Places" is 88.5's weekly exploration of travel. Our travel expert, Matthew Brumley, is co-founder of Earthbound Expeditions on Bainbridge Island, which provides small group travel to clients including KNKX. Never miss an episode again. Subscribe to Going Places with iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher.
