Special Sections - Whidbey Islander 2019

islander 2019 WHIDBEY & FIDALGO

FREE GUIDE

Y R GETAWA PL AN YOU FUL TO BEAUTI EY B ID WH

THE PREMIER VISITORS GUIDE TO WHIDBEY ISLAND AND SURROUNDING AREAS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES & SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD

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table of contents Welcome W

to a nearby bit of paradise

ISLANDER 2019

Clinton ...........................................6 Wildlife ..........................................8 Langley ...................................... 10

hidbey Island is an inviting and welcoming place where residents takes great pride in drawing visitors throughout the year. This unique, magical island is accessible via scenic Deception Pass Bridge to the north and state ferries to the south.

Just a quick drive from Whidbey is equally beautiful Fidalgo Island and Anacortes. The two islands are a short drive from Seattle and other metropolitan areas, making them an ideal getaway for a day or long weekend.

Millions of visitors come to the two islands every year, drinking in the countless scenic vistas, taking advantage of the many photo opportunities and enjoying the numerous events and activities offered throughout the year.

The Islander is the premier visitors guide for Whidbey and Fidalgo islands.

Published for more than 30 years, it is produced by the award-winning staff of Whidbey News Group. The Islander is found at visitor centers along the Interstate 5 corridor, from Canada to the Oregon border, as well as on Washington state ferries. Peruse your Islander, find great ideas for things to do and places to see, and start thinking about your next visit.

Send us your stories about your time on Whidbey. We’d like to share them with others. You can email them to me at kgraves@whidbeynewsgroup.com Enjoy your visit to our island paradise.

Oak Harbor ............................... 40

— Keven R. Graves, executive editor and publisher

Events ......................................... 44

Cover Photo: Sunset at Rosario Beach, taken

by Pam Headridge, of Oak Harbor.

PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE EDITOR Keven R. Graves ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kimberlly Winjum EDITOR Jessie Stensland STORIES & PHOTOS Laura Guido, Jim Waller, Maria Matson & Patricia Guthrie

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Nora Durand, Kat Bivoino, Jacy Anderson & Jimi Switzer Additional copies of the Islander can be obtained by contacting:

WHIDBEY NEWS GROUP | 360-675-6611 P.O. Box 1200 | 107 S. Main Street, Suite E101, Coupeville, WA 98239

Copyright 2019, Sound Publishing, Inc.

Arts ...............................................14 Bayview ...................................... 19 Freeland ..................................... 22 Spirits ......................................... 24 Agriculture ................................ 26 Greenbank ................................ 30 Parks & Rec ............................... 32 Coupeville ................................. 36

Anacortes .................................. 48 Camano ...................................... 50 Port Townsend ......................... 51 Skagit .......................................... 52 3

island scenes Whidbey Island welcomes you

ISLANDER 2019

Photo by Pam Headridge

Photo by Pam Headridge

4

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clinton

ISLANDER 2019

South entrance to Whidbey Island is bustling

Clinton is the tip of the southern spear of Whidbey Island and entryway to the island’s beauty and bounty of arts and unique events.

Many who arrive in Clinton likely traveled by way of the Clinton-to-Mukilteo ferry, which provides safe passage across Saratoga Sound. The unincorporated area offers beaches, arts, restaurants and businesses, all within short driving distance.

Just off the ferry on Clinton Beach is the Fishing Pier-Dock Facility. It’s a day-use dock that allows people to tie up their boats, though there is no launch ramp. Another fishing pier is also located nearby and is a popular spot for crabbers using nets and pots.

The commercial core of Clinton is up the road from the ferry terminal. For those who are hungry from traveling, there are several options for dining: Cozy’s Roadhouse, Dairy Queen, Hong Kong Gardens and Island Nosh, which specializes in turning classic dishes into tantalizing ethnic noodle dishes.

Clinton Foodmart, just off the road, provides everything from groceries and gift cards to pizza and cheese. Fresh-cut flowers, artisan goods, farm-fresh produce and culinary creations can also be found during the market season at the Clinton Community Hall.

Clinton is know for community events, including the Maxwelton July 4th Parade and the Clinton Town Picnic. The old-fashioned parade on July 4 draws thousands to the Maxwelton Beach area for a large showing of national pride, as well as a number of community-oriented games, activities and of course, a hot dog stand.

The town picnic held in September fea6

Photo provided by Clinton Chamber of Commerce/ Stephanie Cook

Clinton Beach is open to the public from dawn to dusk.

tures food, music, games, prizes and a large outdoor scrabble game.

Clinton’s outdoor farmers market is Thursday afternoon in July and August. The market features local artists, craftsmen, food, music and fun.

For those who enjoy some peace and quiet, Clinton has a few areas to check out. One of the most serene locales on Whidbey Island can be found at Deer Lake.

There’s a small boat ramp and dock used for both fishing and swimming on one end of the lake. Possession Beach Waterfront Park is commonly utilized by anglers for boat launches during fishing season and Dorothy Cleveland Trail is also nearby. The trail offers plenty of views, as it spans three miles roundtrip.

The Whidbey Camano Land Trust also purchased land just north of the ferry terminal and east of the highway to be preserved.

The public can roam on 33 acres of forest and wetlands, 26 acres of beach and tidelands and 2,000 feet of shoreline. Venture Out, a large nursery with a fountain and strolling paths, is also a pleasant place to sit awhile. Blueschool Arts, an event venue and studio space, hosts many exhibits and events.

Just a few miles north of the ferry terminal is Ken’s Korner Shopping Plaza, which has supplies and services for residents and visitors. If you’re looking for a sample of the wide variety of artists and crafts people on the island, check out Whidbey Wonders. It represents works of nearly 100 locals who have a zest for creativity and invention, such as reusable dish covers made with bees-wax, aprons made from recycled men’s shirts and many other unique offerings. It also sells freshly-baked goods and other fresh food.

Ken’s Korner eateries include Patron Mexican Restaurant, Whidbey Island Bagel Factory and Pickles Deli; all three are local favorites for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

CJ&Y Decadent Desserts and a new ice cream shop slated to move in by the summer can top off any meal. There’s also a grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy, thrift shop, espresso stand, nail salon, liquor store and a Les Schwab Tire Center.

If you’re needing a sip of spirits, Cadee Distillery is known for its bourbon whiskey and many other aged spirits. Driving off the ferry, you can’t miss its tasting room, marked with a big white barrel, Cadee, a Gaelic word meaning pure and clean.

Clinton

Washington

holly Davison Photography www.hollydavisonphotography.com

The Clinton Chamber of Commerce promotes local business & helps build a better community. Keeping this business Community’s voice heard within State and Local Government is one of our top priorities. Bringing our Community together with events like the Clinton Community Picnic, South Whidbey’s Annual Business owners Meeting, Clinton Easter Egg Hunt, Clinton Winter Market, Clinton Tree lighting Ceremony as well as adopting Dan Porter park make Clinton a stronger Community. info@discoverclintonwa.com • www.discoverclintonwa.com 7

wildlife

ISLANDER 2019

Many wild animals to be found on island Lindsey George

Whidbey Island’s forested land, prairies, lakes, wetland and beaches are teeming with life.

Deer and eagles are common sights, as are coyotes, raccoons and other critters. The island has a lone elk resident, named Bruiser, and was recently visited by a black bear.

The island draws bird watchers from across the nation as it’s a stopover for an extraordinary number of migrating shorebirds.

And then there are whales, which are attracting a growing number of tourists to the island. Beginning in March and April, whale watching tours depart from North Whidbey and Langley. They are also a great opportunity to see seals, sea lions and Dall’s porpoises.

Langley is home to a whale center, run by the Orca Network. It is a place to learn about whales and follow sightings. A bell will be rung when whales are visible from the town.

Beginning in March, peaking in April and into May, the mighty gray whales are a common sight in waters in Possession Sound.

They can be seen feeding on the shrimp in the sand.

Orca sightings around Whidbey are less dependable and more spread throughout the calendar. Southern Resident orcas that live 8

Photo provided by Craig Johnson Jill Hein

in the waters off San Juan Island begin their southern migration to feed on salmon heading to Puget Sound rivers starting in the late summer. Sightings from Whidbey are most common from the island’s west side in October and November. Resident orcas travel in larger schools.

Transient orcas appear in the waters around Whidbey more randomly with sightings not uncommon during the summer. These marine mammals travel in much smaller numbers.

Humpback whales made a comeback in the Salish Sea a couple of years ago with more sightings than usual.

The island features five locations recognized as “important bird areas” by the National Audubon Society.

Shorebirds are often the most sought after among bird watchers and Whidbey offers prime habitat for several species with western sandpipers and dunlins among the most common.

Many birders come in hopes of catching a rare sighting of a particular shorebird along the migration path.

Whidbey’s prime bird spots with important designation are Crockett Lake and Penn Cove in the central part of the island, Deer

Glenn Hoffman

Lagoon in the south and Deception Pass and the Crescent Harbor marshes on North Whidbey. The marshes are located on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island near the Seaplane base.

Crockett Lake, located next to the Coupeville ferry terminal, is not only a top place to spot shorebirds at certain times of the year but is one of the best places to view raptors, including the bald eagle, northern harrier and red-tailed hawk.

The Deer Lagoon estuary, near Useless Bay, is less accessible to the public but is home to thousands of shorebirds, songbirds, raptors and waterfowl throughout the year.

The great blue heron, a large wading bird, can be seen all across Whidbey’s shorelines and marshes. The herons take to wing at dusk, heading back to their rookeries in trees.

A large concentration is across the highway from Greenbank Farm.

Whidbey also is home to several owl species, woodpeckers and hummingbirds.

Black-tailed deer are all over the island and can be a hazard on the highways, especially at night. A good place to see deer in large numbers during daytime hours is at Fort Casey State Park in Coupeville.

Drive off the mainland to...

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langley

ISLANDER 2019

Village is epicenter for the arts, unique events and fun Dubbed the Village by the Sea, Langley lives up to its moniker in many ways — waterfront views, beaches and marina docks to stroll, charming shops, quaint downtown streets, even an annual parade to welcome the whales. It’s also an artists’ mecca filled with galleries, outdoor art and events celebrating the arts.

Langley attracts many visitors year round because it’s easy to reach and once you get there, you can walk most everywhere. The city’s business district spans roughly 12 blocks between First and Third Streets and Park and Camano Avenues. Langley offers a wide array of shopping opportunities, from gift shops with handcrafted jewelry and home decor, stylish clothing and import shops and fine art galleries. Book collectors, avid readers and lovers of independent bookstores should check out Gregor Rare Books and Moonraker Books located across the street from one another on First Street.

