For a free Island County Discovery
Guide and other tourist information, please call 1 888 747-7777.
Connect up to Washington State Tourism Information
for more information on traveling in the state of Washington.
1. Deception
Pass State Park...Back to Map...
Washington's favorite state park. Visitors flock to see the spectacular
bridge and Pass. Because of Whidbey Island's temperate climate, many birds
and waterfowl winter here, including an abundance of bald eagles. Fishing
is popular in Cranberry Lake and in waters surrounding the Island. Charters
are available at Cornet Bay's marina. Sightseeing, dinner, and whale-watching
cruises are available from many nearby sites. Tent and RV camping are
available year round.
2. Ala Spit
...Back to Map...
Island County's newest recreation area and a special favorite of bird
watchers. A broad, open area with splendid water and mountain vistas,
Ala Spit and vicinity offer unique views of the Skagit River mud
flats and attendant bird and marine life.
3. Joseph
Whidbey State Park...Back to Map...
Stunning views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands,
and Vancouver Island. A place to stroll the beach, enjoy the scenery,
and watch winter and spring bird migrations. The park and West Beach
Road immediately to the south are great locations for watching winter
storms and their aftermath-Puget Sound's only true surf! Cowabunga,
dude! Picnic facilities near the beach. Day use only.
4. Oak Harbor ...Back to Map...
Oak Harbor is the largest city and the commercial center of Island
County, with convention facilities and award-winning hotels. It hosts several
annual festivals and events. Performing arts, entertainment and golf are
available year round. Its large marina, an airport with scheduled airline
service, and car rentals provide transportation flexibility. Oak Harbor
is named for the Garry Oak, which is unique to the area. Home of Naval
Air Station Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor is a favorite duty location for
U.S. Navy personnel, many of whom eventually retire in the area.
5. Hastie Lake
...Back to Map...
Years of silting and partial filling of what was once the largest lake
on Whidbey has produced a major wetland. Home to numerous transitory and
resident waterfowl and other wildlife.
6. Grasser's
Lagoon...Back to Map...
Extensive tidelands feature great clamming and world-famous Penn
Cove mussels. See great blue herons and the results of heavy
tidal action.
7. Fort Ebey State Park
...Back to Map...
Part of the original "Triangle of Death," Ft. Ebey protected Puget
Sound from invasion. It now offers miles of hiking trails and stunning
high-bluff views of Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula. Hike or bike
the Kettles Trail (10) into the town of Coupeville.
8. Ebey's Landing National Historical
Reserve ...Back to Map...
The nation's first such reserve, and part of the National Park Service.
An area mostly privately owned but dedicated to the preservation and enhancement
of historic lands and buildings. Beach, bluff, trails and magnificent
views of farms, prairie, Admiralty Inlet, the waters of Penn Cove,
the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, and Oak Harbor Airport are within
its boundaries. Tune in 1610 on your AM radio for more information.
9. Coupeville & Rhododendron Park...Back
to Map...
The second oldest town in the entire state and the county seat.
It has over 100 buildings listed in the National Historic
Register. The town's shopping areas and historic waterfront
reflect the charm of bygone days. Situated on placid Penn
Cove, whose glassy surface belies an abundance of marine
life, Coupeville is a lovely
backdrop for a calendar of festivals and special events. Coupeville's
historic inns, friendly pubs, fine restaurants, and intimate B&B's
beckon visitors to stay and relax. Home to the Island County
Historical Society Museum, Coupeville also has a boat launch
and a historic wharf for transient moorage.
Rhododendron Park is a Island County
park. It is two miles east of Coupeville on Hwy. 20 (Directly
across from Recycle Center).
Kettles Trail Park ...Back to Map...
Island County's newest trail connects Coupeville and Ft. Ebey State
Park via unusual Ice Age geologic formations known as "kettles." Wonderful
for biking, horseback riding, or just a scenic stroll.
11. Fort
Casey and Keystone State Parks; Keystone
Ferry ...Back to Map...
Originally the major focus of the "Triangle of Death" designed to prevent
a naval invasion, Fort Casey now welcomes visitors to its battlements
and the charming Admiralty Head Lighthouse. The fort's 10-inch "disappearing"
guns are now aimed across busy shipping lanes filled with freighters,
and passenger ships, as well as naval cruisers, aircraft carriers,
and submarines. Don't miss beautiful Crockett Lake and Keystone Spit, adjacent
to Fort Casey. Both abound with birds and marine life. Unforgettable
vistas of water and mountains await. Take the ferry to Port Townsend
from here or check out the activities at the Casey Conference Center.
Keystone State Park is a favorite of fishermen and scuba divers.
12. Hancock Nature Reserve & Overlook ...Back to Map...
A World War II bombing practice site is now a saltwater estuary with
protected birds and animal species. The reserve is also the foreground
for stunning sunsets behind the Olympic Mountains. The overlook is east
of the highway.
13. Greenbank and Greenbank Farm...Back to Map...
At the mile-wide "waistline" of Whidbey, capture convenient 360°
vistas -- the peaks of Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier to the east and of the
Olympic Mountain Range to the west. Greenbank is also home to historic
Coupe's Greenbank Store and the Greenbank Loganberry Farm. Recently
acquired for public use, expect the 522 acre Farm to undergo change as
its historic qualities and character are restored in the near future.
