House Manual
& Guidebook
- 4 Guests
- 3 Beds
- 1 Bath
Welcome to Little Stuga, we’re happy we get to share this special place with you.
Located in the Historic Hamlet of Olga, Little Stuga provides a quiet retreat conveniently located within steps of the water, two beaches, and a public doc. Light-filled interior spaces provide simplistic comfort and convenience, great for couples, small families, or remote work travel. Moran State Park, Doe Bay, and Mt Constitution are a quick 5 min drive, with Eastsound only 10 min away.
Water views on both levels, high-end linens, fully stocked kitchenette, all in a thoughtfully designed space. Enjoy the cozy stay as Little Stuga preserves some historic charm and a cabin feel as you soak in the beauty that Orcas Island has to offer.
Your Stay
Hosts Erin & Kassidy and their co-hosts are always available via the Airbnb/VRBO App or text. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments, we want to make sure your stay is enjoyable as possible.
Emergency:
911
Orcas Island Fire Department:
(360) 376-2331
San Juan County Sheriff:
(360) 378-4151
Erin & Kassidy:
(425) 559-4996
We know you will have an amazing time staying at The Stuga, please follow these rules during your stay.
- No smoking
- No parties
- No shoes in house
- No local guests without prior approval
- Quiet hours after 10pm
Wifi: 11 Ohlert
Wifi Password: 11Ohlert
The TV has access to streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video, just click the home button on the remote to bring up your options. Please sign into the Beard and Braid profile on Netflix. If you want to purchase a movie on Prime Video, let us know and we can give you the code and will charge you at the end of your stay. The TV can be pulled off the wall and rotated.
DVD Player
To play DVDs, press power in the player, then eject to load a DVD. The TV should automatically switch to the correct HDMI input, but you can use the FireTV menu to switch. The TV remote can be used to control the DVD player.
We do not have Cable/Satellite TV, but you can login to Hulu or other streaming services if you have an account.
Please use the baseboard heater by rotating the knob located on the right side of the heater. Turn it clockwise to turn up the heat, counter clockwise to turn it down, a 2 o’clock position seems to work best. There is a space heater upstairs that can be used as well.
You can purchase firewood for the wood fireplace at the island market, Chevron gas station, or Moran State Park vending machines. We do not provide firewood.
You can park along the rock wall but please do not park directly in front of the main house, and do not block the road.
There is a washer and dryer in the shed in front of Little Stuga which you can use.
There are two places to access the water to explore tidepools and enjoy the beach. The first is to the right of the public dock, there is a somewhat steep walkway down to the beach that is aided by a rope, please access at your own risk.
The second is by walking down Ohlert Ln towards The Hiatt House and walking down the marked path to Buck Bay, it’s a 2 minute walk in total. This is best accessed at low tide so you can explore on the rocks and tide pools. At high tide there isn’t much of a beach at Buck Bay.
Please put bagged garbage in the green bins out behind the cottage, labeled with a “G”, and recyclables in the brown and metal bins marked with an “R”. Please keep lids secure to avoid critters getting into the garbage.
As part of the checkout process, please:
- Start a load of dirty towels in the laundry.
- Wash all dirty dishes
- Remove perishable foods from the fridge.
- Dispose of garbage and recyclables in the bins behind the cottage. Garbage goes in green bins marked with a “G”, recyclables go in the brown and metal bins marked with an “R”. Please make sure lids securely closed.
- Lock front door behind you by pressing “Yale” on the keypad.
Beard + Braid's
Guidebook
Food & Drink
A collection of our favorite local spots worth a visit (and delivery.)
Brown Bear Baking
Known for their pastries, but they also serve excellent coffee, lattes, and espresso. There is typically a line all morning but worth the wait. This is a must visit while on Orcas.
Roots
Excellent coffee with a shorter line than Brown Bear, and open earlier. You can’t go wrong here.
Teezers
Located in the Island Market grocery store, they serve great lattes and espresso and are open early every day.
New Leaf Cafe
Best Brunch on the island, hands down.
Brown Bear Baking
The owners perfected their craft in San Francisco and serve some of the best pastries and baked goods we’ve ever had. Top choices are their Kougin Amagn, Croissants, and quiches.
Doe Bay Cafe
Brunch on the weekends located in an idyllic part of Orcas and only a 5 minute drive from Little Stuga.