Those looking for a sip of Whidbey’s many vineyards, Village Wine Shop & Tasting Room and Ott and Hunter Wines offer a large selection of local, state and world wines to choose from. Dining options include Prima Bistro, Village Pizzeria, Braeburn Cafe, Spyhop Public House, Portico Latin Bistro and Saltwater Fish & Oyster Bar. Coffee shops include Useless Bay Coffee Company, where many locals gather for breakfast, and South Whidbey Commons, which is

More than 1,000 visitors packed Langley’s first event of 2019, the Sea Float Scramble, which was over in a flash of glass.

a unique training cafe for youth and offers delicious dishes, baked goods and espresso.

Sprinklz Ice Cream Parlor and Coffee Shop is a yummy stop. To satisfy a sweet tooth, there’s no better place than Sweet Mona’s Chocolate Boutique. The Star Store, Langley’s go-to store for almost everything, is divided into a food section, liquor and wine store and

a specialty clothing store that also has many Whidbey Island-themed gifts.

Community theater abounds in Langley with numerous theater groups, a performing arts center and the summer Island Shakespeare Festival.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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idbey Island

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Callahan McVay makes a sea float in his Firehouse Studio and Gallery in Langley.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Moonraker Books Owner Josh Hauser sits amid a backdrop of good reads.

Central Asian Bazaar

Music for the Eyes

Its longtime fall event, DjangoFest Northwest, brings in thousands of musicians.

One of Langley’s biggest attractions is the summer four-day Whidbey Island Fair, which is a throwback to quaint county fairs. The old county fairgrounds filled with barns, a horse arena, kitchens and stages, is undergoing a transformation into a year-round event center. The Port of South Whidbey maintains the fairgrounds, manages its RV campground and also operates Langley’s marina where it throws a summer musical festival called Dockstock.

In the spring, Langley’s Welcome the Whales Parade and Festival celebrates about a dozen migrating gray whales that stop and

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feed in Saratoga Passage on their northern migration from Baja to the Bering Sea. You can learn all about them at the Langley Whale Center on Anthes Avenue; be on alert for the sound of a bell clanging in Whale Bell Park — it means whales are out there. Whale watching excursion boats make regular trips from Langley’s marina out to see grays, orcas and the occasional humpback. Community gatherings and celebrations held annually include Deck the Doors at Christmastime, Halloween trick-or-treating, Sea Float Scramble and the Holly Jolly Parade in early December. Langley is also known for its Mystery Weekend in late winter when people poke around town looking for clues to solve a fictional crime.

The Whidbey Queer Pride Festival and parade takes place in Langley in June.

Memorial Day brings out cats and dogs and other critters for the Pawz Pet Parade and March is filled with lovers of Langley’s infamous bunnies. Called Bunny Daze featuring “wascally wabbits,” the event celebrates the bountiful bunnies on lawns everywhere, the product of an alleged escape from a 4-H event years ago from the fairgrounds. That’s still the best place to spot them, just watch your step around all their burrowing holes.

The Clyde Theatre on First Street has been showing movies the past 80 years and continues to bring in both independent and critically acclaimed movies. For kids and adults wanting to be kids, a unique space called the Machine Shop is open daily for fun. It features 60 vintage pinball machines, funky neon art and a virtual reality booth that can send you into space, the sea or your favorite fantasy world. Just setting up shop in Langley is Whidbey Art Escape, a paint-your-own ceramics business located next to the whale center.

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arts

Year-round fun to be found on Whidbey Island Although Whidbey Island can make a quiet getaway, there’s also plenty going on to keep visitors endlessly entertained.

JULY 11-SEPT. 1 ISLAND SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL The Bard is not hard to find on Whidbey, at least during the summer months. Founded in 2010, this open air Shakespeare stage features three productions running in repertory on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, July 11 through Sept 1. The plays are performed outdoors in an old-world style tent and the casual atmospheres is family friendly. So’s the price — it’s free but donations keep it afloat via the Pass the Hat concept. Audiences put what they can or want to in the hat for each performance. The outdoor stage at Maxwelton Road is near Langley.

ISLANDER 2019

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS Go back in time when small towns everywhere wished the nation “Happy Birthday” with patriotic parades and old-fashioned fun. That’s the kind of Independence Day spirit to expect around Whidbey Island. Oak Harbor sports one of largest Fourth of July celebrations at Windjammer Park with a beach-side carnival, vendors and many food choices. A grand parade with some 100 entries winds its way through downtown on July 4. Be sure to plan to stay into the evening when fireworks shimmer off the water in a spectacular closure. At Freeland Park, Celebrate America takes place July 3. Organized by the staff and congregation of South Whidbey Assembly of God Church, it features all kinds of games and activities for children, food vendors and a fireworks display at dusk. Maxwelton’s Independence Day parade will also be marching in South Whidbey.

JULY 18-21 WHIDBEY ISLAND FAIR Farm animals, a carnival, games, music and other events are the annual attractions at the Whidbey Island Fair on the historic and picturesque fairgrounds in Langley. It’s a throwback to county fairs of simpler days. Barnyard critters, weird vegetables and 4-H projects are among many exhibits. Crops, horticulture and

floriculture are also spotlighted and all types of handiwork from clothing to canning, pies to photography are vying for prizes.

JULY 23-27 WHIDBEY ISLAND RACE WEEK Colorful spinnakers, jibs and other sails surround Whidbey Island this July during the premier sailboat-racing regatta of the Pacific Northwest. Racing and cruising sailboats can be seen from many vantage points around Oak Harbor, Penn Cove near Coupeville and from the shores of Saratoga Passage. Thousands of sailors participate in this week-long event that’s anchored at Oak Harbor Yacht Club and Oak Harbor Marina. You don’t have to know port from starboard to join in the fun. Each day following sailboat racing, Whidbey Island Race Week presents a post-race party at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club, featuring live music, fun crew contests, daily race awards and food and beverage services.

AUG. 10-11 COUPEVILLE ARTS AND CRAFTS The Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival is held each summer with Penn Cove as the quaint backdrop. Come experience some of the finest art and crafts with vendors from all over the country.

In addition to the vendor booths, the festival features an art gallery and wine reception, a wine and beer garden, a hands-on children’s activity area, a food court and live entertainment. The Coupeville Festival Association is all about giving back to the local community. It is a 100-percent volunteer-run organization and the money raised stays local through annual grants given to various community organizations and projects. Its goals are to enhance the community of Coupeville by distributing the non-operational proceeds of the annual Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival to projects that demonstrate: preservation and beautification of the historic community, promotion of quality handcrafts, and the arts and cultural enrichment of the community’s residents.

AUG. 11 PIGFEST Get high on the hog at the Aug. 11 Oak Harbor Pigfest that features free barbecue pork, kids’ games, music and lots of family fun. In its 10th year, the annual event is Chef Scott Fraser’s way to say thanks to the community. Fraser is the chef and owner of Frasers Gourmet Hideaway, a fine-dining experience in Oak Harbor. A professionally-sanctioned barbecue competition is part of the Pigfest with more than two dozen cooks vying to be the tastiest, tangy crowd favorite. Be prepared to wait in line for that free meal as some 10,000 people come out.

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AUG. 30-SEPT. 1 OAK HARBOR MUSIC FESTIVAL This free three-day event is becoming known as a great place to hang Labor Day weekend and take in a diverse gathering of bands and jams.

Since it began in 2012, attendance has soared from year to year and topped 20,000 festivalgoers last year, some who came by boat and tied up at Oak Harbor Marina. More than 30 bands perform with acts spanning just about every genre from country to rock ’n’ roll and electronica. Bands from across the country are vying to be on the play list and be part of the music scene that takes over Oak Harbor’s downtown Pioneer Way. SEPT. 18-22 DJANGOFEST NORTHWEST Celebrating more than 16 years of gypsy jazz, DjangoFest attracts performers from around the world and packs in the music lovers to Langley.

One of the longest established Gypsy Jazz festivals in North America, it features performers at various venues, workshops and impromptu Djams that spring-up everywhere over five days of unforgettable guitar virtuosity, Sinatresque crooning and experimental offerings, such as “Gypsy Meets Flamenco.” The amazing sounds are complimented by Langley’s fresh seaside air and offerings of locally-produced wines, food and coffee.

ers appeal to adults. Check out www.hauntingofcoupeville.com for all of the dates and times as the event approaches.

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS During November and December, all the island communities create their own special holiday ambiance. In late November, the annual Lighting of Langley features singing carols, sipping hot cider and cocoa, Santa and Whidbey’s own alpaca-reindeer. On Dec. 7, Langley’s Holly Jolly Holiday Parade takes place in the morning; Also, Dec. 7, the Greening of Coupeville is jam-packed with activity. The morning’s Jingle Trail Run sees residents brave the cold for a rush of exercise adrenaline through Fort Casey and Camp Casey. Saratoga Orchestra offers a free concert at the high school in the afternoon and several churches hold holiday bazaars with special meals. In late afternoon, people gather downtown for the annual Greening of Coupeville Parade. Post parade, head to Cooke’s Corner Park for caroling and a tree lighting. Downtown businesses stay open for late-night shopping while boats from the Oak Harbor Yacht Club cruise through Penn Cove for the Lighted Boat Parade.

In Oak Harbor, Santa stops by downtown to help with the tree lighting and visit with little ones.

On New Year’s Eve, check out Oak Harbor’s annual fireworks celebration.

JAN. 4, 2020 SEA FLOAT SCRAMBLE If you see hundreds of kids at Langley’s Seawall Park on Jan. 4 poking around trees and totem poles, you’ve stumbled upon the annual Sea Float Scramble. Join in and try and find gleaming glass sea floats made and donated by artist Callahan McVay, who owns a glassblowing studio set up in Langley’s old fire station. Called Callahan’s Firehouse, just a short walk from the scramble, it provides a front-row view of how the floats are made. The Sea Float Scramble event is 11 a.m. the first Saturday after the New Year weekend. Everyone, young and old, can join in the hunt for free and go home with their own glass treasure.

FEB. 22-23, 2020 LANGLEY MYSTERY WEEKEND Every February someone commits a notorious crime in Langley and it takes a village to solve it.

Billed as the longest running Mystery Weekend in the United States, going on 36 years, young and old can sign-up for a fee and join in the whodun-it fun. Clues are left everywhere around local Langley shops and stops. A cast of characters hang out on street corners, getting grilled by wannabe detectives looking for suspects. Sleuths successfully solving the dastardly deed may win prizes. Better than any TV prime time crime.

