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Bowman Bay
Although not technically on Whidbey, Bowman Bay is a large part of our island’s local culture. This bay, which is located on the Fidalgo Island side of Deception Pass, has a rich history spanning back to the late 1800s. Originally a settlement to a large Samish village, the bay has since served several purposes including a military reserve and salmon hatchery. Download the CCC Scavenger Hunt for a fun way to learn some history! Between the charming old hatchery building, long dock stretching into the bay, boat launch, picnic shelters, playground, and scenic surrounding trails that provide unique views of the bridge itself, this park is one you do not want to miss! Learn more about Bowman Bay here.
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
Deception Pass
Washington’s most visited park can be attributed to its prominent historical landmark, the Deception Pass Bridge. Thoughts of the landscape without this icon are unimaginable yet only 100 years ago the barren Pass was simply a deep and turbulent channel of water connecting the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Saratoga Passage. After years of only an unscheduled ferry to get you off the island (for which passengers were required to bang an old saw with a mallet to summon) construction of the bridge finally began in 1934. At noon on July 31st, 1935 dedication of Deception Pass bridge took place and marked the beginning of a new era for Whidbey Island. Construction of the bridge played a large role in the decision to build NAS Whidbey and in turn helped Oak Harbor to flourish into the thriving city it is today. Tourists and locals alike continue to flock to the bridge in hopes of capturing its impressive beauty.
Follow the photographer on Instagram @chrisjdubs
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
Staying Cool This Summer
Staying Cool This Summer
Water activities are something particularly special to Whidbey Island. After all, we are completely surrounded by water. With the sun making more and more guest appearances in the sky you can place a good bet on the expectation of increased activity on the waves. Between kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and more; Whidbey shores offer quite a bit of enjoyment for those willing to get wet.
Below are just a few water activities frequently seen here on Whidbey.
Kayaking
Kayaking is easily an island favorite when it comes to water sports. The flexibility of kayaking regardless of weather and the ability to do it alone is a HUGE plus for many. Don’t have your own Kayak? Rent one from Whidbey Island Boats and Boards where you pick the location and they deliver the kayaks and paddleboards anywhere on the island.
Tubing
Another island favorite, especially in the summer, is tubing! The wonderful thing about tubing is the community feel to it. It’s a great activity that brings people together and almost always results in a few humorous stories.
Water Skiing
Want to kick tubing up a notch? Water skiing is for you! This sport requires a bit more resilience and core strength, but once you get it down you are sure to leave the water with some epic pictures of yourself.
Paddleboarding
Paddleboarding is a slightly newer interest on the island, but well deserving of the hype. This sport is made for those who simply want to enjoy the water. Sit, stand, lay down, it doesn’t matter! Paddleboarding allows you to enjoy the sea the way you want to.
Sailing
Sailing is a Whidbey Island classic. There is a long history of sailing on Whidbey that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Boating
Another beloved activity on Whidbey is boating. Avid boaters will get out on the water any chance they get to relax atop the calm waters surrounding Whidbey. Take in the scenery, sunbathe, read a book, or play a game. All are welcomed while relaxing at sea.
Fishing
Perhaps fishing is more up your alley for a fun relaxing time. The great thing about fishing is that you can do it by boat or by land and Whidbey offers a plethora of opportunities.
Splash Pad and Lagoon at City Beach
Maybe you have littles that can’t quite participate in some of the other activities yet. Oak Harbor Windjammer park offers a family-friendly splash pad and lagoon to keep the whole family cool on these hot summer days.
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Whidbey Island Wineries & Distilleries
Freeland Park
Did you know Freeland got its name in the early 1900s from an attempted commune by a company called the Free Land Association? In 1920, they went bankrupt, but the name stuck!