Wild Island
A newer staple on the island, they serve normal brunch fare as well as smoothies, bowls, juices, and even pizza. Typically a line, but worth the wait.
Buck Bay Shellfish Farm
A seafood lover’s dream and perfect on a sunny day looking straight out onto Buck Bay. The oysters are farmed straight from the bay in front of the property but they also serve clams, crab, other seafood dishes, and a wide range of beer and wine. This is a must visit and is walking distance from Little Stuga.
Doe Bay Cafe
The waterfront Doe Bay Café on the southeast shore of Orcas Island is dedicated to celebrating the unique seasonality, flavor and freshness of Orcas Island farms, foragers and fishermen with every plate that comes out of their kitchen.
Matia
As close to fine dining as you get on Orcas set in a casual atmosphere. We consider this to be the best meal on the island, and they have outdoor seating. The menu changes regularly, but most everything is made from scratch including their breads, butter, and sauces.
The Lower Tavern
A local favorite pub serving burgers, fish and chips, clam chowder, and other pub fare. Non pretentious with plenty of cold beer on tap. 21+ only and no dogs allowed, takeout available.
Island Hoppin Brewery
A true local’s favorite crafting their own brews on-island with the popular Elwha Rock IPA, Madrona Red, and K-POD Kolsch. Complete with outdoor patio, board games, small plates of food, wine, and non-alcoholic beverage options.
The Lower Tavern
Plenty of cold beer on tap, tall boys, and other selections at reasonable prices in this Midwest style pub. Solid pub food as well.
Orcas Island Winery
Located on an idyllic part of the west side of the island, you can taste the amazing wines produced right here on Orcas in their modern farmhouse or outdoors in their wine garden.
Hogstone
Woodfired pizza using local organic ingredients in an intimate space. If you like quality wood fired pizza, this is your place.
Portofino
Classic pizza joint for the family, no frills, just good pizza with dough made fresh daily.
Island Activities
A collection of lakes, trails, and activities for you to explore.
There are two places to access the water to explore tidepools and enjoy the beach. The first is to the right of the public dock, there is a somewhat steep walkway down to the beach that is aided by a rope, please access at your own risk.
The second is by walking down Ohlert Ln towards The Hiatt House and walking down the marked path to Buck Bay, it’s a 2 minute walk in total. This is best accessed at low tide so you can explore on the rocks and tide pools. At high tide there isn’t much of a beach.
A five minute drive from Little Stuga, explore all of the trails, lakes, and forest with activities for the whole family. You can rent kayaks and paddleboards to take on the lake, or take your mountain bike on the trails starting in September. The forest in Moran is truly wild and natural, with dense stands of fir and a carpet of moss on the forest floor. Freshwater lakes and waterfalls can be found throughout the park. Walk around Cascade Lake and cliff jump or jump off the bridge with the locals (or just watch!).
A Discover Pass is required to park and can be purchased with a credit card at the parking lot. In summer, the shack serves ice cream and snacks all day.
You can paddle on Cascade Lake with rentals available at the shack, or for more of an adventure, book a kayak or paddle tour around the island. Crescent Beach offers self guided rentals, but for guided tours we recommend Orcas Island Kayaks, Shearwater Kayak Tours, or Outer Island Excursions
Take a drive up to the tallest mountain in the San Juans. Views of Canada, Mt. Baker, Rainier, and the other islands will greet you at the top. Go on a sunny day or at sunrise to make the most of your visit. Discover Pass required and can be purchased at the top with a credit card.
Explore the west side of the island by hiking up to the top of Turtle Back and you’ll be rewarded with views of the northern Sound into Canada. An easier hike than constitution and less traveled. Park at the East lot for the most direct route to the top, but less scenic. Park at the West lot for a longer, winding hike with views throughout the hike.
Perfect on a sunny summer weekend, the farmers market is known for amazing produce grown right here on Orcas as well as the food stalls where you can get pizza, oysters, burritos, and other local artisan food, art, and goods.
You are almost guaranteed to see orca whales when booking an excursion, and you might even see some Grey whales too. We recommend going with a company that has a boat with a covered section as some of the outfitters use large rafts with no coverage from the weather. We recommend Orcas Eclipse Charters or Outer Island Excursions.
Thank you for staying with us
We hope you leave a 5 star review and if you want to share any pictures on Instagram, use #beardandbraid and tag @beard.and.braid
— Erin (Braid) and Kassidy (Beard)