Washington State Ferries operates the only practical route to Lopez: the Anacortes-San Juan Islands run, with Lopez as the first stop after leaving the mainland. The schedule is notoriously complex - multiple vessels making interisland loops, sailings roughly hourly in summer, less frequent in winter. Vehicle reservations are strongly recommended; during peak summer weekends, the wait for standby loading can stretch to hours. Missing the last ferry means an unplanned night on the island, which is not the worst fate but requires finding accommodations that may already be booked. Walk-on passengers have it easier, though they'll want to arrange transportation on the other side. Seaplanes from Seattle offer a faster, more expensive alternative.

Lopez is relatively flat by San Juan standards, making it popular with cyclists. The roads wind past farms and through second-growth forest, with occasional views across the channel to neighboring islands. But the distances are real - you won't want to bike the entire island in an afternoon, and the south end feels genuinely remote. Most businesses cluster in Lopez Village, at the entrance to Fisherman Bay, where a general store, a few restaurants, and the post office constitute something like a downtown. The island's year-round population hovers around 2,500, many of whom rely heavily on local agriculture. Imported food is expensive; growing seasons matter here in ways that urban visitors may not immediately understand.

Lopez Island's natural areas are among the finest in the archipelago. Iceberg Point, at the southern tip, offers exposed headlands where wind-sculpted trees cling to rock above the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Shark Reef Sanctuary protects tide pools and rocky shoreline on the island's west side. Spencer Spit State Park, on the eastern shore, features a sandspit that nearly connects to Frost Island at low tide. The hiking is not strenuous - this is not Orcas's Mount Constitution - but the landscapes reward attention. Seals haul out on offshore rocks; eagles circle above the forest; the light changes constantly over water that shifts from grey to blue depending on the sky.

Living on Lopez requires adjustments that visitors only glimpse. The ferry schedule structures daily life; missing a sailing can mean missing an appointment on the mainland. The library, community center, and grange host events that serve as the island's social fabric - concerts, lectures, potlucks that draw the community together. Vacation rentals require county permits; accommodations book far in advance for summer weekends. The locals are friendly but private, protective of the quiet they've worked to maintain. This is not a place to rush. The island reveals itself slowly, in the rhythm of tides and the patterns of light on Fisherman Bay. Those who come expecting Orcas or San Juan will be disappointed. Those who come expecting Lopez will understand why people wave.