Today, it’s a bustling little community at the head of Holmes Harbor where you can find amazing places like the Freeland Park (pictured above), which is a favorite for hosting summer BBQs. There is an abundance of picnic tables, covered areas, BBQ pits, and restrooms. There is a fantastic playground and jungle gym for kids with a large grassy area. To top it all off there is a beach where you can find all sorts of treasures, soak up the sun, jump in the water or relax on your boat.
Freeland Park also hosts one of the best fireworks shows on Whidbey Island! Be sure to put the annual July 3rd show on your calendar – you won’t want to miss it! Don’t forget to bring your blankets, chairs and picnic basket. Come early to stake out a spot! If you haven’t explored this part of your island I encourage you to do so!
Check out the rest of Whidbey’s beautiful destinations from this series here.
How to Spend a Weekend on Whidbey Island During Each Season of the Year
Whidbey Island visitors know that they can come back time and time again and always see and do something new, and depending on the time of year you visit, this is especially true! Each season brings something special to discover, and whether you’re visiting in the heart of winter or in the middle of a hot summer, our island is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway.
In this post, we’re sharing our recommendations for where to stay, where to eat, and what to do depending on the season!
How to Spend a Winter Weekend on Whidbey Island
- Stay: Snuggle up in a picturesque cabin at Captain Whidbey. Nestled on the Penn Cove waterfront, this historic inn offers cute cabins, Scandanavian-inspired rooms, a lodge, a restaurant, and an idyllic setting perfect for relaxation.
- Eat: Oystercatcher is always cozy, and this tiny restaurant is easier to get a reservation at in the winter. Request a window table and look out over Coupeville and Penn Cove! We also recommend heading to Saltwater Fish House and Oyster Bar—its dark, cozy atmosphere is perfect for the winter.
- To Do: Bundle up and enjoy shopping in our many cute downtown areas. We especially recommend strolling through Downtown Oak Harbor, Downtown Coupeville, and Downtown Langley.
How to Spend a Spring Weekend on Whidbey Island
- Stay: The Inn at Langley offers a totally luxe waterfront experience! The guest rooms, suites, and cottages offer waterfront views, and you can indulge in spa packages and fine dining without leaving the indulgent comfort of the inn. Plus, the immaculately maintained grounds are lovely and filled with vibrant blossoms to enjoy.
- Eat: Visit Flower House Cafe at Bayview Farm & Garden for breakfast or lunch, and check out the iconic Laburnum Arbor when it’s in bloom while you are there. For dinner, head to Ultra House, a hole-in-the-wall type of place and an absolute gem. If you love ramen, it’s okay to set your expectations extremely high when you visit Ultra House—they aim to impress the palate.
- To Do: Spend some time exploring Whidbey Island’s stunning gardens. Meerkerk Gardens in Greenbank features scenic trails surrounded by a huge variety of plants and flowers. Meerkerk is especially known for their rhododendrons, which bloom from early to late spring.
How to Spend a Summer Weekend on Whidbey Island
- Stay: Comforts of Whidbey is a summertime oasis, and views of vineyards, bucolic pastures, and the shimmering Puget Sound are aplenty. This bed and breakfast is also conveniently a winery, so you can enjoy their wines in the tasting room before you head upstairs to your lodgings.
- Eat: Callen’s Restaurant is right on the water in Coupeville, and not only do they have excellent food, they are close to the ferry to Port Townsend in case you are island hopping. In Langley, the Prima Bistro upstairs deck offers a gorgeous space to enjoy French-inspired Northwest fare, and you can finish off the evening at Captain Whidbey Inn’s outdoor deck. Captain Whidbey offers phenomenal views + delicious cocktails.
- To Do: One thing on Whidbey Island that’s only available during warmer months is kayaking tours with Whidbey Island Kayaking. You can choose from several different types of tours—head out on a half-day adventure paddling to see wildlife and classic PNW scenes, go on a guided bird-watching kayak tour, or even head out at night for a memorable bioluminescence kayaking tour.