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SEPT. 21-22 WHIDBEY ISLAND KITE FESTIVAL Whidbey’s winds whip without respite. So naturally, one of the premier kite competitions in the Pacific Northwest takes flight here at Camp Casey. Set against the majestic backdrop of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound, the kite festival features impressive ground and air displays of color and imagination. The annual event features competitive kite flying, kite making and beginning sport kite lessons. The highlight of the weekend is the Whidbey Island Sport Kite Championships. Competition takes place both Saturday and Sunday on the field at Camp Casey, and Saturday night indoor events take place at the Coupeville High School gym.

OCTOBER HAUNTING OF COUPEVILLE Each October a variety of community partners, with the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce at the helm, host a month of Halloween and harvest-related activities. Check out the corn maze during the day and the haunted corn maze at night on select days throughout the month.

Visit Sherman Pioneer Farm’s pumpkin patch complete with trolly rides and a haunted barn.

Stop by Front Street for the Great Pumpkin Race and Halloween Torchlight Parade. Events vary from week-to-week and by appeal. Some events cater to children and families, while oth15

arts

ISLANDER 2019

ing school bands and lots of tulip-toting children dressed in Dutch costumes who generously pass out the colorful national flower. The festival also hosts a Klompen Canal Race on Sunday where kids decorate tiny wooden shoes and race them down a tiny “canal.” Downtown’s Pioneer Way is closed Saturday and Sunday to make room for the music, food, and a beer garden in the historic waterfront area. A classic car show is also staged.

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MARCH 7-8, 2020 PENN COVE MUSSELFEST “Bold, briny and blue,” world-famous mussels are the centerpiece of the Coupeville festival.

There’s chowder tasting, mussel eating competitions, farm tours and activities for all ages, featuring locally flavored fun. Visitors to the festival, should start at the MusselFest Headquarters, located at the Coupeville Recreation Hall in the heart of historic downtown Coupeville. Here they can purchase tickets to the festival favorite Mussel Chowder Tasting Competition, which pits local restaurants against each other for the coveted Mussel Chowder prize. The competition sells out quickly, so organizers recommend that visitors buy their tickets before noon each day. MusselFest Headquarters is also the center for mussel cooking demonstrations, the daily mussel eating competition and tickets for the mussel farm boat tour. The Waterfront Wine & Beer Garden provides locally crafted brews with nearby family outdoor dining.

On Saturday, the Penn Cove Shellfish Mussels, Wine & Beer Garden entertains the crowds with live music, as well as fresh mussels and great beverages. The weekend also includes a “Mussels in the Kettles” Mountain Bike Poker Ride and the Spring Art Tour, featuring artists at studios from Greenbank to Oak Harbor.

MAY 16, 2020 PENN COVE WATER FESTIVAL The mission of the Penn Cove Water Festival Association is to continue an annual revival of the historic Coupeville Water Festival by bringing families together to enjoy Native American canoe racing, entertainment, crafts and culture and by giving them a chance to learn about, appreciate and protect the environment. The one-day event features annual tribal canoe races, Native arts and crafts, demonstrations, storytelling, dance performances, artist demonstrations, authentic Native foods, children’s activities and exhibits and displays. Tribal canoe racers come from all over the region to compete in races from the Coupeville Boat Launch to the Coupeville Wharf.

Spectators can view the races from viewpoints along Front Street and at the wharf. Vendors line Front Street selling Native items and food. Tribal performance demonstrate tribal music and dances for spectators.

APRIL 23-26 Holland Happening There’s much Dutch at Oak Harbor’s annual celebration of its farming pioneers who emigrated from Holland in the late 1800s. Tulips sprout up on all corners and wooden shoes, licorice and other Dutch treats take over downtown during the four-day festival. A carnival, street fair, traditional dinner and Grand Parade are the main attractions.

Saturday, a Town Crier kicks off the parade and broom-toting Street Sweepers tidy up the parade route, a tradition going back to small towns in Holland. More than 100 entries comprise the parade that always includes the finest local march-

MUSICAL EVENTS The Saratoga Orchestra and Whidbey Island Community Orchestra each perform several live music concerts throughout the year. Many wineries feature weekly music, and they are worth checking out for the latest offerings.

Recommended are: Ott & Hunter Wines in downtown Langley, which features an eclectic selection of musical acts; Blooms Winery on Bayview Road offers many folk and other artists; Dancing Fish near Freeland serves up bands and soloists in its beautiful airy barn.

The Machine Shop in Langley features live

local music monthly. Meerkerk Gardens near Greenbank offers a scenic Bluegrass in the Gardens in mid August.

ART WALKS AND GALLERIES The Whidbey Art Trail is a self-guided visit to art spaces throughout the island. Whidbey Working Artists Studio Tour provides a chance to chat with artists at their studio. Front Street in downtown Coupeville, Pioneer Way in Oak Harbor, Greenbank Farm and downtown Freeland are excellent places to stroll and check out galleries and shops featuring local artists. Additionally, Langley features First Saturday Art Walks, which are a nice way to stroll the two-block town in the evening and check out many local artists showcased at numerous galleries.

The Whidbey Island Woodworker’s Guild presents Woodpolooza in September in Langley. It shows off the talents of master craftsmen/women who make their living creating pieces that will beautifully endure for generations. Cabinetry, sculptures, finely carved bowls, musical instruments, clocks and many other pieces are displayed.

THEATER AND DANCE Whidbey Playhouse in Oak Harbor is the North End’s main performing arts venue and produces about seven shows each year, including musicals and dramas. Langley is home to many live theater venues: The largest is Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, or WICA, the main theater on South Whidbey. It offers a wide variety of plays, live music, talks and many other events.

Whidbey Island Children’s Theater provides opportunity for youth ages 4-19 to experience community, connection and creativity through theater programs. Whidbey Island Dance Theater where many young dancers learn at its studio and perform in number of seasonal productions. Outcast Productions, also in Langley, offers socially conscious, edgy and thought-provoking theatrical experiences.

SEASIDE & SYLVAN h o m e

&

g i f t

located at

The Shops at Greenbank Farm

Providing housing and basic needs for the homeless and at-risk youth and young adults of Whidbey Island.

(360) 331-4575 www.ryanshouseforyouth.org

16

EXPERIENCE

Galleries • Studios • Schools

Garry Oak Gallery 830 SE Pioneer Way, #101 | Oak Harbor (360) 240-0222 www.garryoakgallery.com

Whimsies Mosaics, Art, Gifts, Teas 830 SE Pioneer Way, #104 | Oak Harbor (360) 682-2468 www.westbeachmosaics.com

Pacific Northwest Art School 15 NW Birch St } Coupeville (360) 678-3396 www.pacificnorthwestartschool.org

Paint Your World 860 SE Pioneer Way, #102 | Oak Harbor (360) 679-4115 www.paintyourworld.net

L STUDIO MODERN 302 1st Street Langley, WA 98260 619-306-1963

Casey's Crafts 14485 SR 525 | Bayview Center (360) 321-0577 www.caseyscrafts.com

Sunday 9:00 to 5:00

Mon - Sat 9:00 to 6:00

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ere You’re

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Tropical plants • Gifts for Home & Garden • Bulbs, Seeds, Tools & Fertilizers Trees • Vines • Shrubs • Perennials • Annuals

2-1/2 Acres of Gardeners’ Paradise Ranked in the Top 100 of Independent Garden Centers in the U.S. w w w. b a y v i e w f a r m a n d g a rd e n . c o m SR525 at Bayview Road • 360-321-6789

Nestled on the grounds of Bayview Farm and Garden, we believe in providing our community with nourishing food and drinks made with love. We celebrate the bounty of the ever-changing seasons, sourcing our ingredients as locally and organically as possible.

Open Daily 8-4pm Follow Us on Facebook & Instagram: @flowerhousecafe

18

bayview

ISLANDER 2019

Custom Homes  Remodels  Commercial

Area is a hidden gem worth a closer look

Bayview may be easy to pass by with barely a glimpse for those traveling up and down Whidbey Island on the highway. Doing so, however, would mean missing out on one of Whidbey’s hidden and historic gems.

Bayview is home to one of the strongest farming and gardening communities on South Whidbey, as well as a hub of thriving businesses. Changing art shows, gardens to stroll, wine tasting, live music, unique shops and a variety of food, beer, even doughnuts and coffee are all within Bayview Corner, the crown jewel of the area that is just off Highway 525 on Bayview Road.

There’s even a specialty store for lovers of Shakespeare.

The Taproom offers pints of beer, hard cider and food. Farmer & The Vine is a fairly new business offering a diverse selection of wine by the flight, glass or bottle. Its tastings are paired with small dishes or with multi-course meals prepared monthly.

For the more casual nosh, Whidbey Doughnuts, ensconced in a cozy oldfashioned cafe, offers a delectable variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner fare during summer months. It features dozens of doughnuts and doughnut holes, including gluten-free and it makes its famous Glonuts, candles made from leftover shortening. All three venues occasionally host live music. Recently opened is Bard’s Boutique, a tiny shop filled with totes, T-shirts, games, greeting cards, pottery, even coloring books all revolving around William Shakespeare. The gift shop benefits the Island Shakespeare Festival, now in

Custom Homes  Remodels  Commercial Custom Homes  Remodels  Commercial

Custom Homes  Remodels  Commercial Whidbey Doughnuts in Bayview has a new take on candles: Glonuts, created from used shortening.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

360-321-6414 2856 Howard Rd. Langley, WA 98260 360-321-6414

360-321-6414 360-321-6414

2856 Howard Rd. formerly Langley, WA2856 98260 Howard

Rd. 2856 Howard Rd. formerly Langley, 98260 Langley, WA 98260

formerly formerly www.mcclurecustomhomes.com

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19

www.mcclurecustomhomes.com www.mcclurecustomhomes.com

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

its 10th year of offering three rotating plays at an outdoor amphitheater in Langley. Costumes from past productions are on display along with wallsize paintings by local artists.

Bayview Farm and Garden, a 2 1/2-acre fullservice center, is a wonderful place for a short walk on paths winding in and around its beautiful arrangement of trees, shrubs, plants, grasses and flowers. It’s known for its living tunnel of laburnum trees. Inside, find a gift department, tools, house ware, house plants, potato starters and more. It also operates Flower House Cafe, a charming place to sit awhile inside or on its patio, enjoying a cup of coffee, avocado toast or roasted squash frittata.

