TRIP PLAN DIRECTORY

THINGS TO DO ON WHIDBEY ISLAND

ABOUT WHIDBEY ISLAND

Things to do on Whidbey Island, WA (Whidbey Island)

As the largest island in the Puget Sound, forming its northernmost boundary, Whidbey captures the spirit and unique landscape at the heart of the Puget Sound experience. The easiest way to access the island from Seattle is to take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton, a trip that takes about an hour and half. Clinton welcomes you to the island with a small town congeniality that characterizes much of Whidbey's rural communities. Fishing opportunities abound here with the Clinton Fishing Pier, Possession Point County Park, and nearby Dear Lake, popular for its freshwater boating and swimming. South Whidbey also claims one of the island's finest public beaches at Maxwelton Beach Park.

Much of the rich rural life of the island can be found at its heart, in the closely-knit community of Coupeville. With its Concerts on the Cove, Penn Cove Mussel Festival, and other communal events the town is in many ways the vibrant cultural center of Whidbey Island. Scattered around the town are many local farms one can visit for a taste of island life, including Lavender Wind Farm and the wineries of Greenbank Cellars and Whidbey Island Vineyards and Winery. Central Whidbey also contains much natural landscape for the visitor to explore, preserved in Ebey's Landing Natural Historical Reserve. Kettles Trail connects Coupeville to the Ebey State Park, where some of the most popular trails lead hikers along the rugged cliffs of the island to stunning views of the Olympic Mountains across the water. Remnants of the island's military history can be found here as well as at Fort Casey State Park where a beautifully restored Admiralty Beach Lighthouse affords views of Admiralty Inlet and the surrounding landscape. Meerkerk Gardens contains a system of trails over 53 acres of splendid colorful gardens. Visitors arriving from the Port Townsend ferry on the Olympic Peninsula will be greeted by the community Keystone and Keystone State Park

To the North the residents of Oak Harbor welcome visitors with a skyline of Garry Oaks for which it was named. Oak Harbor is host of the Whidbey Island Race Week, a regatta composed of daily racing in Penn Cove and along the Saratoga Passage. Crowning Whidbey's impressive island landscape to the north is Deception Pass. Here a state park offers hiking trails, camping opportunities, and spectacular views from the cliffs along the pass and the impressive Deception Pass Bridge. Just across the bridge lies Fidalgo Island and access to the San Juan Islands and B.C. via the Anacortes ferry terminal.

Whidbey not only offers a diverse variety of activities, but also a wide range of accommodations for every type of guest. Quaint B&Bs are scattered throughout the island, as well as rustic cabins and even farms serving as guesthouses. Explore the shops and galleries of one of Whidbey's communities with a stay in town or escape to a more rural setting. Wherever you choose to stay take time to explore the stretching expanse of the entire island. From whale watching to wine tasting Whidbey offers visitors the quintessential Northwest experience.