How to Spend an Autumn Weekend on Whidbey Island
- Stay: Auld Holland Inn offers a totally unique experience in Oak Harbor. This old-world gem features Dutch architecture, beautiful gardens, charming accommodations, and an onsite restaurant.
- Eat: For a pricey but memorable experience, Orchard Kitchen is known for their rustic, “farm-to-table” experience. During non-COVID times you can enjoy family-style dinners at community tables.
- To Do: Whidbey Island is known for its many small farms, and autumn is the perfect time of year to enjoy our bountiful harvests. Sherman’s Pioneer Farm is a popular destination for locals this time of year, and you can take a tractor tour through the pumpkin patch, stock up on fresh local produce, and meet the resident cows, all in a festive fall atmosphere.
For more Whidbey Island recommendations, keep exploring our blog!
A Trip to Langley
Plan your Trip to Langley
A Little History Before You Plan Your Trip to Langley
On the southern side of Whidbey Island along the Saratoga Passage lies the lovely little town of Langley. With a population of just over one thousand, this quaint town is home to a creative culture and endless entertainment.
Langley’s history has led to its unique and diverse culture. Established in 1891, Langley served as South Whidbey’s trading center for all types of goods with the wharf connecting island merchants to Everett and Seattle. In the 60s and 70s, that same wharf brought in a wave of hippies who would forever shift the culture of South Whidbey.
Although Langley’s docks no longer see the traffic they once did, downtown is filled with remnants of the original trades-town married beautifully with the artistic culture of the mid-century hippies. It’s quite a treat to visit. If you get the chance to spend a day in Langley and aren’t sure what to do, you’re in luck! We’ve created an itinerary for the perfect one-day trip in Langley. Just don’t forget your mask and keep a social distance!
Itinerary for Day Trip to Langley
Coffee at Useless Bay
Enjoy some amazing early morning coffee from this local roaster to give yourself an extra boost at the beginning of your day. Between the friendly baristas, great drinks, and buzzing atmosphere you’ll be excited to return to this cafe over and over.
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Breakfast at The Braeburn
BEST. BREAKFAST. EVER. Or at least it’s hard to top. The Braeburn has an amazing assortment of breakfast choices ranging from light and sweet pastries to hearty mashes and breakfast burritos. There’s something for everyone!
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Morning Stroll Down Seawall Park
When you make your way out of The Braeburn you might consider taking a stroll down Langley’s Seawall Park. This seaside park is full of beautiful art that pays tribute to past island tribes and a walking path to help you get the most out of the beautiful view.
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Lunch at Ultra House
Ready for lunch? This ramen house is tucked away in the dead center of Langley village and serves absolutely incredible food! Enjoy slurping noodles and sipping broth and feeling like you’re another world away.
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Ice Cream at Sprinklz
What better way to end lunch than with some sweets?! Sprinklz is a local favorite when it comes to ice cream. It’s hard to beat their fun store or their incredible old fashioned ice cream.
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Explore Downtown and the Star Store
Even though a few of the Langley shops have closed their doors during the pandemic, The Star Store alone could keep anyone’s attention for quite some time. This century-old mercantile seamlessly transitions from produce to products and more.
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End the Night at the Taproom at Bayview
What better way to end the night than with some comfort food and a good beer? Bayview Taproom provides that and much more. You’ll love this community watering hole for its juicy burgers, kind servers, and joyful atmosphere.
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Water Sports on Whidbey
Whidbey Island Water Sports: Just in Time for Summer
As Island County transitions into
we’ve noticed quite a few changes.
Restaurants have re-opened their doors.
Parks are now open to the public again.
Even a few offices are welcoming back their employees.
For many, this change couldn’t have come soon enough. For those who enjoy water sports, the lifted restrictions were right on time.
Water sports is something particularly special to Whidbey as we are after all, completely surrounded by water. With the sun making more and more guest appearances in the sky you can place a good bet on the expectation of increased activity on the waves. Between kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, and more; the Whidbey shores offer quite a bit of enjoyment for those willing to get wet.