From May to October, the popular Bayview Farmers Market is open Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Just look for the brightly colored flags.

Whidbey produce and locally made goods make up the bulk of booths, and there’s always baked goods, food vendors and usually musicians playing a chord or two.

Within the courtyard of Bayview Corner is a pleasant oasis with a giant chess board, picnic tables, shady trees and antique bikes hanging from Bayview Bicycles. Art galleries, La Salon

Shakespearean quotes adorn clothing for sale at the Bard’s Boutique.

Bella, and Sojourn Studios for yoga and pilates are also tucked inside the 1924 building simply called the Bayview Cash Store that was once a community mercantile and meeting place. There’s also a historic community hall, schoolhouse and a renovated 1914 Sears, Roebuck kit home, all used

2843 Howard Road, Langley, WA 98260 next to The Goose grocery store

Your Appliance & Mattress Professionals!

for various festivals, dances and events.

If you’re looking for an authentic farm to table meal, Orchard Kitchen is the real deal. Located just across from the Cash Store on a five-acre farm, its ever-changing array of “hyper seasonal” dinners are served in the converted house. Reservations are a must.

Groceries, hardware, arts and crafts and other consumer goods are available off Highway 525 in a cluster of shops and gas station near Bayview Corner. The Goose Grocer is a supermarket owned by the Goosefoot Foundation that gives grants to a variety of community projects and next door is Sebo’s Do-It-Center for all your hardware needs.

Two dining options, Joe’s Wood Fired Pizza and Neil’s Clover Patch Cafe, beloved by community members for its breakfasts, can be found there.

Finally, for those wanting to catch their own dinner, Lone Lake, stocked annually with rainbow trout, glistens just down the road a piece.

WHIDBEY ISLAND 14485A State Route 525,TRADITION Langley, WA (360) 321-0577 Art & Craft Supplies

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21

freeland

ISLANDER 2019

Community features boats, burgers, beverages This unincorporated area is home to Whidbey’s largest private employer and has a thriving commercial core. You have to go off the main highway just a bit to find Nichols Brothers Boat Builders sitting on the edge of Holmes Harbor.

Started as a family business nearly 55 years ago, the company has built 200 boats, including two “pocket” cruise ships for National Geographic, dozens of tug boats, fire boats for various cities, river boats for a DisneyWorld ride and the superstructure for six Washington state ferries.

A simple wooden fence surrounds its 15 acres where some 300 employees shape ships; the original Nichols family home now serves as a visitors’ viewing area.

With about 2,000 residents, Freeland is also dubbed “Bank Alley” in reference to how it evolved into South Whidbey’s de facto financial center full of banks, title companies and insur-

Wild Birds Unlimited offering fresh & healthy bird food and well-designed bird feeders and houses Bird Feeders • Bird Food • Gifts Bird Baths • Chimes • Books Bird Houses

ance offices. It’s also home to one of two locations for the local telecommunications company, Whidbey Telecom. The office is situated next to WiFire Cafe, where baristas crank out cups of joe and sandwiches.

Freeland also offers visitors a few eating experiences, ranging from down-home food at the local favorite, Bubba’s Burger (can’t miss its neon yellow food truck just off the highway) and the Freeland Cafe, an old-time diner with new owners who are sprucing up the venue and menu.

More refined dining can be found at Charmer’s Bistro and at Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill, which has a stunning panoramic view of mountains and water and is one of Whidbey’s destinations for fresh-dish foodies.

There’s also Rocket Taco that cooks up traditional or unusual deluxe tacos with ingredients like chipotle-spiced sweet potatoes and anchoseasoned chicken; and also serves margaritas, beer and wine.

Next door is Freeland Freeze, an ice cream shop open during the summer. Nearby China City is also a favorite stop for residents to have lunch or dinner.

Blooms, a longtime Whidbey winery in a new location, now serves lunch and dinner at its Blooms Winery & 5511 Bistro at 5511 Freeland Ave. It features fresh, low-carb, never fried dishes that are a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Its long tradition of live music continues on many evenings.

The centrally located Freeland Plaza Shopping

Mutiny Bay Antiques 24 Dealers

Vintage Outdoor Garden

5565 Van Barr Place Suite AB, Freeland

22

Open 7 Days a week 1612 Main St. Freeland

360-341-1404

360-331-3656

www.mutinybayantiques.com

Center houses a grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy and jeweler for household needs.

Across from Freeland’s post office is one of Whidbey’s largest cannabis product entrepreneurs called Island Herb. There’s also an antiques mall and a few other shops to poke around.

All kinds of artists live and create in Freeland but they’re not that easy to find.

Sculptors, granite counter specialists, welders, painters and others work out of an old timber mill right in the center of Freeland. The artists co-op work space is called Freeland Studio and has a public sculpture garden to view outside its warehouse doors.

Freeland also abounds in thrift stores that benefit non-profits, such as the Habitat for Humanity Store and the WAIF thrift store that raises money for an animal shelter.

Island Senior Resources also manages a huge two-story thrift store (look for the pig out front) selling household items, clothes and many other treasures to benefit programs and services for the elderly.

The Freeland area has a plethora of outdoor activities to explore that are chock full of gorgeous views and scenic walks. Double Bluff Beach is a longtime favorite among locals looking to take advantage of the large stretch of sand, let their dog off their leash or dig for clams.

The beach looks south toward Kitsap County, and if the skies are clear enough, Mount Rainier pokes its ice cream cone head out. Visitors can also get a feel of Whidbey’s heavily-wooded natural environment at South Whidbey State Park, which has old-growth forest and scenic vistas that look out to the Olympic Peninsula and Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Freeland Park, facing Holmes Harbor, has a playground and picnic area.

For a leisurely stroll through nature trails, just south of Freeland on Highway 525, is the Earth Sanctuary, a nature reserve and Buddhist retreat center.

Whether you’re looking to grab a bite to eat, run errands or get your fill of Whidbey’s nature, Freeland has a little bit of everything.

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spirits

ISLANDER 2019

Discover drinks for all tastes

The island is home to a number of breweries, wineries and distilleries that typically craft their beverages in smaller batches and serve their product to local businesses. Some of it is shipped off of the island, but for the most part these alcoholic beverage connoisseurs keep their product only on Whidbey Island. The extensive farmland and climate, particularly the South Whidbey microclimate, make for an ideal place to grow certain types of grapes that can later be used in wines. The wet and temperate climate is great for white varieties that originate from the cooler parts of France’s Loire Valley and Alsace, Germany.

But some wineries, including Spoiled Dog Winery off Maxwelton Road, have managed to grow pinot noir grapes when it was previously thought that Whidbey Island was too cold to grow red varietals.

Given the climate, most of Whidbey’s wineries are located on the South End, while wine bars such as Vail or bayleaf in Coupeville and the Terrace Wine Bar and Rustica Cafe in Oak Harbor offer tastes farther north. The winer-

ies include: Spoiled Dog Winery, Comforts of Whidbey, Blooms Winery, Swede Hill Cellars, Whidbey Island Winery, Holmes Harbor Cellars and Dancing Fish Winery.

While Whidbey’s wine scene has been around for years, the brewery and distillery scenes are more recent developments. Mutiny Bay Distillery in the Freeland area and Cultus Bay Distillery both hone their own unique craft, with Mutiny Bay Distillery specializing in a variety of whiskeys and the crafters in Cultus Bay distilling a range of spirits, including a traditional poitin, or Irish moonshine.

Cadée Distillery in Clinton was started by a Scotsman who seeks to create a “different kind of American spirits company based on the long lost model of the classic Scotch Distillery and blending houses of the 16th century,” according to its website.

Whidbey Island Distillery, located off Craw Road, was the island’s first distillery. The crafters have won awards for their spirits, including a platinum medal awarded by the Beverage Testing Institute for their blackberry liqueur.

Tasting Room Est. 1986Hours 11 – 5pm closed Tues.

5237 Langley Rd Langley, WA 98260 360.221.2040 www.whidbeyislandwinery.com

Perfect Picnics!

Wine, Cheese, Cured Meats, Sweets and More!

101 NW Coveland Street • Coupeville 360.678.6603

24

www.bayleaf.us

The platinum medal is the highest honor.

The island is also home to a number of breweries that craft their own sudsy delights.

In Oak Harbor, the aviation-themed Flyers Restaurant and Brewery serves up a plethora of beer options in a brewpub that’s fitting for Oak Harbor, considering the close proximity of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Further south in Coupeville, Penn Cove Brewing Company is celebrating over a year of serving up brews in its cozy taproom. Wicked Teuton Brewing Company, located at the back of Whidbey Island Home Brew Supply in Oak Harbor, serves the ideal end product from its home-brew recipe kits. Double Bluff Brewing Company and Ogre Brewing call South Whidbey home.

Downtown Langley is home for Double Bluff Brewing Company, which has back patio seating and an indoor space in an industrial setting. Further south down Cultus Bay Road, next to Bailey’s Corner Store, the two friendly fellas who operate Ogre Brewing are making suds out of an old garage. Visitors are able to sit in a designated area in front of the brewery.

On Whidbey Island, choices are plentiful with a selection of beverages for any palette.

Whidbey Island Distilleries Association

Craftsmanship and ownership are at the heart of every bottle produced at Whidbey Island Distillery.

The highest rated spirits in the world are produced right here on Whidbey Island. Our Blackberry Liqueur has been awarded the prestigious Platinum Medal (98 points) by the Beverage Testing Institute.

Our logo is your assurance that every drop was crafted entirely onsite using the best ingredients sourced from the state of Washington.

Whidbey Island Distillery is more than a distillery— it's a destination. With 9 acres to roam, the distillery is a family-friendly venue where everyone is welcome.

• Open daily 11am – 5pm • Free tours and tastings • Rated #1 thing to do in Langley

by Tripadvisor©

Owned and run by the Stallman family, we make artisan whiskey and liqueurs from Washington sourced ingredients.

Each handmade small batch reflects the character of the grains, the aging process and the distiller's imprint. We are proud to produce the first aged whiskey on Whidbey Island, the salty sea breezes of Mutiny Bay and Holmes Harbor working their magic on the barrels.

Come visit, taste, and meet the distiller behind Palouse Gold and Bayside Whiskies, Sweet Lulu, Coffee and Blueberry Liqueurs, and Strait Gin.

3466 Craw Rd., Langley Wa 98260 360-321-4715 or hello@whidbeydistillery.com www.whidbeydistillery.com

5490 Cameron Rd., Freeland, WA 98249 360-331-3797 www.mutinybaydistillery.com

Truly a craft distillery using local Washington barley. We are completely grain-to-glass and small batch with hands on cuts to ensure traditonal quality.

