Activities & Attractions
Whidbey Island, located in northern Puget Sound, is the 5th longest and largest island in the continental US. It is a nature lover’s dream with sandy beaches, tall fir trees, abundant birdlife, and great fishing. Whidbey Island lies in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountain Range, so our area receives about 30% less rain than Seattle on average. Recreation options are many- golfing, hiking, tennis, biking. South Whidbey has wonderful shopping opportunities- from cute tourist town Coupeville with its many antique shops, to Langley with its many art galleries, great restaurants, and fun shopping, to Freeland, the business hub of the South End. Greenbank Farm is a 522 acre farm which is now a major tourist destination and the host of many yearly festivals, with restaurant, wine tasting bar, and duck pond. The mostly highly prized real estate is generally on the west-facing beaches of the South End. Here, the sun sets nightly over the Olympic Mountains with Admiralty Inlet in the foreground, and freighters and submarines share the same waterway as salmon, whales, and porpoises. The Mukilteo-Clinton ferry is an easy 15 minute crossing, running every ½ hour on the hour, connecting South Whidbey with the mainland. From there it is less than 45 minutes to Seattle. North Whidbey is connected to the mainland by a bridge over Deception Pass, itself a world-class destination that draws tourists from around the world.
Hiking and Walking. Head South on Smuggler’s Cove RD to South Whidbey State Park, you can find a magical 2-5 mile loop trail which transitions from unspoiled sandy beaches to majestic old growth forests and back. Be sure not to miss the huge 600 year old Ancient cedar tree, the largest of many old growth firs and cedars visible in the north part of the trail through the neighboring State Park. Ebey’s Landing in the Coupeville area, offers a 2-3 mile hike that is stunning. From the Ebey’s Landing parking lot, traverse the hillside and return along the beach. Much of this area was acquired by the Nature Conservancy.
Shore Fishing. Our sandy beach is one of Puget Sound’s premier locations for surf-casting directly from the beach. Cast your line and experience the thrill of catching salmon, steelhead, or cutthroat for the evening’s meal. Put out your crab pot and feast on Dungeness crab.
Beachcombing. You can go north or south on the sandy beach at almost any tide. There is a tide calendar in the kitchen. At low tides, we have seen some people digging giant horse clams (good for chowder) and geoducks (pronounced gooeyducks). There are also crabs in the eelgrass. Try looking for beachglass.
Bird Watching. Binoculars are available for your use in the beach cabin and main house. Our library contains bird guidebooks as well. Watch for eagles and osprey in the morning. Red-winged blackbirds, goldfinches, hummingbirds, great horned owls, have been recently seen.
Cycling. Whidbey Island has some of the best biking roads in Washington State. As zealous cyclists ourselves, the property’s location providing great riding both north and south of the house was one of the attractions for us.
Farm Visits. Whidbey has many small farms, some of which offer tours and welcome visitors.
Driving Tours. Ebey’s Landing: much of this area was acquired by a consortium including the Nature Conservancy. This is truly one of the most beautiful areas in the country. Rolling meadows, beautiful farmlands, and great trails along the bluff. Deception Pass: a world class destination- if you are visiting for a week, make sure to plan a drive to the very north end of Whidbey. Continue north to Deception Pass, truly an area of world-class beauty!
Tour Port Townsend. Park the car at the Keystone/Clinton ferry landing, walk on, and take a 35 minute ferry ride to Port Townsend. Pt. Townsend is an historic Washington town with old Victorian gingerbread houses, great shopping, good pubs, and nice restaurants, all within easy walking distance from the ferry dock.
Weekend Farmers Markets. Starting late spring, there are 2 wonderful outdoor farmers markets in Bayview. The Bayview Market at Bayview Corner is the largest- offering locally grown produce, fresh baked pies and homebaked goodies, art and crafts. Going south on the main highway, turn left at the Whidbey phone company (landmark: big US flag) and turn right into the Bayview nursery parking lot. Similar offerings are on Sundays from 11:30-3:30 at the Tilth Farmers Market at Thompson Road and the main Hwy, but focusing more on organic produce, plant starts, soaps, etc. Also on Sunday mornings April-October from 11-1, try the farmers market and art show at the Greenbank Farm. The Greenbank farm was purchased by the local community instead of being developed into high density housing. There is also a farmers market in Coupeville on Saturday mornings.