Below are just some water activities popular on Whidbey.
-
Kayaking
Kayaking is easily an island favorite when it comes to water sports. The flexibility of kayaking regardless of weather and the ability to do it alone is a HUGE draw for many.
-
Tubing
Another island favorite, especially in the summer, is tubing! The wonderful thing about tubing is the community feel to it. It’s a great activity that brings people together and almost always results in a few humorous stories.
-
Water Skiing
Want to kick tubing it up a notch? Water skiing is for you! This sport requires a bit more resilience and core strength, but once you get it down you are sure to leave the water with some epic pictures of yourself.
-
Paddleboarding
Paddleboarding is a slightly newer interest on the island, but well deserving of the hype. This sport is made for those who simply want to enjoy the water. Sit, stand, lay down, it doesn’t matter! Paddleboarding allows you to enjoy the sea the way you want to.
-
Sailing
Sailing is a Whidbey Island classic. There is a long history of sailing on Whidbey that has been passed down from generation to generation.
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Whidbey Island Wineries & Distilleries
Whidbey Island Wineries & Distilleries
Whidbey Island Wineries & Distilleries
“With intriguing accents of spice and musty earth [and] a gripping mouthful of tannins dance on the lengthy finish.”
These are the words used to describe Spoiled Dog Winery’s Estate Pinot Noir. If you are a fancy wine connoisseur, you probably knew what all of those words meant. Or maybe that entire sentence was gibberish to you.
Luckily, expertise is not a requirement for enjoyment when it comes to wine. This is evident annually with the “Autumn on Whidbey Tour” when people from all over and with all levels of wine knowledge flood the tasting rooms of local wineries to make memories. The tour is filled with friends having fun, amazing wine, and local art displayed in every tasting room.
Hosted by the Whidbey Island Vintners and Distillers Association, this year’s Autumn on Whidbey tour is widening it’s horizons by also including some local spirits! This expansion helps to include individuals interested in participating, but not really interested in wine. It also provides recognition and traffic to some pretty great local distilleries.
Below are some of the Wineries and Distilleries participating in this year’s tour that we had the pleasure of visiting:
Holmes Harbor Cellars
When you think of vineyards and wine tours, do you think of gorgeous Italian villas overlooking expansive acres of grape vines? If so, Holmes Harbor is the place for you! This locally owned winery opened its doors in 2008 with the hope of blending art and science to create some of the most incredible wines on Whidbey. This blend is evident both in their wine and in their tasting room which has the facade of a beautiful authentic villa while proudly displaying their fermentation tanks within. You can’t help but feel like you are about to have the best weekend of your life when you enter this incredible space.
Mutiny Bay Distillery
You are going to LOVE this mom, pop, and son distillery. After retiring as pharmacists Rod and Kathy Stallman utilized their deep understanding of chemistry to create spirits that ignite your imagination. With the engineering innovations of their son Scott, this trio created what can only be described as a dream line of liquor distilled from almost exclusively local ingredients. Their love and passion for their craft is evident from the moment you enter the tasting room. They love walking people through their selection of spirits and their process. You do not want to miss this stop on the tour!
Spoiled Dog Winery
As one of the most established and favorited wineries on the island, Spoiled Dog is without doubt a real treat to visit. Approaching the property guests are enveloped in trees that open suddenly to acres of vineyards and one of the most charming farm style buildings on Whidbey. Walking in one is immediately met by friendly tasting room staff standing in front of countless barrels of aging wine. The staff are knowledgeable and eager to help. Their selection is incredible and nothing beats the view of the vineyard with tall evergreens in the background.
This year’s Autumn on Whidbey Tour is November 9-10. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $25 or $30 day of the event. You can purchase yours here!
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Whidbey Working Artists
How the Whidbey Working Artists Began:
In the early 2000s Whidbey Island was a community buzzing with potential and truly coming into its unique identity as an island full of diversity. During this time a small group of North Whidbey artists decided to band together to draw attention to the island’s ever-growing artist community. Thus Whidbey Working Artists was born!