Cultus bay distillery's stills are designed by Bob Brunjes and made by Kathy Parks and Harry Sloan.

We are located on Cultus Bay. OUR TASTING ROOM and TOURS are educational, exciting and FREE. call us 360 579-5632 we are here!

Our products include: award winning te’ Absolvo vodka, Mortal gin, Poitin whiskey, and Mulligan xxx, a single malt triple-pot-stilled whiskey. We also produce bitters: ginseng, orange, lemon and ginger.

ASK for Cultus Bay distillery products. We are sold at all discerning Thurs-Mon 11am-5pm or by appointment stores and for Tasting & Tours restaurants.

8311 Sandy Hook Dr. , Clinton, WA 98236 360-579-5632 25

agriculture Happy cows, such as these bovine from Bailey Farm, can be spotted all across Whidbey Island.

WHIDBEY

FARMS & MARKETS ISLAND

3 Sisters Farm & Market 779 Holbrook Road, Coupeville WA 98239 Open 7 Days a Week - 9:00AM - 6:00PM 3 Sisters Market sells: 3 Sisters Family Farms 100% grass fed beef, all natural pork, all natural lamb, whole chickens, & cage free eggs. We also have a wide selection of Whidbey Island and WA made products. Local produce, pantry items, dairy products, baked goods, books, health, & beauty, wine, beer, cider, home decor & much more. We focus on local, sustainable, & uniqueto our area! www.3sistersmarket.com

26

Bell’s Farm

Bell’s Farm is family owned and operated since 1946. We operate a year round honesty farm stand open 7 days a week where we sell fresh vegetables, fruits, jams, baked goods, gifts, eggs and lamb. Our farm is also an experience! Don’t forget to visit us on June 29th & 30th, 2019 for our third annual Strawberry Daze Festival, it’s fun for the whole family! bellsfarmandstorage@gmail.com Bell’s Farm, 892 West Beach Rd Coupeville, WA 98239 bells-farm.com

ISLANDER 2019

Island has fertile land, rich bounty Whidbey Island is still largely rural and supports farms in various shapes and sizes.

The agricultural scene on the island includes both conventional and less-conventional farming. Some farms raise hay or cattle, but others grow vegetable seed, squash or flowers.

There is no shortage of small farms either, many of which grow vegetables for the island’s many farmers markets. Many raise chickens, pigs, sheep and the other typical barn animals, as well as alpacas, pet donkeys and other creatures great and small.

The center of agriculture on the island has been Central Whidbey for well over 100 years.

Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve encompasses the area. It was created to celebrate and protect the historic area and its ongoing agrarian roots. The scenic vistas of the prairie are often referred to as a working landscape.

The names of farms on the island include Bell’s Farm, Lavender Wind Farm, 3 Sisters Farm, Willowood Farm of Ebey’s Prairie, Crockett Farm, Sherman’s Pioneer Farm, Bayview Farm and Garden and Case Farm.

Greenbank Farm began in 1904 and was once the world’s top producer of loganberries. Today, the Port of Coupeville is making a concerted effort to bring back farming and agriculture to the Greenbank Farm. Salty Acres is currently leasing land to grow flowers and other plants to sell to local florists as well as Greenbank Farm’s stores. A new program, Boots to Roots, is also being established at the farm and will provide agricultural education and training to veterans. Many more acres remain open for leasing, according to the Port of Coupeville.

The K&R Farm Stand north of Frostad Road in Oak Harbor sells self-pick berries and crops, jams, honey and other local products, plus a new addition of a tulip field.

Whidbey Island Grown Week, now entering its third year, brings together local farmers and business to demonstrate to locals and visitors what Whidbey Island produces. Another chance to see Whidbey Island’s produce is during the Whidbey Island Farm Tour, held in the fall.

Fresh agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs and dairy, are available for purchase at farmers markets beginning in April.

Seabolt’s Restaurant & Seafood Market Great Fresh Seafood Menu!

Fresh Local Seafood from the Islands!

Now serving Beer and Hard Cider Open Year Round Facebook.com/shrimpshack

H I N G TO N ’ S WA S

TOP 50TS

BES

T R E S TAU R A N

Oak Harbor 360.675.6485 • 31640 SR 20 #3 Seabolt’s At Deception Pass

360.679.0407 • 40928 SR 20 • Oak Harbor

EW EY N S GR DB 7

THE

P OU

360- 293-2531

Serving lunch and dinner in a comfortable, inviting atmosphere!

WH I

www.shrimpshack.us 6168 State Route 20 Anacortes, WA

BEST OF

WHIDBEY READERS CHOICE AWARDS

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THE OYSTERCATCHER

901 Grace Street | Coupeville 360-678-0683 www.oystercatcherwhidbey.com

CALLEN’S RESTAURANT

12981 State Route 20 | Coupeville 360-499-2306 www.callensrestaurant.com

GREENBANK PANTRY & DELI

WHIDBEY PIES CAFE 765 Wonn Road | Greenbank 360-678-1288 www.whidbeypies.com

25175 State Route 525 | Greenbank 360-222-3673 www.greenbankstore.com

Restaurant Guide Guemes Islands Ferry to

CENTRAL WHIDBEY

27

N

TO W

WY. RONA

RD.

HILL RD.

TERRY RD.

CRESENT HARBOR

BASKIN ROBBINS

R WY.

PIONEE

CHANCES FOR DESSERT

E

WELCH

ER RD

.

BAYVIEW FARM & GARDEN FLOWER HOUSE CAFE

American cuisine serving breakfast all day 705 SE Pioneer Way | Oak Harbor 360-240-0250

RIVERSIDE CAFE

830 SE Pioneer Way #106 | Oak Harbor HASTIE LAKE .

360-682-6119HOUSTON RD

525

20 Mexican & American Cuisine Authentic

NOE JOSE CAFE

RACE RD.

Tea bar, cafe & yoga studio 710 SE Fidalgo Avenue | Oak Harbor WANAMAKER RD. 20 360-240-8888

PATMORE RD.

LOTUS TEA BAR & STUDIO

PA

1191 SE Fidalgo Avenue, #101 | Oak Harbor D. • www.frasersgh.com (360) 279-1231 RE R TMO

20 Fine Dining, Steak MORRIS RD. and Seafood

FRASERS GOURMET HIDEAWAY

EL CAZADOR

Mexican grill & cantina 32195 State Route 20 | Oak Harbor PARKER 360-675-6114 • www.el-cazador.com RD.

SC

665 SE Pioneer Way Suite #6 | Oak Harbor (360) 720-2080 www.facebook.com/chancesfordessert

Cupcakes, Cookies, Cheesecakes & other Tasty Things C NI

RD.

Never enough coffee. Never enough flowers.

BAKKE N RD. 2780 Marshview Avenue | Langley GREENBANK www.bayviewfarmandgarden.com CHRIS TIANSON RD. LAGOON PT. RD.

THE BRAEBURN

COZY’S ROADHOUSE

221 Second St, #9A | Langley 360-221-4959 http://UltraHouse.us

ULTRA HOUSE

317 Second Street | Langley 360-221-4494 • www.spyhoppub.com

IN Y

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CROSBY RD. CROSB

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BRAINERS RD.

THOMPSON RD.

MILLMAN RD.

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RD

GOSS LAKE RD.

ANDREASON RD.

O BR

S OK

EWING RD.

SILLS RD.

MORTLAND DR.

ILL

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525

LANGLEY

CRESENT HARBOR

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DEER LAKE RD.

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ELL RD CAMPB

SPRINGWA TER LN.

FRENCH RD.

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SPYHOP PUBLIC HOUSE

113 First Street | Langley 360-221-5474 • www.saltwaterlangley.com

SALTWATER FISH HOUSE & OYSTER BAR

Classic French inspired bistro 201 ½ First Street | Langley 360-221-4060 • www.primabistro.com

PRIMA BISTRO

11042 WA 525| Clinton 360-341-3940 • www.picklesdeliwhidbey.com

PICKLES DELI

8898 SR 525 | Clinton 360-341-3828 • islandnosh.com

ISLAND NOSH

112 Anthes Ave | Langley 360-333-9113 • www.dblfbrewing.com

DOUBLE BLUFF BREWING CO

8872 WA 525 | Clinton 360-341-2838 • www.cozysroadhouse.com

R RE ES SO ORR

TOMCHUCK TOMCHUCK OMCHUCK LN. LN LN.

525

Full menu all day, including breakfast!

PLANTATION PLANTATION ION DR. DR. 197 Second Street | Langley 360-221-3211 • www.braeburnlangley.com

RD.

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SILVER LAKE RD.

DE VRIES

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CLINTON

BOB GALB

Roadhouse

PO LNE

HAPPY VALLEY LLEY RD.

885 SE Pioneer Way | Oak Harbor 360-679-8268 SILVER LAKE RD. SIL www.facebook.com/SweetRiceThaiCuisine

S RD. CUISINE SWEETDERICE VRIETHAI & SPIRIT

SHRIMP SHACK

6168 State Route 20 | Anacortes 360-293-2531 | www.shrimpshack.us

SEABOLT’S SMOKEHOUSE

Fresh wild caught local seafood 31640 State Route 20, #3 | Oak Harbor 360-675-6485 • www.seabolts.com

Restaurant Guide

20

32760 State Route 20 | Oak Harbor 360-675-3103 www.baskinrobbins.com

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greenbank Place of picturesque

ISLANDER 2019

green fields, food and art for every taste

The iconic, historic barn at Greenbank Farm was built in 1904.

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Greenbank is a short drive south of Coupeville and is a small unincorporated community. But don’t overlook this stop on Whidbey Island.

The publicly owned, historic Greenbank Farm is iconic in Central Whidbey. The farm has dining, retail shops, wine, art and more.

The 151-acre former loganberry farm was purchased by the Port of Coupeville in 1997. Today, it provides a picturesque location for weddings, reunions and festivals.

The Greenbank Barn is home to Whidbey Pies & Cafe, a lunch venue for people looking for fresh fare and legendary pies.

Visitors can also shop at the nearby art galleries and sample treats at Greenbank Cheese Specialty Food & Gifts. If in the mood for a bit more of an adult libation, the wine shop offers tastings and even has the farm’s well-known loganberry wine available.

The Port of Coupeville is working to revitalize traditional agricultural farming at the Greenbank Farm, leasing out unused land. Local farms, such as Salty Acres’ flower farm, are bringing color and new life

to Greenbank Farm.

