Have you ever been to Whidbey Island? Whether it’s the summertime or wintertime, Whidbey Island is a great place to visit!
One of my goals for 2019 is to explore Washington State more. So before we wrapped up 2018, I wanted to get a head start on my New Year’s Resolution and visit Whidbey Island with my friend and photographer Karya. I’ve personally only been to Whidbey Island once and I’ve been dying to explore more of the San Juan Islands. So in the first weekend of December, we headed up north to Whidbey Island.
If you’re a Northwest native and looking for staycation ideas in Washington, this blog post is for you! And if you live outside of Washington and want a unique Northwest experience, this blog post is also for you. I’m sharing all of the fun things you can do Whidbey Island for a weekend trip!
Before we get started, where is Whidbey Island?
Located in the North Puget Sound, Whidbey Island is one of the biggest islands in Island County. It’s 30 miles north of Seattle and is also home to the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Whidbey Island is ranked as the 4th largest island in the US.
How do you get to Whidbey Island?
The easiest and fastest way to get to Whidbey Island from Seattle is to drive northbound on I-5 to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal. Downtown Seattle to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal will take you about 40 minutes to drive.
The Mukilteo to Clinton (Whidbey Island) ferry will only be 15-20 min ferry ride. And ferries take off every 30 min. You can check out the Mukilteo to Clinton Ferry Schedule on the WSDOT Website.
Additionally, a small vehicle is $7.20 while a standard vehicle is $9.15 to drive onto the ferry. Each additional passenger is $5.10. You can check out the current ferry fares on the website as well.
If you plan on spending a weekend trip on Whidbey Island, I highly recommend leaving early on Saturday. You won’t end up waiting very long to get on the ferry. If you end up leaving Friday, I would wait until after the 5pm-7pm rush hour to board the ferry.
8 Things You Can Do on Whidbey Island Weekend Trip:
Things to do on Whidbey Island #1: Explore Deception Pass
Whether you want to swim and fish in Cranberry Lake or hike to Lighthouse Point, Deception Pass is must do activity on Whidbey Island. Deception Pass State Park is over 3,800 acres with 33,900 of freshwater shoreline.
Whidbey Island Things to Do #2: Explore local farms
If you get to visit Whidbey Island in December, I highly recommend the Henderson Holly Farm in Oak Harbor. They have beautiful holly wreaths and wooden reindeer made in every size!
Whidbey Island has great farms to visit every season. You can also check out Greenbank Farm: has a demonstration garden, dog friendly walking trails, as well as two art galleries!
Things to do on Whidbey Island #3: Stop by Bayview Farm & Garden
If you want to find an adorable garden shop on Whidbey Island, I recommend stopping by Bayview Farm & Garden. You’ll find everything from seeds to fertilizers to garden tools. You can also stop by the adorable Flower House Café!
Whidbey Island Things to Do#4: Eat at Christopher’s on Whidbey
View this post on Instagram
After we explored Deception Pass, we decided to make our way to Coupeville for lunch. A friend recommended Christopher’s on Whidbey and it was honestly one of my favorite stops during our weekend trip! I had the warm tuna salad sandwich and it was delicious!
Things to do on Whidbey Island #5: Explore Coupeville
Besides eating at Christopher’s for lunch, we walked down to the Coupeville Wharf and also stopped by the Lavender Wind Farm Gift Shop!
Coupeville is an adorable stop on Whidbey Island and only should take you 1-2 hours to explore the town.
Whidbey Island Things to Do #5: Explore Langley
Located on the southern part of Whidbey Island, Langley is a small waterfront town. Stop by the rainbow wings mural and eat ice cream at Sprinklz Ice Cream Parlor and Coffee Shop when you visit this town!
Things to do on Whidbey Island #6: Stay at a cozy cabin in Clinton
One thing I was dying to do this year was to stay in an A-frame cabin in the woods. We found this cute little cabin off Airbnb. It’s only 10-12 min away from the ferry terminal in Clinton.
Shout out to Kristin for being a wonderful host!
Whidbey Island Things to Do #7: Eat at Island Nosh in Clinton
Whether you’re in the mood for mac & cheese or pad thai, you’ll find it at Island Nosh. Karya and I stopped here for dinner over the weekend and loved it!
Whidbey Island Things to Do #8: Go on a hike
Whidbey Island has beautiful views of the Puget Sound and surrounding mountains. One of the most popular hikes you can take is Ebey’s Landing. This hike is 5.6 miles round trip with views of Mount Baker, the Cascades, and even the Olympics.
For more hiking ideas, you can check out Washing Trails Association list of hikes on Whidbey Island.
What city or town in Washington should I explore next?
For more Northwest related posts, you can also check out:
What to Pack for Seattle in Winter
13 Indoor Places in Seattle to Take Photos on a Rainy Day
Things to Do in Seattle for Your First Trip
Thank you for reading!
Love,
Emma
Photos: Karya Schanilec
This is perfect! I went to a wedding in Coupeville right after college and I’ve been wanting to go back with my kids! Ok, I got to plan a weekend trip there this summer!
We’ve been to Whidbey Island for camping many times, but I never considered visiting a farm! I’ll have to check it out when I get back to Seattle.