*one travel diary and one vlog in addition to this blog post
Deception Pass Bridge
We started our 4th of July weekend out by leaving late afternoon to head up to the Deception Pass Bridge. The bridge is actually two bridges on highway 20 connecting Whidbey Island to the rest of the state.
**Deception State Park is one of the more popular state parks in WA state and although we did no camping we know to recommend early reservations! The state park has campgrounds, trails, beaches, incredible views and more**
We just drove across the bridge, parked, walked along the bridge and took in sunset. Quite honestly that's all we had time for and when we were there (July 2021) the bridge was undergoing some maintenance construction that blocked some views, took up the main parking lot, and helped us feel good about not spending too much time there ;)
Ebey's Landing
Our first morning on the island we went looking for a little hike to do to enjoy the sunshine. We ended up at small parking lot with a trail to the Ebey House on Ebey's Landing. There were different trails ranging from a nice walk, to long hikes; along the way there is a lovely view of the water, a beach, and many private parcels of land. The land is actually a National Historical Reserve and the private land that you pass through, view, and walk along is all via an easement (it is imperative to be respectful on/near these properties for the landowners' sakes).
The Ebey House isn't always open, but when it is it's totally worth checking out. We had a sweet ol' gal volunteering at the site and we adored her. She told us more about the interesting history of how the Ebey family came to the island and my favorite fact about how women were allowed to own land (Woo hoo!). The house itself is small and the upstairs is closed off. There are two main rooms with some posters, family member portraits, and enough to give you the general idea of how the home might've functioned.
Our last thought on Ebey's Landing is to be sure to have water on your person. There isn't too much shade on the trails/path depending on the time of day!
Kapaw's Iskreme
Kapaw's Iskreme on Main Street. Although I had been to Whidbey Island several times, Kyle had never been. Kapaw's is easily staple and must go for every Coupeville outing I've been on. It's been years since my first visit and it has not changed one bit.
Don't be intimidated by a long line--these guys know how to keep things moving! I cannot believe how long the line was and how short the wait was. I don't know if this is just due to Covid, but there is a list of the flavors posted outside to help you decide and help speed the process up. A "single" is three small scoops, flavor(s) of your choosing for $4. It's a great price for a good amount of absolute YUM.
(During the recent heatwave we ventured to our local Baskin-Robbins and paid double the price for maybe half the amount of subpar ice cream)
I opted for two scoops of strawberry cheesecake + one scoop cookie dough while Kyle chose two scoops vanilla + one strawberry cheesecake. It was very much nostalgic for me and a huge highlight of our day for us both. We took our cones over to the dock and watched the water, seals, and boats as we ate.
Options: Homemade Waffle, Sugar, Cake, or bowl
"Singles" = 3 small scoops
"Doubles" = 5 small scoops
mix and match multiple flavors
Little Red Hen Bakery
Okay.....our experience here was not the best, so I'll keep it brief....
Keeping in mind Covid and a Saturday in July we decided to pass on the other restaurants in town and get some sandwiches from the local bakery. Yes, the line was a little long--but we waited an absurd amount of time to place our order. We paid well over $30 for the daily drink special and two sandwiches and then waited around 30 minutes for our order to come out.
They do have a deck with a few different levels, one table and a couple benches that you can hang out on....but that's it. You can go down to the water, but they won't chase you down if you don't respond to your order being called.....Maybe they're just severely understaffed due to Covid? We ended up helping call people and getting them their orders because the staff wasn't doing a great job of it. People were waiting for such long times, even just for a simple drink and pastry.
Our sandwiches were good--but not near good enough for the price we paid (or the time we waited). Overall, we did enjoy our food, we were lucky enough to have the table for a few minutes while we ate...it was just not the best experience. Obviously, we didn't sample much of what they had to offer and maybe pastries is where they truly shine!
Island County Historical Museum
It's worth noting that the museum looked closed, and the entrance door is large and solid so you can't really peek through to see what's going on inside.
We're glad we popped in and were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed this little museum. The Volunteer was a sweet old lady that gave us a brief introduction and answered all our questions. When you are first into the museum they have the first automobile to be on the island on display--she showed us a bit of how it worked and we spent quite a while chatting about it. There is a small room to the right that features a short video compilation and then the general museum layout features lots of vintage pieces, equipment, medicines, and store pieces from old shops.
There is one more room at the end which can house temporary displays around the corner is a staircase to a lower flow featuring Native American Whidbey history and pieces. I'm glad we were told about this floor, otherwise I would not have assumed that going down the stairs was an exhibit. The downstairs exhibit has lots of canoes, baskets, and some local legends that we enjoyed reading. There is also a bit about the water life and sustainability.
Farmers' Market
The Coupeville Farmers Market--This, this is where you hope to find parking!
Right next to the library there is the field for the farmers market, a parking lot, and some amazing public bathrooms.
Park. Use the bathroom. Visit the Farmers Market. Walk less than a minute to main street.
Somedays it's smaller then other days and I believe the typical time is Saturday 10am-2pm. They tend to have music playing and it's just a wonderful first impression of Coupeville.
Honey Bear in Mariners Court Shops
This is SUCH a fun shop. Toys. Games. Candy. Books. It is a dream. Every tourist town needs something other than t-shirt shops and bookshops and THIS IS THAT. I can almost guarantee you'll find a book, toy, game, or candy that instantly puts you into a nostalgic haze. I can imagine that taking kids into this shop is not for the faint of heart because it truly is magical. Random things you've never heard of, old favorites, it's just a "fun aisle" that's actually a store that is about to explode.
If you've gotten ice cream and are heading out of town you'll walk by this shop, realize you should not bring your ice cream in and decide to pass by--don't. It's worth a stop in; whether you're old, young, or in between it'll brighten your day.
*I'm not even going to add any pictures because it's just something you should experience for yourself*
Honorable Mention: Fort Casey
Our reason for not including Fort Casey in our main list is really just because we didn't visit during this trip. It was pretty busy and we decided to come back another time.
Kyle has never been before but I have been multiple times. It is the best place to fly a kite (and if you don't have a kite on you, you can find multiple stores selling them on main street in Coupeville). You can explore the fort, read up on the history and if I remember correctly the lighthouse is often open to go up in.
I will say: bring a windbreaker, be prepared for some damp fields, and be sure to keep an eye on your little ones!
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