The farm is continuing to grow with new businesses and also new events.

The nonprofit group Friends of Greenbank Farm formed in 2017 and has been busy planning ways to support the farm and bring renewed interest and events to the farm.

The farm also has an expansive area set aside for off-leash dog walkers, and horses and alpacas have grazed on the pasture located next to the highway.

A short distance south of the highway is the Greenbank Store, a long-time community gathering place built in 1904 and now undergoing extensive renovation.

In the meantime, its new owners opened Greenbank Deli & Pantry next door which sells basic household supplies and groceries, wine, beer, deli meat sandwiches and salads that are worth the drive.

Just down the road a bit further is the popular Meerkerk Gardens, which has 50 acres of woodland gardens and forest preserve run as a nonprofit organization. The gardens are open to the public year-round, but rhododendron bloom season is April 1 to May 31.

Some Greenbank stores and stops • Meerkerk Gardens: A colorful public garden of 53 acres open 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Admission is $5.

• Greenbank Pantry and Deli: A small grocery store stocked with everyday basics, beverages of all types and local goods.

• Greenbank Farm Wine Shop: Specializes in local wines, ciders and more, plus a popular loganberry wine.

• Whidbey Pies & Cafe: A family-run cafe serving handmade pie since 1986.

• Seaside & Sylvan: A place to find home decor, furniture and more, in “Whidbey style.”

• Greenbank Cheese: Offers tasty cheese, specialty food and gifts.

• Electric Vehicle charging stations: Located off to the west in the first parking lot when entering Greenbank Farm.

Greenbank Farm’s tenants operate small stores and shops that cater to those interested in fine art, souvenirs, artisan food and hearty pies. There are also scenic trails and beautiful gardens to take a stroll through.

• Art galleries: Artworks Gallery is an artist co-operative with a variety of media styles.

Rob Schouten Gallery displays the artwork of Whidbey artists. Ravenrocks Galley and Gifts sells handmade art and crafts.

Delicious Food Made Fresh on Whidbey Island Baked daily, by the slice or whole to go.

Hearty seafood chowder, soups, salads and sandwiches using local ingredients whenever possible.

Serving espresso and select beers & wines.

www.whidbeypies.com

Free Cheese Tasting Unique Gourmet Variety Gift Certificates Souvenirs & Gifts Local Jams & Syrup Picnic Foods (360) 222-3474 ~ Open daily year ‘round ~ www.facebook.com/GreenbankCheeseAndSpecialty

Nursery Hours: Sat and Sun 10am-3pm

31

parks & rec

ISLANDER 2019

When it comes to recreational opportunities, Whidbey Island offers more than most boarding, thanks to sweeping tide flats of Useless Bay. Skim Skool for youth is taught in August, also available through the recreation district. Useless Bay does have a public park, however, and people can hit the sand anytime for free.

WAYS TO THE WAVES Of course, Island County offers a multitude of possibilities for getting out on the water. Water lovers can rent kayaks on Whidbey at the historic Coupeville Wharf (Harbor Gift & Kayak Rental, 360-6783625) and tour the famous mussel rafts of Penn Cove Shellfish.

On the South End, Whidbey Island Kayaking offers sea kayaking tours and kayak rentals. Call for an update on the company’s tour schedule. Located at the Langley Marina in the warmer months, the company rents paddle board as well as kayaks. Visit www. whidbeyislandkayaking.com or call 360-2210229 for details.

Langley is also home to whale watching opportunities. Gray Whale season is hot in the spring time, but you may also get lucky and spot a few Southern Resident orcas swimming around Whidbey’s shores.

Although rare, they can be seen in Holmes Harbor and in Penn Cove.

Sailing lessons are another fun and affordable way to hit the water. Adult lessons in Pelicans — 12-foot-long dinghies — are offered through the South Whidbey Yacht Club on Lone Lake in South Whidbey. The classes are in June and space fills up quickly, so apply soon. Similar classes are available for kids in July. Email instructor Bob Rogers at bobrodgers100@hotmail.com for program details or call the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District at 360-221-5484.

Also popular on the South End is skim 32

BEST OF THE OUTDOORS For a quieter experience, Whidbey Island is home to hundreds of miles of trails, five state parks as well as bountiful county, municipal and community parks and beaches.

Some offer spectacular views of Puget Sound, others cool walks through lush and ancient forests. Several areas are home to old growth such as South Whidbey State Park’s 500-year-old cedar.

Wildlife is abundant, and both islands are popular locations for bird watchers. Hit Crockett Lake on Central Whidbey for a diversity of birds, from ducks and shorebirds to large birds of prey, and Deer Lagoon on South Whidbey for song birds and other waterfowl.

For wildlife harvesters, Whidbey Island is a hunting and fishing hot spot as well.

Pheasant release sites are located in Bayview on South Whidbey; Ebey’s Landing, Arnold Farm and OLF Coupeville on Central Whidbey; and two areas at the Seaplane Base on North Whidbey are open seasonally.

Several public forests are open for deer hunting as well. As for fishing, locations such as Bush Point on the west side of the island and Deception Pass on the northern tip have been favorites of angles for generations.

Another of Whidbey Island’s recreation scenes is AdventureTerra, an outdoor adventure climbing company that offers canopy tours at Deception Pass State Park.

Customers learn climbing basics and are left with memories that last a lifetime, according to the company’s website, www.adventureterra. com. For additional details or to make a reservation, email contact@adventureterra.com or call 206-914-8613.

UNDER THE SEA Puget Sound offers scuba divers some of the best dive sites in the nation and beyond.

The large tidal exchanges provide a wealth of nutrients that feed a diverse ecosystem of undersea creatures, from such oddities as sea cucumbers to slow-moving lingcod to frisky seals and otters. Perhaps the most popular for divers to encounter is the giant Pacific octopus, the largest octopus in the world.

Fortunately, Whidbey Island has some of the best dive sites around. Keystone Underwater Park in Central Whidbey is one of the most popular shore dives around. It’s located on the other side of a rocky jetty from the Coupeville-to-Port Townsend ferry dock and is positively teaming with life. There’s schooling perch, tube snouts, a plethora of crab, a cascading wall of anemones and — if you’re lucky — a wolf eel or octopus.

Other popular shore and boat dives include the Possession Point Ferry Wreck, the Langley Tire Reef, Strawberry Point and Ebey’s Landing. There’s also Deception Pass, a legendary dive site where currents are strong and divers should use caution.

For equipment, lessons and good advice, visit Whidbey Island Dive Center in Oak Harbor. Check out www.whidbeydive.com or call 360-675-1112.

OTHER STUFF For those with their own watercraft, both islands have a legion of small boat ramps and public beach access points which can be found with a simple web search. Public beaches are great clamming hotspots as well — Grasser’s Lagoon on Central Whidbey attracts people from as far away as Bellingham. For a complete list, visit wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/ beaches/MapArea/08.

Whidbey Island is also home to what some hail as Puget Sound’s spot to surf. Located at Fort Ebey State Park, the spot breaks best on a west, northwest swell.

SEE MORE PARKS & REC ON PAGE 33

Whidbey Island’s many parks provide different ways to interact with the great big outdoors DECEPTION PASS STATE PARK, 10 miles north of Oak Harbor, is one of the most spectacular parks in the state of Washington.

It encompasses the northern end of Whidbey Island and draws more than 1 million visitors a year, the highest attendance in the state’s park system.

Its three freshwater lakes, 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline, two docks and five boat ramps makes it a water-lover’s dream. It also includes nearly 50 miles of trails — 38 for hiking, three for biking and six for horseback riding; 1.6 miles are ADA rated.

The park includes 300 camp sites, an interpretive center and 11 kitchen shelters.

Three miles west of Oak Harbor is the home of JOSEPH WHIDBEY STATE PARK, a day-use facility that offers birdwatching, beach combing and picnicking.

Five miles northwest of Coupeville is FORT EBEY STATE PARK, which, along with Fort Casey, was part of the WWII coastal defense system and houses several small battlements.

The park offers a vast trail system for hiking, biking and horseback riding, as well as camping sites and paragliding opportunities.

You will find the island’s most interesting state park, FORT CASEY, in Central Whidbey. The former U.S. Army base opened in 1897 and was decommissioned after World War II. The park, which is five miles south of Coupeville, features old Army structures, battlements and a lighthouse.

Although Fort Casey’s original guns have been removed, two 10-inch and two three-inch guns were re-installed so visitors could picture what the fort looked like during its early years. The park includes an interpretive center in the Admiralty Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse, decommissioned like the fort, was built in 1903 and remodeled several years later with 18-inch walls to handle the concussion of the fort’s cannons.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Whidbey Island is also for the dogs The OAK HARBOR DOG PARK is located just north of town at the end of Technical Drive off Goldie Road.

Also north of Oak Harbor is the Clover Valley Dog Park at the corner of Oak Harbor and Ault Field roads.

Coupeville’s canine stop, Patmore Pit, is south of Coupeville and is the island’s largest dog park with 40 acres.

From Highway 20, turn on Patmore Road, go past Keystone Hill Road and turn left on the drive leading to the parks maintenance facility.

Dogs and humans will find two miles of shoreline at Double Bluff Beach on

Useless Bay. From Highway 525, go south to the end of Double Bluff Road.

Marguerite Brons Memorial Park, a 13-acre park on South Whidbey, is a half mile south on Bayview Road; and dogfriendly hiking trails can be found at the Greenbank Farms off Highway 525 on Wonn Road.

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parks & rec

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

A marine park for scuba diving, two boat launches and RV and camping sites are other features of Fort Casey.

Seattle Pacific University also owns CAMP CASEY CONFERENCE CENTER, a private portion of what was once part of Fort Casey.

The property has many historic buildings that once housed officers and enlisted men.

The property is now used to offer outdoor education classes, camps and to host other public and private events.

Trails along the bluff and shoreline link Fort Casey and Camp Casey together so guests may find themselves on the private portion.

SOUTH WHIDBEY STATE PARK, a day-use park, is 15 miles south of

1 BAYVIEW FARM & GARDEN We’re honored to be ranked # 70 on a list of Top 100 independent garden centers in the US. Feel your cares melt away and your inspiration peak at Bayview Farm & Garden. Innovative since our inception, we carry only the highest quality, non-toxic products and the healthiest, most beautiful plants suited for western Washington gardens.

