Whidbey Island
Discover Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island was once inhabited by members of the Lower Skagit, Swinomish, Suquamish, Snohomish and other Native American tribes. In the era of European exploration, the island had one of the largest Native settlements on Puget Sound. The first known European sighting of Whidbey Island was during the 1790 Spanish expedition of Manuel Quimper and Gonzalo López de Haro on the Princesa Real. The island was fully explored in 1792 by Captain George Vancouver. When Joseph Whidbey and Peter Puget, members of Vancouver's expedition, circumnavigated the island in June 1792, Vancouver named the island in Whidbey's honor.
What to Experience in Whidbey Island
Famous Beaches
Taste of Whidbey Island...
Like the rest of the Puget Sound area, seafood is a regional specialty. Look for seasonal specials and locally sourced ingredients. Dungeness crabs, clams, oysters, mussels and of course salmon can all be found in abundance. Look for fresh produce from local farms. The end of summer is blackberry season, and these local treats find their way onto dessert menus. Most towns on Whidbey have a large grocery store and at least a few restaurants. As expected in the Pacific Northwest, people on Whidbey Island take their coffee seriously. There are also several wineries and distilleries on Whidbey. See city listings for specific recommendations. Keep wildlife wild. Though many of the animals in the Whidbey Island area are used to seeing humans, they are nonetheless wild and should not be disturbed. Low-flying military planes are an everyday occurrence, occasionally creating a lot of noise. Whidbey Island is a strategically important location, and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is a large training base. (It is also the largest employer on the island.) Whidbey Island is on the North Cascade Loop itinerary.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Whidbey Island into what it is today.
Whidbey Island was once inhabited by members of the Lower Skagit, Swinomish, Suquamish, Snohomish and other Native American tribes. In the era of European exploration, the island had one of the largest Native settlements on Puget Sound. The first known European sighting of Whidbey Island was during the 1790 Spanish expedition of Manuel Quimper and Gonzalo López de Haro on the Princesa Real. The island was fully explored in 1792 by Captain George Vancouver. When Joseph Whidbey and Peter Puget, members of Vancouver's expedition, circumnavigated the island in June 1792, Vancouver named the island in Whidbey's honor. In 1850, Colonel Isaac N. Ebey became the first permanent white settler on Whidbey Island, claiming a square mile (2.6 km²) of prairie with a southern shoreline on Admiralty Inlet. Even though he was farming potatoes and wheat on his land, he was also the postmaster for Port Townsend, and rowed a boat daily across the inlet in order to work at the post office there. On August 11, 1857, Colonel Ebey was murdered and beheaded by Haida who traveled from the Queen Charlotte Islands in proxy-retaliation for the killing of a Haida chief at Port Gamble. Fort Ebey, named for the Colonel, was established in 1942 on the west side of the central part of the island, just northwest of Coupeville. Whidbey Island is mostly residences and farmlands, interspersed with a few small towns. Washington State Ferries (WSF) operates two routes to Whidbey Island....
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsWashington State Ferries (WSF) operates two routes to Whidbey Island. This route connects Whidbey Island to the Olympic Peninsula. Reservations are recommended for vehicles. The small ferries required for the narrow Keystone Harbor mean that vehicle space is often limited, and drive-up motorists may have to wait several sailings for a space. Advance reservations are all but essential on Friday afternoons, weekends and holidays. There's always room for pedestrians and bicyclists. This route connects Whidbey Island to the Puget Sound mainland and the Seattle metro area. Fares are one-way for vehicles, and round-trip for passengers. Fares are calculated based on sailing time and season, type and length of vehicle and the amount and ages of passengers. For example, fares during a summer weekend in 2025 are: This run is popular with commuters as well as weekend vacationers. There may be a wait of a few hours for vehicles during peak times....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Whidbey Island is nearly 50 mi (80 km) long and best navigated by car. It is well served by highways WA-20 and WA-525, which runs its entire length and connects all the ferry terminals. The section of Puget Sound east of Whidbey is known as the Whidbey Basin and usually provides calmer water than traveling on the open sound. The island's rich history is showcased in the Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, set up to preserve an array of sites at the center of the island: What Puget Sound beaches lack in white sand and warm water, they more than make up for it in scenery, as the clear waters play against wild coastlines and snow peaked mountains scatter on the horizons. The island's many state and regional parks offer miles of beaches, from the rugged to the sandy smooth. Small crabs, moon snails, sea stars and sand dollars are commonly spotted, and tide pools can offer hours of exploration. All seven of the island's State Parks feature coastal access.
Money & Budget
The island is littered with small farms, some of which welcome visitors. Greenbank Farm is the most popular such farm. Like the rest of the Puget Sound area, seafood is a regional specialty. Look for seasonal specials and locally sourced ingredients. Dungeness crabs, clams, oysters, mussels and of course salmon can all be found in abundance. Look for fresh produce from local farms. The end of summer is blackberry season, and these local treats find their way onto dessert menus. Most towns on Whidbey have a large grocery store and at least a few restaurants. As expected in the Pacific Northwest, people on Whidbey Island take their coffee seriously. There are also several wineries and distilleries on Whidbey. See city listings for specific recommendations. Keep wildlife wild.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Keep wildlife wild. Though many of the animals in the Whidbey Island area are used to seeing humans, they are nonetheless wild and should not be disturbed. Low-flying military planes are an everyday occurrence, occasionally creating a lot of noise. Whidbey Island is a strategically important location, and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island is a large training base. (It is also the largest employer on the island.) Whidbey Island is on the North Cascade Loop itinerary.
Glimpses of Whidbey Island
a view of a beach next to a body of water
a boat traveling under a bridge on a river
a bridge in the middle of a forest
snow covered mountain under clear blue sky at daytime
a rocky shore with a body of water in the distance
Farmhouse and landscape in the countryside.
a view of a bridge over a body of water
Deception Pass / Puget Sound
a black and white photo of a body of water
Deception Pass / Puget Sound
a view of a beach next to a body of water
a boat traveling under a bridge on a river
a bridge in the middle of a forest