La Conner is a cute little waterfront town about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). Plan to find a place to park and enjoy this beautifully walkable town, filled with shops, museums and great places to eat.

First stop, head towards the waterfront and visit the Scone Lady Bakery. Her scones are light, fluffy bites of Heaven. The mother-daughter team of Whitney and Christie Eichler are known for their raspberry, marionberry, lemon blueberry, and lemon scones. Flavors vary every day. Other treats and coffee are available. The cute little shop has a table you can enjoy your scones at or you can take them to-go and nibble on while you explore the waterfront. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday, 109 1st St., La Conner, 425.876.1608

The Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber Arts Museum is housed in a Tudor-style Victorian mansion finished in 1891, known as the Gaches Mansion. It is a mix of historic and modern quilts as well as the fiber arts all displayed in a historic home. Visit the website to learn about upcoming events especially if you are crafty. There are a variety of workshops offered. Parking is limited. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday, 703 S. 2nd St., La Conner, 360.466.4288, qfamuseum.org  

There are a variety of waterfront restaurants to eat at in La Conner and all are good. If you are in the mood for pub food, check out La Conner Pub & Eatery. This family restaurant is where the locals eat. During the peak of tulip season, there was a mix of locals sitting at the bar and tourists filling the restaurant. The fish and chips are excellent. Insider tip: The bar area has tables to eat at but is adult-only. Note the names for some of the barstools. These are honoring long-time patrons who have passed away. 10:30 a.m. to midnight, Monday-Friday; 7 a.m. to midnight, Saturday-Sunday, 702 1st St., La Conner, 360.466.9932, laconnertavern.com

After a heavy lunch, spend some time walking along 1st Street (the waterfront) working off your lunch. There are a variety of shops, art galleries and wine-tasting rooms. There are more than enough places to while away an afternoon.  

On the way home, make sure to stop at Snow Goose Produce. Owned by the Rust Family, the second generation is now running things. This fresh food market offers organic produce, local fresh and smoked seafood, baked goods, artisan cheeses and a wine selection. All well and good, but you are there for the ice cream. The smell of freshly baking waffle cones will draw you into the ice cream counter. There are 48 flavors with specialty ice cream from Lopez Island Creamery, famed for all-whole, all-real ingredients. The majority of flavors come from Cascade Glacier in Eugene, Oregon. Snow Goose ice cream cones are infamous in the area due to their sheer size. A word of warning, only get one scoop. Also note ice cream is cash-only but you can pay with debit/credit cards for items purchased in-store. Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., 15170 Fir Island Rd., Mt. Vernon, 360.455.6908, snowgooseproducemarket.com

La Conner makes a great day trip from JBLM for a family adventure, hanging out with your besties or a family trip. For more information, visit lovelaconner.com.