Getting There
From I-5, take U.S. 20 west toward Anacortes. La Conner is south of U.S. 20 on La Conner-Whitney Road. Alternatively, take exit 221 off I-5 and head west on Fir Island Road to a left onto Chilberg Road, which leads into La Conner.
The Airporter Shuttle (tel. 866/235-5247 or 360/380-8800; www.airporter.com) operates between Sea-Tac Airport and the Anacortes ferry terminal, stopping at the Farmhouse Inn, which is at the junction of Wash. 20 and La Conner-Whitney Road, north of La Conner ($32 one-way, $58 round-trip).
Visitor Information
Contact the La Conner Chamber of Commerce, 413 Morris St. (P.O. Box 1610), La Conner, WA 98257 (tel. 888/642-9284 or 360/466-4778; www.laconnerchamber.com).
Festivals
For a few short weeks each year, from late March to mid-April, the countryside around La Conner is awash with color as hundreds of acres of Skagit Valley tulip and daffodil fields burst into bloom in a floral display that rivals that of the Netherlands. These flowers are grown for their bulbs, which each fall are shipped to gardeners all over the world. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (tel. 360/428-5959; www.tulipfestival.org), held each year during bloom time, is La Conner's biggest annual festival and includes dozens of events. Contact the festival office or stop by the La Conner Chamber of Commerce , for a map of the flower fields.
Whether you're here in tulip time or not, you might want to stop by some of the area's farms, gardens, and nurseries. Roozengaarde Flowers & Bulbs, 15867 Beaver Marsh Rd. (tel. 800/732-3266 or 360/424-8531; www.tulips.com), is the largest grower of tulips, daffodils, and irises in the country and has a gift shop. At Christianson's Nursery & Greenhouse, 15806 Best Rd., Mount Vernon (tel. 800/585-8200 or 360/466-3821; www.christiansonsnursery.com), you'll find hundreds of varieties of roses and lots of other plants as well. Nearby you can tour the beautiful English country gardens of La Conner Flats, 15920 Best Rd. (tel. 360/466-3190), where high tea is served by reservation. Both of these nurseries are northeast of town off McLean Road (the main road to Mount Vernon).
