Anacortes

Overlooking Burrows Bay, the neighborhood of Skyline is based around the Bayside Marina. In this coastal community, wildlife is close at hand: whales spout offshore, deer graze in the parks, and at Tugboat Beach, locals may catch a glimpse of Elsie Mae, the neighborhood bull elephant seal. Homeowners enjoy a relaxed lifestyle in this master-planned community. Since 1963, the Skyline Property Owners Association (SPOA) has organized communications, activities and amenities for residents. Students have access to excellent public schools just outside of Skyline. Island View Elementary, Anacortes Middle and Anacortes High School are all rated A-minus on Niche. The high school, also rated 10 out of 10 on GreatSchools, offers students the option to enroll in classes at Northwest Career & Technical Academy. This academy teaches subjects such as graphic design and construction in a hands-on style free of charge. Within the neighborhood, residents have access to the water at the marina and at Tugboat Beach. Activities like Garden Club and yoga meet at the clubhouse. Neighborhood pickleball courts host regular matches, like the mixed senior doubles three times a week. Skyline picnic areas, parks and fire pits are first-come, first-serve. Beyond the neighborhood, Skyline is part of the city of Anacortes in Skagit County. Anacortes boasts “an unprecedented amount of parks, 2800 acres of forest lands, plus 200-acre Washington Park near Skyline,” says Brian Adams, Anacortes local and Skagit County Director of Parks and Recreation. Hikers aren’t far from the Washington Park loop, a paved path through the trees, stretching just over 2 miles. A short drive south is Deception Pass State Park, Mt. Erie and Sugarloaf Mountain Trailhead. SPOA holds monthly board meetings for neighbors to discuss upcoming events like an Easter Egg hunt or community garage sale. Additionally, “There are two different community centers that are only available for homeowners where people can host a birthday party or wedding,” says Shalyce Pocock, broker with John L. Scoff Real Estate and fourth-generation Skagit County resident. Through SPOA, residents can reserve the Cabana overlooking the water, or the indoor, remodeled clubhouse, which includes a dance floor. Old Salt’s Deli & Market is a convenient pit-stop for sandwiches and drinks before heading to the marina. More shopping and dining await in Anacortes, like Secret Cove for a seafood dinner on the waterfront and Safeway for groceries. The Fidalgo Drive-In offers the convenience of drive-through dining, but as a staple of the community for 60 years instead of a fast-food franchise. When strolling down to the marina, there are no sidewalks, but neighborhood roads are quiet. Cul-de-sacs gently wind further inland. “A lot of people purchase here so they can keep their boat in the Skyline marina,” says Shalyce Pocock, broker with John L. Scoff Real Estate and fourth-generation Skagit County resident. “There is a separate fee to dock in the marina, but some homes include slips as a package deal.” Contemporary coastal builds and ranch-styles overlooking Burrows Bay have large windows and decks perfect for sunset viewing. Prices range from $650,000 for about 1,500 square foot home to $1.4 million for about double the square footage. Condos and manufactured homes also available. There are several methods of transportation available around Skyline. Anacortes Regional Airport borders the neighborhood for small aircraft; otherwise, travelers drive 48 miles north to Bellingham International Airport. The Anacortes Ferry Terminal takes passengers, vehicles and cyclists to the San Juan Islands and across the border to Canada. Skagit Transit buses connect Skyline to the ferry terminal and to other parts of Anacortes. And for peace of mind, Island Health in Anacortes has been given a five-star rating by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the only hospital north of Seattle with this recognition.