Whidbey Island is the latest Western Washington tourist region to add wineries, tasting rooms and vineyards to its list of attractions.
By Tan Vinh | October 23, 2008
The Penn Cove Mussel Festival always makes me feel as if I'm back in small-town America, celebrating a proud tradition that manages to be authentic rather than cheesy -- even if organizers do refer to their local mussels as "blue fruits of the sea."
By Rebekah Denn | February 29, 2008
LANGLEY, Whidbey Island — The hotel guest must have spent the afternoon there, snuggled in her wooden deck chair amid cushions and a blanket for a fresh-air nap. She was there when I arrived at the Inn at Langley and stepped out on my waterfront deck adjacent to hers. She was there when I left for a walk, and still slumbering peacefully when I returned.
By Kristin Jackson | June 21, 2007
WHIDBEY ISLAND — The Fishmonger seafood market is one of the things I love about island hamlets like Bayview Corner, a pioneer-era business hub near Langley that recently got a facelift.
On a recent visit to this newly prettified crossroads where the market is a popular draw, I asked manager Mary French which fish was fresh that day. She shot back a look that practically purred, "It's all fresh, sweetheart." Of course, all I had to do was read the store's motto behind the refrigerated display case: "Only wild and Always fresh."
By Tyrone Beason | November 2, 2006
By late afternoon, blue skies and 80-degree temperatures would bathe Whidbey Island from tip to tail.
But this was morning.
An uneasy fog bank lay low over the Strait of Juan de Fuca where it opens into Admiralty Inlet. Urged by a steady breeze, it pushed against the island's western shore, rubbed damp fingers against the white barrel of the Admiralty Head Lighthouse and slipped into the hills above Crocket's Lake where seagulls were sleeping in.
By Gordy Holt | August 31, 2006
If water is what shapes, borders, beautifies and defines the places we love in Washington, why, then, do we avoid it, run from it and cower at the thought of it when it falls from the sky?
Why would we hide our hiking boots in the closet all winter when they're waterproof?
Why would we avoid a rainy-day hike when our jackets and pants are made of Gore-Tex?
By Greg Johnston | February 9, 2006
Short Trips
I noticed recently that one of my colleagues, along with some friends, camped in the snow at Paradise in the shadow of Mount Rainier and wrote about how much fun it was. She heralded how relaxing it was -- no crowds or noise, plus the sheer beauty of it all.
Guess what? It also was cold, wet and icy, and Mother Earth was covered with five feet of snow. It was so cold her group woke up in the middle of the night with a layer of frost on their sleeping bags. She said her water bladder even froze. I bet that's not all that froze.
By Jeff Larsen | February 2, 2006
Hike of the Week
Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island is part of Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, a year-round favorite of hikers. In addition to scenery that drenches the senses, the reserve provides historical background with interpretive signs describing early explorations of the region and the Native Americans who lived on Ebey's Prairie before settlers arrived.
The reserve is a puzzle of interlocking pieces of federal, state, county and private property managed so the region's historical essence is not lost.
By Karen Sykes | December 1, 2005
Short Trips
LANGLEY -- This south Whidbey Island town is a wonderful reminder of small-town charm. From free and easy street parking to shop owners who personally welcome you, a day in Langley can be pure pleasure.
The town has been luring me for years. The turnoff -- not far from the Clinton ferry landing -- beckoned, but there was always something more urgent farther up the island. It's embarrassing to admit that my only previous trip to Langley was for a Christmas Eve service more than 20 years ago.
By Susan Phinney | November 24, 2005
Location: Fidalgo Island.
Length: About a mile round-trip loop to Rosario Head; additional trails lead from the eastern parking lot.
Level of difficulty: Level-to-moderately steep, dirt/gravel trails.
By Cathy McDonald | March 10, 2005
