Whidbey Island is located in the middle of the Puget Sound and boasts wide-open beaches, scenic views, waterfront parks, outdoor adventures, and more. It is ranked as the 40th largest island in the United States and the 4th largest island in the State of Washington. Filled with quaint towns, farms, forests, amazing restaurants, and magnificent creations, Whidbey makes for a perfect getaway or day trip from Seattle. Whidbey is about 30 miles North of Seattle and lies between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 Corridor of Washington State. During your yacht charter vacation on this island, you can discover interesting history, picturesque places, pristine water and spectacular mountain views in every direction. So, here we have compiled a list of things to see and do while visiting Whidbey Island.
Things to Do and See in Whidney Island
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Tourist Attractions: The best place to start exploring Whidbey is the Langley fishing village that boasts sophisticated shops, interesting art galleries, and wooden buildings along the waterfront. If you would like to see displays of local history and artifacts you can head to South Whidbey Historical Museum. Coupeville is a historic waterfront village located in central Whidbey Island. In Coupeville, you will find the Island County Historical Museum where you can learn about seafaring, farming and military history. Ebey's Landing is a preserved area known for its beautiful trails, beach, and magnificent views of farms, along with the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. Hancock Nature Reserve and Outlook is a saltwater estuary that features many protected birds, animal species and stunning sunset views.
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Beautiful Parks: Start your park adventure with Washington’s favorite state park - Deception Pass State Park. Jet around the park, learn about the Deception Pass Bridge’s history, and see harbor seals and bald eagles on your way. This park has miles of beaches, camping grounds, hiking trails, freshwater lakes, forests, mysterious coves, rugged shoreline, and jaw-dropping sunset views. Here you can do mountain biking, fishing, swimming, bird watching, sailboarding, crabbing, diving and much more. Known as the best picnic site, Fort Ebey State Park is another beautiful park that offers miles of hiking trails and stunning views of the Olympic Peninsula. Joseph Whidbey State Park is a 112-acre park with miles of saltwater shoreline where you can enjoy walking and sultry views. South Whidbey State Park is a perfect place for nature lovers. This 347-acre day use park features an old-growth forest, lush undergrowth, and tidelands. To sit and walk along the canopy of old trees overlooking Puget Sound is a pleasure for everyone. Langley’s Seawall Park is an easy-to-reach park and great place to go while walking through downtown Langley. Some of the other parks in Whidbey Island that are worth your visit include Carkeek Park, Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, Meerkerk Gardens, South Whidbey Community Park, and Earth Sanctuary.
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Best Beaches: There are so many nice beaches in Whidbey, some of them are hidden, some are public, and some are havens for tourists. They are all a little different from each other; driftwoods, hidden inlets, mud flats, sheltered, or fully exposed to Puget Sound. Visiting one or two of them does not mean you have experienced all of them. The first on the best beach list is the beach at Ebey’s landing. It is one of the crown jewels of Whidbey Island, and is also a popular Salmon fishing location in the region. For an extraordinary experience, you can hike the trail along the beach and the bluffs. Double Bluff Beach is the best beach on the southern part of the island. It is the sandiest beach on the island, and offers shellfish harvest. Double bluff is also unique as it is the only off-leash, dog-friendly beach in the area. Dugualla Bay in Oak Harbor is not a typical beach, but an ideal place for bird watching. North Beach in Oak Harbor is part of the majestic Deception Pass State Park. As the tide flows, you can watch the water flow like a river beneath the Deception Pass Bridge. Maxwelton Beach/Dave Mackie Park is a great place to view Olympic Mountains. Long Point on Whidbey Island is a place where you can find smooth rocks and driftwood, and is tucked away among the waterside homes. If you want to enjoy the spectacular nature, then visit Bowman Bay. Here you can enjoy kayaking or paddle boarding in the placid bay and spot the occasional harbor seal.
