| Whidbey & Fidalgo Islands
Anacortes, Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley, Clinton
Washington's islands are among the most attractive destinations in the West. Placid bays, forested shorelines, rural inland landscapes give the islands the atmosphere of private, secluded retreats. Because their roads generally have very little traffic, the islands are favorite destinations for bicycle touring. Two of the most easy to explore islands are Fidalgo and Whidbey.
Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island, is a bustling small port city, gateway to the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Automobile ferries connect Anacortes with four of the San Juan Islands - Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, San Juan - and provide service to Sidney, B.C. near Victoria. The city has some lovely parks, great gallery browsing and excellent antique shopping. It makes a good base for day trips to the San Juans, especially in summer when hotels on the islands are often sold out.
Deception Pass Bridge soars high above the water to reach Whidbey Island. Views from the bridge are spectacular, especially at tide change when the water below boils through the narrow passage at a furious rate.
The largest city on the island is Oak Harbor. There's a large naval air station here and you may see carrier aircraft taking off or landing. Mussels harvested from nearby Penn Cove are considered among the Northwest's finest seafood delicacies.
Tiny Coupeville is the second oldest town in the state. It nestles alongside the water and boasts many original buildings dating from the 19th century.
On the western side of the island, Fort Ebey and Fort Casey State Parks preserve military installations that once protected the entrance to Puget Sound. At Fort Casey, you can tour the old artillery installations, visit the small lighthouse museum or picnic on the acres of lawn. Automobile ferries depart from the landing at nearby Keystone for Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula.
On the Southern end of the island, the historic village of Langley is known as the "artists colony of Puget Sound." Turn of the century buildings line flower-filled streets. Langley has the highest density of B&B’s and Inns in the state.
The final stop on Whidbey Island is Clinton, where you can catch the 20-minute automobile ferry ride back to the mainland town of Mukilteo.
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