Stroll through our greenhouse which is bursting with beautiful hanging baskets, annuals for summer color, bright house plants, and the largest collection of succulents on the island. In the Garden Shop you’ll find a stunning selection of curated products for the home and a built in seed wall to fulfill all of your

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GARDEN TOUR 34

Coupeville and is known for its spectacular views and old-growth timber.

Parks near the island’s three towns offer additional recreational opportunities.

Oak Harbor’s beachfront WINDJAMMER PARK features swimming in a lagoon, hiking and picnicking. The park includes several play fields, basketball courts and sheltered kitchens.

RHODODENDRON PARK, a county park, is 1.5 miles south of Coupeville and offers ballfields, hiking trails, picnic areas and a sheltered barbecue area.

Camping is available April 1 to Nov. 1.

A large wooden play structure for children to explore is the centerpiece of Langley’s SOUTH WHIDBEY COMMUNITY PARK. Visitors will also find tennis and basketball courts as

ISLANDER 2019

well as play fields and trails to hike.

South Whidbey is also the home of SARATOGA WOODS. The park, just west of Langley, is a popular spot for hiking in the Department of Natural Resources and Metcalf Trust trail system.

Another jewel on the island is the privately owned MEERKERK GARDEN just south of Greenbank. It offers five miles of trails through 53 acres of woodland gardens.

These are just some of the parks that dot the length of Whidbey Island.

Visit the Island County and Oak Harbor, Coupeville and Langley websites to access more information.

garden dreams. Come and relax in the Flower House Cafe for a full breakfast, lunch or an artisan coffee and a house made scone. Also, don’t miss our famous Laburnum Arbor which blooms in the month of May! Bloom where you’re planted!

Bayview Farm and Garden 2780 Marshview Ave, Langley 360-321-6789 www.bayviewfarmandgarden.com Monday-Saturday | 9 am - 6 pm Sunday | 9 am - 5 pm Flower House Cafe Open daily 8 am - 4 pm

2 MEERKERK GARDENS Meerkerk Gardens is a four season treasure where visitors can stroll, relax, and enjoy the beauty of a unique woodland garden hosting a renowned collection of species and hybrid rhododendrons. Newly renovated, the Entry Garden now features wider crushed stone walkways making it easier to access the spectacular display of plants. Dogs are welcome on leash.

Over four miles of meandering trails offer a peaceful sanctuary under the canopy of over 40 acres of Pacific Northwest native woodland with the background soundscape of native birdsong.

Open all year, 9am to 4pm, the gardens provide a view of Saratoga Passage with an adjacent picnic area and nursery where visitors can purchase plants for their own gardens.

Holmes Harbor Golf and Beach Club

Holmes Harbor Golf and Beach Club is an executive-style golf course that treats the golfer to a variety of playing challenges as well as stunning panoramic views. Located on Whidbey Island, Washington, our golf course overlooks majestic Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountain Range.

BOOK A TEE TIME TOURNAMENTS & EVENTS MEMBERSHIP & SPECIALS Holmes Harbor is fun and challenging for all skill levels, with beautiful sloping fairways and water views from 11 to 18 holes. Golfers will use every club in particular offers a magnificent view of Holmes Harbor by a classic view of the Cascades.

Holmes Harbor Golf Course is a perfect location for a weekend getaway or group outing.

Call us at (360) 331-2363.

35

coupeville

ISLANDER 2019

Town celebrates in style, values historic charm Coupeville is a town that treasures its historic and rural charm, but also knows how to celebrate.

The town’s waterfront features a shopping district housed in buildings dating back to the late 1800s. Shoppers have a variety of unique stores to explore and, when they start to get hungry, they can dine and sip wine while looking out on the scenic shores and one of the country’s last standing wharfs. The Coupeville Wharf, owned by the Port of Coupeville, is a community treasure.

World-famous Penn Cove mussels are served in various ways at most of the restaurants in town.

There’s the iconic Toby’s Tavern, where guests can grab a beer and a burger if they’re not in the mood for seafood. The Front Street Grill serves seafood and much more on the waterfront. About a block away is Christopher’s restaurant, which features creative Northwest cuisine, and the Oystercatcher, an upscale restaurant with fresh and local fare.

Across town is the Tyee restaurant, a family-oriented cafe, and the Penn Cove Taproom.

Each May, spectators watch tribal canoe races from its docks during the

Coupeville has many festivals, parades, fairs and festivities all year round.

Penn Cove Water Festival. During the annual Arts and Crafts festival in August, visitors can stroll around numerous booths, sample food, watch artists in action and listen to live music.

In March, hundreds of people venture out on tour boats during the Penn Cove Musselfest, which features a lively speed-eating contest, arts and crafts and many mussel-themed activities.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

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Town Shop: 15 Coveland Street | Coupeville Shop Hours: 10am - 5pm Daily Farm: Open during summer season 360.544.4132 | www.lavenderwind.com

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101 NW Coveland Street • Coupeville 360.678.6603

36

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All Aboard The Historic Schooner

Dockside Tours on the Coupeville Wharf Leisurely weekend sails Private events by request

Reservations and information at www.schoonersuva.org or 360-320-4337

A

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

Each year, the Coupeville Lions Club hosts a giant garage sale, attracting hundreds of locals in search of a good deal. The popular sale is held in June. In September, the Whidbey Island Kite Festival soars at the Camp Casey Conference Center, featuring kite crafting for kids, sportkite demonstrations and more.

The town also gets in a festive mood around major holidays, such as for the Haunting of Coupeville in October and the Greening of Coupeville in December.

In between festivals, visitors can be found strolling out on the wharf’s aged planks to see if they can catch a rare glimpse of a visiting gray whale or even orcas.

Coupeville’s historic buildings can be found well beyond its waterfront. Homes and other buildings are lovingly restored and cared for throughout town and Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. With the help of a community grant program, historic building owners can even get assistance in maintaining these historic gems.

Not only is the community working to protect its historic infrastructure, but it also works to protect its historic and rural landscape. Just outside of town limits is the scenic Ebey’s Prairie. Within the prairie is land that is still farmed to this day by the same families who have worked the land it for generations.

Coupeville embraces its agricultural community with a thriving Saturday farmers market.

Part of Coupeville’s character is its smalltown charm and all of the outdoor recreational opportunities it provides. When heading up to Ebey’s Landing for a sunset bluff hike, it’s not uncommon to run into a neighbor. And in Coupeville, everyone’s your neighbor.

Each year, it’s “mussel madness” in Coupeville as the town celebrates the tasty mollusks.

Games for children, vendors and a mussel-eating compensation are all highlights of the weekend.

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360.678.0683 www.OystercatcherWhidbey.com

360-678-9114 • 107 S Main St., Coupeville www.rainshadownursery.com • Open Everyday 10am-5pm 37

©Don Bush Photography

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oak harbor

ISLANDER 2019

Community showcases Dutch roots and Navy ties Oak Harbor celebrates its Dutch roots and multi-culturalism at the annual Holland Happening International Festival. The fair features Klompen Canal Races, which are Dutch-style wooden shoes decorated with paint.

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Oak Harbor is the closest thing Whidbey Island has to a metropolis, but it still manages to retain a small-town charm.

The city of 23,000 people offers visitors a perfect blend of urban services and smalltown charm. It is the commercial center of the island and home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Don’t be surprised to see men and woman in uniform at local stores or military aircraft flying overhead.

Windjammer Park, a large area on the waterfront, was completely reconstructed after being closed for a year because of a nearby construction project. It has a large splash park, a pavilion, a plaza, two large kitchen buildings, basketball courts, a waterside trail and expanses of grass for playing. It opens at the end of June, just in time for the city’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July celebration.

Oak Harbor is on the north end of the island CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41

and is perfectly situated for people who want to explore scenic Deception Pass State Park — the most popular state park — and the rest of the island.

The city offers a range of lodging choices for people on a budget or those who want something a little fancier.

Visitor who forgot to pack something can probably find it in Oak Harbor. The city is the only place on the island that has big chain stores, like Walmart, Walgreens and Big 5 Sporting Goods. The city has three large grocery stores, several Starbucks and other coffee stands.

Oak Harbor is also a destination in itself.

The city has a historic downtown area filled with quaint and interesting shops, as well as restaurants and a popular wine bar. The Pioneer Way area is within easy walking distance to Windjammer Park, the waterfront trail and marina.

Oak Harbor Marina is popular with Puget Sound boaters and sailors. The unique, cityowned facility has 420 slips with 230 open and 122 covered permanent slips, ample guest moorage, limited side-tie moorage and 96 dry storage sheds. There’s a full range of services, including showers, a laundry room and a playground.

More and more people are traveling to Oak Harbor to see the PBY-Naval Air

Oak Harbor police officers and Navy personnel from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island can often be spotted at city festivities.

Museum, where visitors can see a PBY-5A Catalina seaplane and a variety of static and interactive exhibits celebrating Navy history.

Restaurants range from fine dining to fast food, and recreation opportunities abound.

The Oak Harbor community is very active and hosts many events throughout the year.

In April, there’s Holland Happening, which celebrates the community’s Dutch heritage.

There are also the popular Oak Harbor Music Festival and Whidbey Marathon.

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events MAY

May- October, Saturdays, Bayview Farmers’ Market. Bayview Corner.

Stalls overflow with produce, flowers, cheeses, honey, breads, pastries, hot foods and crafts.

May 27, PAWZ By The Sea 5K Run/Walk, Langley. The annual PAWZ by the Sea 5K/10K Run/ Walk and Kids Run takes place on Memorial Day Weekend. Dogs (on leash) are encouraged to attend. The 5K/10K run/walk follows a circular route through downtown Langley, along tree-lined backroads, past the Fairgrounds and back along Saratoga Passage bluff.

JUNE

June 1, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com

ISLANDER 2019

June 8, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments, music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

June 15, Whidbey Island Garden Tour. Each year, the garden tour boasts four or five of Whidbey Island’s finest gardens representing a variety of styles, sizes, and design concepts.

June 29-30, Coupeville Lions Garage Sale, Coupeville Elementary School. The preview will be June 28. www.coupevillelions.org

JULY

July 6, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com July 7, Cool Bayview Nights Car Show, Bayview Road. The Cool Bayview Nights Car Show features many local car enthusiasts. This

summer car show is a favorite for locals and tourists. Enjoy seeing cars, motorcycles, hot rods and more.

July 13, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments, music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

July 18-21,Whidbey Island Fair, Langley. Each year, Langley welcomes the Whidbey Island Fair and visitors from around the region to the historic fairgrounds. Quality exhibits from the farm, including all types of livestock and crops, horticulture and floral culture, are on display.