Greenbank Farm and Winery Hopping. Greenbank Farm is also a one stop shop for local wineries and offers daily wine tasting. The 522 acre farm includes and duck pond and art galleries, cheese shop, and Whidbey Pie Cafe that specializes in pies and lunches. There are now 8 wineries on Whidbey Island, including these which also have their own tasting rooms: Holmes Harbor Cellars, Spoiled Dog, Dancing Fish, and Blooms Winery are some examples.
Garden touring. If you are a gardener, and especially a rhododendron lover, don’t miss Meerkerk Gardens, just 10 minutes away on Resort Road, just off the main highway. Go ½ mile on Resort Road to Meerkerk Lane. The gardens are open 7 days a week 9am to 4pm. Admission is $5 per person. Also, try nearby Cultus Bay Nursery.
Kayaking. Whidbey Island Kayaking Company (www.whidbeyislandkayaking.com) runs 2 hour guided tours daily from Freeland and other locations around Whidbey, with all equipment supplied.
Golf. There are several courses on Whidbey. Just 15 minutes away is Island Green Golf Course. Located in the beautiful and serene forests of South Whidbey, Island Greens, this 9 hole, par 3 course has been rated as one of the best courses of its type in the Northwest. Holmes Harbor Golf is open to the public and its 18 holes overlook Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. Useless Bay Country Club is an 18-hole private golf course is at 5725 S. Country club Drive in Langley. There is also a great 18 hole golf course in Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island Golf and Country Club. Note that Oak Harbor is quite a long drive, but this could be combined with a long day trip to Deception Pass, not to be missed.
Shopping in Coupeville. Coupeville is a quaint seaside town about 30 minutes away. Offers several lovely boutique shops. Don’t miss walking out on the wharf, ice cream at Kapaws ice cream shop, and history buffs should visit the Island County Museum.
Kid Friendly. Make a beach fort. Skip stones. Hop from log to log in the lagoon. Play a game of softball, Frisbee, volleyball, Bocce ball or badminton on the huge lawn. Fly a kite. Make pottery from clay in the bluffs to the south. Equipment for all the above is in the beach cabin basement. There really is so much for kids to do here! For indoor activities, play board games, do puzzles, or read from our extensive children’s and adult library. The need to watch TV will magically disappear. And if not, high speed fiber will give you access to your streaming platforms.
Services
Groceries. The Payless grocery store in Freeland is one of the best on the Island, and is about 12 minutes away (better offerings that most large Seattle supermarkets). From the main highway, take a right at Fish Road in Freeland. You’ll see it on your left in a large shopping complex which also includes an Ace Hardware, a wonderful kids toy/gift shop/drugstore, a fabric store, and a florist. The Goose Grocery is along the Hwy toward the Clinton ferry- a community owned grocery store with good selection of local and organic produce. The Star Store in Langley is also good, though smaller.
Hospital. The nearest hospital is Whidbey General in Coupeville, about a 20 minute drive.
Restaurants. For up to date restaurant reviews, search TripAdvisor.com by choosing the restaurant tab and searching for “Whidbey Island”.
Langley: there are many good restaurants- the Prima Bistro, Savory, and Salt Water to name a few. Some of our favorites are Orchard Kitchen (Bayview), and the Oyster Catcher (Coupeville, though advanced reservations are essential). Many enjoy the Braeburn for lunch. If you have time (and money) the Inn at Langley is legendary among “foodies”- a 7 course 3 hour dinner experience that I’m told is to die for, I believe Thursdays to Sunday, but call and check. Reservations are required.
Bayview: There is a good restaurant Flower House Café in this fun and interesting business complex, and Whidbey Donuts provides donuts and other menu items.
Freeland: Greenbank Pantry is a great lunch spot. The Freeland Café offers American food in a casual country diner atmosphere. The Fare Market offers American Asian Korean food. China City has traditionally cooked Chinese food.
Coupeville (about 45 minutes away): Don’t miss the artisan breads at the Little Red Hen Bakery. Try the local mussels at Toby’s, or better yet dine at the gourmet Oystercatcher Restaurant. Great ice cream shop at Kapaw’s Iskreme too!
Ferries. Driving times to the Clinton ferry are 30 minutes, and to the Pt. Townsend ferry 30-40 minutes (Reservations highly recommended).