Spring Surprise Whidbey Island Is Filled With Delights For Off-Season Travelers

Most Washingtonians avoid traveling to the islands of Puget Sound on summertime weekends, with good reason.

Long ferry lines and heavy tourist traffic become ample excuses to put off visiting these wonderful getaway spots. But in winter and early spring, most visitors are gone, making it the ideal time to spend a quiet weekend cozied up in a place like Coupeville on central Whidbey Island.

Whidbey, the longest island in the continental United States, is easily reached by ferry from Mukilteo, just north of Seattle. The 20-minute ferry ride ends at Clinton, on the south end of Whidbey Island. This is the most direct route to the island if you’re coming from Seattle, but if you have time, try to take the ferry one way and the Deception Pass drive the other.

The pass on the north side of Whidbey Island got its name because it was where Captain George Vancouver and ship master Joseph Whidbey discovered in 1792 that the island was not part of the mainland as originally thought. It is spectacular any time of the year. Just driving across the 182-foot-high bridge, now a national historic monument, is breathtaking … but take time to get out and peer over the edge for views of the narrow channel that separates Whidbey from Fidalgo Island and the rest of the state.

Kayakers and sailboats glide below, and you may well spot a soaring bald eagle. Trails meander from viewpoints on both sides of the bridge down through Deception Pass Park and to secluded beaches below, at the base of rocky, plunging cliffs.

Once on the island, whether coming from the ferry landing at the south or Deception Pass in the north, drive through towering pines toward central Whidbey, home of Coupeville (population 1500), the second-oldest town in Washington State. There is only one stoplight and no fast food or shopping malls in this sleepy community … and the local historical society plans to keep it that way. (The first “convenience store” caused some grumbles, but it’s out near Highway 20 and not in the main part of town; it also was required to have a homey style, with wood siding, a peaked roof, and no neon.)

Coupeville hugs the south side of Penn Cove (famous for tasty mussels) at the mid-way point of Whidbey Island. The best place to start your visit is the Island County historical Society Museum on the corner of Alexander Street at Front Street, the block-long main road at the cove’s edge. Here you can pick up brochures, find out about a self-guided walking tour of Victorian buildings, and learn about local lore and the town’s namesake, sea captain Thomas Coupe. Then wander along the multi-colored, 19th century storefronts that line Front Street.

Stroll to the end of the pier to the Harbor Store, where you can buy souvenirs, eat a cup of chowder, or rent a kayak. Look out to the pilings and mussel rafts in Penn Cove, popular spots for eagles to roost, or watch crafty seagulls drop clams and mussels onto rocks to get to the sweet meal inside.

On Front Street are a handful of shops serving up ice cream sodas, hand-dipped chocolates and a selection of crafts. If it’s morning, try the cinnamon rolls at Knead & Feed; at any other time of day, stop in Toby’s Tavern, the main “hot spot” of town. According to mussel farmers, Toby’s serves up more of these delicacies than anyone else on the island. Established as a tavern in 1938, Toby’s has a real local pub feel - complete with pull-tab machines and a solitary pool table - but the sweeping views of the cove from the picture windows are what set this place apart.

The mussels steamed in garlic are wonderful, as are the burgers, but be warned that prices have gone up as visitors have begun to discover Coupeville: pints of microbrews are now $3 and a half-order of mussels is $7.95.

For fine dining on Front Street, try Christopher’s (entrees $13 to $16), a small, book-lined bistro that boasts a chef who has been serving up Northwest specialties since he was barely drinking age. Captains City Brewery, the first microbrewery in the area, arrived next door in January.

As you wander west, away from Penn Cove, you’ll see some of Coupeville’s jewels: beautifully restored, pastel-hued Victorian homes, some of which are bed and breakfast inns.

For even more serene accommodations, check into the Captain Whidbey Inn, three miles north of downtown Coupeville off Madrona Way. Established in 1907, this log cabin-style lodge is nestled on the edge of Penn Cove, with a rustic Northwest ambiance that includes dark madrona wood, stone fireplaces, and a dining room that serves up gourmet Northwest fare.

The dining room’s small adjoining bar is a great spot to listen to the rain on the water with a glass of Whidbeys liqueur, bottled just a few miles south of Coupeville at Whidbeys Greenbank Berry Farm. (At 100 acres, it’s the world’s largest loganberry farm and worth a stop to taste syrups, jams, and Washington State’s only liqueur.)

Upstairs in the Inn, a tiny library stuffed with leather-bound volumes leads to glass-enclosed displays of sailing regalia and other historic treasures. Be aware that the inn rooms ($85-$95) are tiny and spartan, but if you value charm over space, there’s something welcoming about them. It’s almost like staying in a cabin on an old sailing vessel: an authentic feather bed takes up practically a whole room, with perhaps a wash basin and antique chair occupying one corner, plus warm wood walls, a pitched ceiling, and high windows looking out to the water.

For a bit more space or a private bath, ask about the lagoon rooms across from the main inn (simple and basic for $125); private cottages with fireplaces and kitchenettes ($150); or the Inn Suite or Whidbey Suite in the main building ($145). Three houses (one and two-bedroom) are S175-$225. A full breakfast in the dining room is included with all rooms.

Captain John Stone, the amicable innkeeper of the Captain Whidbey, offers year-round sails (weather permitting) to inn guests or others on his two-masted, 52-foot ketch Cutty Sark. (Special rates apply in the winter months.) And if the weather keeps you indoors, you can always play chess and have a cognac by firelight, watching the mist on the manicured lawn and calm water outside.

Not far from downtown Coupeville, on the west side of Whidbey Island, is Fort Ebey State Park and Ebey’s Landing, with beautiful stretches of beach for long winter walks. A few miles south is Fort Casey for camping, scuba diving, hikes along underground tunnels and gun batteries, and visits to Admiralty Head Lighthouse, now a history center with views to Admiralty Inlet and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. From here, it’s a quick ferry ride to Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Getting there: From the south: From Interstate 5 take exit 182 north of Seattle to the Mukilteo ferry terminal. Once on the island, take Highway 525 north from Clinton, which turns into Highway 20 as you approach Coupeville. Be aware that in summer months, especially on weekends, you can wait several hours to get on board the busy ferries. For schedules and other information, call Washington State Ferries at (800) 84-FERRY. From the north, take exit 230 from Interstate 5 at Burlington and drive west and south to the island across Deception Pass Bridge. Follow Highway 20 south through Oak Harbor and around Penn Cove to Coupeville.

For more information Island County Historical Society Museum in Coupeville: (360) 678-3310. Penn Cove Kayak Adventures: (360) 678-3545. The Captain Whidbey inn (accommodations, dining reservations, or information on sailing charters): (800) 366-4097 or (360) 678-4097. Whidbeys Greenbank Berry Farm, open 10 to 5 daily year-round: (360) 678-7700. Bed & breakfast inns in Coupeville include The Anchorage Inn at (360) 678-5581; The Victorian (360) 678-5305; and The Inn at Penn Cove (360) 678-8000 or (800) 688-COVE. Brochures on the area can be obtained through the Coupeville/Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce: (360) 678-5434.