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Adventurous Activities: Whidbey is a great destination for a family vacation. There are plenty of things to do for all ages. You can go out on the water, enjoy boating, kayaking, fishing, diving, or go hiking with your kids. Environment is very important for residents of Whidbey, so the water and beaches are very clean here. If you want to get a birds eye view of the Deception Pass bride, then Canopy Tree Climbing is for you. An experienced guide will show you how to climb a 200-meter high fir tree and see the Bridge from the top. Do you want to know how it feels to fly through the Pacific Northwest forest? Canopy Tours are a fun-filled zip lining tours that help you fly like a bird and get a view of the forest very quickly. You can do zip lining at the historic Kristoferson Farm, which has been operating on Camano Island for more than 100 years. If you are here for hiking, then Whidbey has many forested trails, beach walks, prairie walks and more. Bird watching in Whidbey Island's parks offers visitors the opportunity to see a multitude of bird species in every season, including bald eagles, herons, and Canadian snow. Whether you want a saltwater or freshwater fishing experience, the island is alive with many fish species. The lakes of Whidbey, including Cranberry Pass, are perfect for fishing largemouth bass and trout. Take your boat around the waters of Whidbey for a saltwater fishing escapade. You can catch several varieties of salmon, smelt, sturgeon and other fish species. Crabbing and clamming are both a popular pastime of locals on Whidbey, apart from fishing. Whale watching is a favorite activity from Puget Sound to the San Juan Island’s. Go on a Gray Whale Watching Tour from Oak Harbor to Camano Island. Deception Island is a colorful dive site in the island with great structures, walls, large rock formations, pinnacles, and a large number of marine species. The Port Townsend-Keystone Ferry site is another great dive site with large rock formations with an abundance of critters that hide in the crevices. The Washington State Ferry Kehloken sits at the bottom off the South tip of Whidbey Island, and is completely covered with marine growth.
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Shopping and Dining: Take your time and explore Whidbey's shops, galleries, museum, lighthouse stores, festival vendors and farmers' markets. There are art, jewelry, clothing and a large number of specialty shops in Langley, including Callahan's Firehouse Glass Studio, Sweet Mona's Chocolate Shop, Sassy Siren, Island Design, Whidbey Art Gallery, and Virginia's Antique & Gifts to name a few. Freeland is another shopping destination to buy souvenirs for everyone back at home. Linds Jewelry & Gift Shop, Antique shops, Book Bay Books, Vino Amore' Wine Shop, Senior Thrift, Radio Shack, and Flowers By the Bay are just some of the specialty stores in Freeland. If you are looking for that right antique piece to add elegance to your home, then check out the shops from Clinton to Oak Harbor, including Oak Tree Antiques, OLDish Stuff, Elkhorn Trading Co., Red Rooster Antique Mall, and more. The local restaurants in Whidbey Island work with local farmers, and so you will get the freshest seasonal dishes here. For fine dining experiences and to enjoy steaks, fondue, and seafood, go to Frasers Gourmet Hideaway restaurant. If you love French cuisine, Prima Bistro is the place for you. Oystercatcher offers a great casual, fine-dining atmosphere and is perfect for lunch, dinner, or enjoying drinks with some snacks. Other typical fine dining restaurants include Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill, Orchard Kitchen, The Terrace Wine Bar and Bistro, Jeda’s Thai Kitchen, Mukilteo Coffee Roasters, and more.
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Day Trips: Camano Island is well within your reach for a relaxing day trip from Whidbey Island. If you are in an outdoor family getaway mood, there is so much to do in Camano. Here you can enjoy parks, trails, beaches, outdoor adventures and so much more. Whidbey is about 30 miles north of Seattle, so don't forget to take your private yacht charter to the Emerald City for an amazing experience. Bainbridge is a lovely island, and just a short boat ride from Seattle. If you have some more time on your hands, go on a weekend trip to the Olympic National Park, San Juan Island, Vancouver, Victoria, Port Townsend, Tacoma and more destinations that are located in the Puget Sound region.
Whidbey Island is a great place in the Pacific Northwest region to indulge in interesting activities, explore hidden beaches, discover waterfront parks, shop for amazing souvenirs, and enjoy a wonderful vacation. If you are in Whidbey, plan to visit the magnificent destinations near this island such as Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Desolation Sound, Camano Island, and much more. Contact Pacific Northwest Yacht Charters to book your luxury yacht in Whidbey and get ready for an amazing experience! You can check out our luxury yacht collection here, and then contact one of our charter experts at 702-401-4284 to plan your charter itinerary.