14. Meerkerk Rhododendron
Gardens ...Back to Map...
53 acres and miles of trails provide color and serenity year round
for nature and garden lovers.
15. South Whidbey
State Park ...Back to Map...
Impressive old-growth forest. Appealing campsites, with picnic areas
and barbecue pits. An extensive hiking trail provides a fun educational
experience on a forest walk, or take the high bluff trail down through
the old-growth forest to a secluded sandy beach.
16. Freeland...Back to Map...
An "off-highway delight" with beautiful views of Holmes Harbor. Convenient
to many Island attractions, Freeland offers a full range of services, restaurants,
shopping and overnight comfort. Launch your boat at Freeland Park on protected
Holmes Harbor. Enjoy outstanding winter salmon fishing here or play the
scenic 18 hole Holmes Harbor Golf Course.
17. Double
Bluff Beach...Back to Map...
Miles of broad, sandy beach, tidal pools, and unusual bluff erosion.
Also evidence of violent glacial action. One of Whidbey's best bets for
glimpsing an elusive gray whale.
18. Langley...Back to Map...
A small-town world just minutes from the Mukilteo ferry and the fast
pace of the metropolis. Tucked into flower-filled alleys and courtyards
and along the main streets of this waterfront town are art galleries,
antique stores, shops, restaurants, bakeries, coffee houses, and
brew pubs. Langley offers views of Saratoga Passage, Camano Island,
and the Cascades. On most days see great blue herons, sea lions,
and an occasional gray whale. A 246-seat theater supports a year-round
program of local and touring music, theater, and dance. The
Langley area has more than 50 small inns and B&B's. South Whidbey
Air Park accommodates small aircraft, and the Langley Small Boat
Harbor provides transient moorage.
26. Saratoga Woods
...Back to Map...
Whidbey Islands newest park. The Metcalf Trust Lands and reserved
DNR lands adjoin the park and share their trail systems. A mammoth
"glacial eradic" stone the size of a house sits along a side trail.
19. Clinton...Back to Map...
The Mukilteo-Clinton ferry provides the quickest surface access
to Whidbey from the Seattle metropolitan area and Sea-Tac
airport. Drive time (including ferry) to Clinton from Sea-Tac
is about an hour and a half. Clinton has a nine-hole golf
course (Island Greens), and fishing is available at Deer
Lake, Possession Point County Park (which also has a boat launch
ramp and beach access),and the Clinton Fishing Pier.
27. Dugualla
State Park ...Back to Map...
A little known area located just south of duguall bay at the end
of sleeper road. This area is listed in the non-motorized trail
plan for Island County.
20. Camano
Island State Park and Camano Island ...Back
to Map...
Camano Island has 52 miles of scenic shoreline. The most popular destination
on the island is 134-acre Camano Island State Park. The park offers year-round
saltwater fishing for salmon and bottom fish; excellent seasonal clamming;
and secluded, wooded campsites; a five-mile, self-guided nature
trail and a series of loop trails for hiking; beachcombing;
an underwater park for scuba diving; a kitchen; and a picnic
shelter. Camano Island is a rural landscape blessed
with a thriving artistic community, Douglas fir, and all that
the unspoiled Northwest offers. No need for a ferry-just drive on
and spend a day or a weekend exploring its natural beauty. Spend
an evening touring innovative galleries representing the finest
in Northwest art, past and present.
21. Utsalady Bay
...Back to Map...
Once the busiest port in Puget Sound, Utsalady still shows traces
of its lumbering/sawmill past. A peaceful retreat for enjoying
amazing views of Whidbey, the Skagit River delta, and the
Cascade Mountains. English boom park is near by.
22. Triangle
Cove ...Back to Map...
A remarkably peaceful, secluded area with glimpses of unusual bird
and marine life. Stay at a nearby B&B or traverse the cove's edge.
23. Cavelero
Beach...Back to Map...
A county park offering beach access, a boat launch, and views of Stanwood
and the Stillaguamish River delta.
24.
Stillaguamish Delta & Livingston Bay ...Back
to Map...
Tide flats that attract flocks of snow geese, blue heron, marsh hawks,
and other birds. Site of a local battle to preserve the ecosystem from
invading, non-native spartina grass.
25. Cama Beach State Park
(Open 2008) ...Back to Map...
Cama Beach State Park, with its historic fishing resort, restored cabins
and camping, Environmental Learning Center, a mile long beach front and
ADA accessible trails will make for a wonderful outdoor experience for
all.
Wes
Lupien - Oak Harbor Airport...Back to Map...
1140 N Monroe Landing Rd, Oak Harbor
1-800-359-3220
Reinig Airport
- Camano Island Airfield...Back to Map...
1212 N Moore Rd, Camano Island
(360) 629-4812
South Whidbey Air Park ...Back
to Map...
(360) 341-5531
Map Graphic Created by Trax Maps, a division of 4D Graphics,
Inc.
|