Since 2004 these artists have been opening their studios once or twice a year for the general public to come, explore, and learn about the process of creating beauty. As these tours gained in popularity more and more artists have been included on their roster and today the tour now spans across the whole of Whidbey! Today, Whidbey Working Artists includes over 70 artists working across multiple mediums.
But why open their studios? Their website says it best:
As an organization we believe that opening our studios offers visitors the opportunity to share in the process of how art is created and a glimpse of how artists inhabit their creative space. This shared experience between artists and visitors provides a stimulating creative conversation that enhances the arts while also educating and developing an appreciation for the handcrafted.
This year’s summer tours are scheduled for August 24th & 25th from 10 AM to 5 PM. Come watch as painters manipulate the pigments on their canvas to just the perfect shade of purple, or welders bend metals into shape you never dreamed they could, or watch craftsmen reveal a magnificent creature from beneath the bark of a tree stump.
The Catalog for the 2019 Whidbey Working Artists Tour can be found HERE. Be sure to visit the Whidbey Working Artists Website.
See below for an interactive tour of each artist’s studio!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13MjVfktCE576d9DBP4xDidcCz-AgbOHI&usp=sharing
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Making a Memorable Home
Cycling Wondrous Whidbey
The adventures available on Whidbey never quite seem to end. Between wondrous hikes, quaint local shops, and astounding historical buildings there never seems to be an end to what this island has to offer. You might just start to believe Whidbey Island is perfect and we can’t say we disagree.
Among Whidbey’s countless opportunities is one for the more athletic individuals – cycling.
Whidbey Island is FILLED with amazing roads and trails perfect for individuals whose preferred method of transportation is two wheels. The centralized location of highway 20 and 525 draws motorized vehicles away from roads near the water, making them ideal for cyclers! Enjoy breathtaking views of the sound while flying down the rolling hills of the island or testing your resolve while going up them.
In fact, cycling is so popular that the island has its own club. The Whidbey Island Bicycle Club was formed in 2010 to “support, promote and educate about cycling on beautiful Whidbey Island.” Through the years this group has teamed together with other island organizations providing resources to island cyclists (like this amazing Whidbey Island Bike Map!) including some pretty great cycling events. The best place to find their events is through their Facebook page.
Each summer cyclists come from all over Puget Sound to ride the Tour de Whidbey (on August 17th this year). With four different routes to choose from, this beloved island tradition is perfect for all cyclists regardless of their skill level. New riders can enjoy the short 10-mile ride circling Crocket Lake, while experienced riders with a passion for pushing the limits can test their skills with the POWER route that covers the entire perimeter of the island. To bring this event full cycle, all proceeds benefit Whidbey Health Medical Center.
Ready to gear up for your own cycling adventure and not sure where to start? We’ve talked to our resident cycle enthusiast and got the 411 on where to start:
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Visit Skagit Cycle
Located in downtown Oak Harbor on Pioneer, Skagit Cycle is a blessing to all Whidbey Island cyclists. The employees are knowledgeable and eager to help. Simply spend a few minutes with any sales associate and you will soon be out the door with exactly what you need to get your journey started. Check them out here.
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Safety First
A dangerous mistake made by one too many riders is not taking proper precautions. Biking without a helmet or proper attire is a large risk that can cost your life. Make sure when to wear a helmet properly fitted to your head, clothes that are bright and easy to spot, and include proper reflectors/lights on your bike if you are going to be riding at night.
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Try Crockett Lake
Crockett Lake (near the Coupeville ferry and Fort Casey) is a great starting point for any new cyclist. The low traffic roads and relatively flat area provide a ride that eases newcomers into the activity while still enjoying some spectacular island views. When you’re done grab an ice cream or meal at Callen’s Restaurant across from the ferry terminal.
So, get out there! You’re sure to have a wheel good time.
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