July 17 - Sept. 13, Island Shakespeare Festival, Thursdays through Sundays. Enjoy summer theatre at its finest, proudly returning to Shakespeare under the sky with an outdoor playing space at ISF’s Maxwelton Road location.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 45

12th Annual Block Party & Pig Roast

SUNDAY AUGUST 11, 2019 NOON - 5PM PIONEER WAY & HWY 20 • Free Lunch Buffet • BBQ Competitors • Live Music Stage • Arts & Crafts Vendors • Vaudeville Acts & Clowns • Kids Climbing Wall & Games • Pie Eating Contest

Help us celebrate our 12th year! www.OakHarborPigfest.com 44

Grant Mullen of Naked Giants performs at the 2018 Oak Harbor Music Festival, which brings together musicians of all genres and music fans.

events

ISLANDER 2019

the speediest and wackiest “soup box” racers. The event is about creativity and a big of the Langley “weirdness.”

Aug. 30-Sept. 1, Oak Harbor Music Festival. www.oakharborfestival. com

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 7, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com Sept. 14, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments, music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

Sept. 18-22, DjangoFest Northwest, WICA and downtown Langley. The premier showcase of Gypsy Jazz in North America returns every September. For more information, visit www.visitlangley.com

The Oak Harbor Pigfest has people licking their chops over delicious pork. It also features a popular pie-eating contest.

819 Camano Ave Langley whidbeyislandfair.com

rs

JULY 18-21, 2019 COUNTRY FAIR CARNIVAL ENTERTAINMENT

CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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August, Queer Pride on Whidbey, Langley. The queer community of Whidbey Island hosts a yearly celebration of difference in the streets of Langley, with a focus on the LGBTQIA community. Date TBA. August, DockStock, Langley.

Originally a “thank you” to visiting boaters, Dockstock has become a annual musical event that welcomes all.

Aug. 3, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com Aug. 10, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments,

October, Haunting of Coupeville, all month long. www.hauntingofcoupeville. com October, Mutt Strut Parade.

Historic Bayview Corner presents the annual Mutt Strut dog parade and costume contest, date TBA. Free admission with a charge for food and beverages.

Oct. 5, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com

2 0 1 9

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AUGUST

OCTOBER

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July 20-21, Mukilteo Garden Quilt Tour. See spectacular landscaped gardens adorned with traditional and contemporary art quilts. www. mukilteogardenandquilttour.org July 23-27, Whidbey Island Race Week, whidbeyislandraceweek.com July 26- Aug. 4, Whidbey Island Music Festival. A series of free concerts.

music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

Aug. 10-11,Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival. The annual event fills downtown Coupeville with booths filled with handcrafted art.

Aug. 11, Oak Harbor Pigfest.

An annual festival held the second Sunday of August. http://www.oakharborpigfest.com Aug. 24-25, Hydros for Heros, Oak Harbor. A national and regional professional charity racing event Aug. 25, Soup Box Derby, Langley Since 1972, First Street in Downtown Langley has been home to some of

n ay

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44

Wh

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events Whidbey Island gets spooky during October. In Coupeville, the town has many haunted traditions, including at the Rain Shadow Nursery.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

Oct. 12, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments, music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

Oct. 31, Spooktacular Langley.

Langley has something to crow about for Halloween. The town and merchants are dressed for the holiday and welcome kids and parents to Trick or Treat downtown. www.visitlangley.com

ISLANDER 2019

The Queer Pride Parade in Langley brings out supporters, spectators and colorful flags each year.

NOVEMBER

November, Lighting of Langley.

Date TBA. www.visitlangley.com Nov. 2, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com Nov. 9, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments, music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

Nov. 30, Sip n’ Shop on the Cove, Coupeville.

Penn Cove

Water Festival Saturday, May 4, 2019 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Historic Coupeville, WA USA 46

DECEMBER

December, Deck the Doors, Langley. Typically begins in late November. Langley businesses decorate their stores and doors.

December, Greening of Coupeville. www.coupevillechamber.com December, Clinton Winter Market.

Vendors and crafts. The first weekend in December is full of fun in Clinton.

December, Jingle Trail 5K, Camp Casey. The 5k Fun Run/Walk through scenic trails of Camp Casey and Fort Casey State Park. Date TBA. December, Caroling in Coupeville Contest and Fundraiser. Enjoy Central Whidbey nonprofit teams caroling along Front Street in Historic Coupeville. Date TBA. Dec. 1, Gingerbread workshop, Coupeville Rec Hall. A fun Thanksgiving weekend event for kids, and a winter pantry stocking benefit for the food bank.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

events

ISLANDER 2019

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 46

Some events are new to the Island, such as the Shimmy Mob, which danced in Coupeville and Langley in May. The belly dance flash mob raised money for Citizens Against Domestic & Sexual Abuse.

Dec. 7, Holly Jolly Parade and Shop n’ Stroll, 1 p.m., Langley. The annual parade followed by an artwalk.

Stores will stay open late.

Dec. 7, First Saturday Art Walk, Langley. www.visitlangley.com Dec. 14, Second Saturdays at Greenbank Farm. Check out art galleries and shops. Light refreshments, music, periodic art demonstrations and fun for all ages.

Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve Fireworks., Oak Harbor Bay. Celebrate “out with the old and in with the new” with fireworks. A kidfriendly event.

KEEP IN EYE OUT IN 2020 FOR...

January: Sea Float Scramble, Langley February: Langley Mystery Weekend, Coupeville Chocolate Walk March: Penn Cove Musselfest, Coupeville April: Farmers Markets on Whidbey, Holland Happening, Oak Harbor May: Penn Cove Water Festival, Coupeville

Langley’s ‘Holly Jolly Parade’ in 2018 starred goats alongside floats in the parade.

July 20 & 21 2019 Tickets and hotel information at

MukilteoGardenandQuiltTour.org Partially funded by Lodging Tax and Community Support Grants from the City of Mukilteo.

47

anacortes

ISLANDER 2019

Fidalgo Island’s seaside city

By Deane Hislop Located on the northern shore of Fidalgo Island, Anacortes is known as the “Gateway to the San Juan Islands.” Over the past few years, the port commission and city leaders have taken steps to increase the town’s appeal to Northwest boaters, and as a result Anacortes is no longer considered a gateway to somewhere else. With the latest major improvements to Cap Sante Marina and the historic downtown, Anacortes has taken on a new look and a new brand: “Coast in. Hang out.” The recently upgraded marina features include roomy fairways; wide, stable concrete floats for boats up to 130 feet; wheelchair accessibility; 30- and 50-amp power; and free Wi-Fi. Other marina improvements are a check-in kiosk in the guest moorage area, and covered activity floats with barbecues, which are a big hit with groups and yacht club rendezvous. The 120-foot Fido’s Fuel Dock offers diesel and ethanol-free gas at among the lowest prices anywhere in the San Juans.

For those arriving from Canada, a U.S. Customs clearance office is located in the northeast corner of the harbor office building. The marina monitors VHF 66A for slip assignments. Reservations are recommended during the summer months. The shore-side facilities are well maintained and spotless.

Laundry, shower and restroom facilities are located in the harbor office building, at the top of the gangway. A 24/7 self-operated waste pumpout barge is available at no charge.

There is also an on-dock portable unit available during normal business hours.

You will find the marina staff very con48

Photos by Deane Hislop

Anacortes is a seaside beauty with a historic downtown that features hand-painted murals on many buildings. A popular stop for visitors is the W.T. Preston & Maritime Center.

siderate and helpful. If there is something you need, talk to the staff and they will do everything in their power to fulfill your request. For provisioning, there’s a supermarket only a block from the marina, as well as a West Marine store within a fiveminute walk. There are ethnic restaurants, pubs, coffee houses, delis, bakeries, book stores, art galleries, antiques and shops of all kinds on the city’s main street, Commercial Avenue; allow time for some serious browsing.

Downtown Anacortes is flat and easy to walk.

The crown jewel of Anacortes’ retail stores is the Marine Supply & Hardware Company with its squeaky wood floors and overflowing bins and shelves. Located at the north end of Commercial Avenue and established in 1913, it’s said to be the oldest continually operating chandlery on the West Coast – and a legend throughout the Pacific Northwest.

When it comes to restaurants, it’s hard to beat Calico Cupboard Café for breakfast.

Gere-a-Deli offers a large selection of sandwiches, soups and salads. Enjoy the best pizza in town at Village Pizza/ Wheelhouse Pub; for a great burger it’s the Brown Lantern Ale House. There is no shortage of selections for dinner: Adrift for Asian and Mediterranean influences; Anthony’s Home Port, overlooking the marina, for Northwest seafood; Frida’s Gourmet Mexican Cuisine is not your aver-

age burrito and taco bar; and for Northwest cuisine and locally brewed ales and lagers, the Rockfish Café.

One of Anacortes’ many unique features is the Anacortes Mural Project, brainchild of lifelong resident Bill Mitchell. His vision has resulted in the creation and display of more than 100 life-sized murals, which are based on photographs of early life in Anacortes.

The murals are an eclectic mix of local characters: mayors, bartenders, gold miners, railway conductors, priests, boxers, musicians, storekeepers, skippers and fishermen. There are many heritage maritime attractions in Anacortes, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 163-foot steam-powered snag boat W.T. Preston. The fully restored Preston, a National Historic Landmark, is on display ashore a block north of the marina and is open for tours.

During her 50 years of service, Preston and its crew kept Puget Sound and river waterways clear of snags and other navigational hazards. Next door to the Preston is the historic railway depot, and while passenger trains no longer stop here, the building is a community gathering place and is the location of the Saturday Farmers Market. There is always something happening in Anacortes, regardless when you visit.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 49

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 48

Each year, the city hosts a colorful schedule of events including a Salmon Derby in March, On-the-Water Boat Shows in April and October, the Waterfront Festival in June, Shipwreck Day in July and the Art Festival in August.

The Oyster Run, at the end of September, fills downtown with the Northwest’s largest motorcycle rally.

Twice a week during the summer, the Port of Anacortes hosts concerts in Seafarers’ Memorial Park, at the south end of the marina. For a little exercise, follow the esplanade to the east side of the marina, where a trail will lead you to the top of Cap Sante Head, providing rewarding views of the marina, downtown, San Juan Islands and Mount Baker. On a summer evening the view of Fidalgo Bay and the setting sun reflecting on Mount Baker is outstanding. Visiting boaters are discovering that historic Anacortes, with its updated marina and attractions, is indeed a beautiful location offering something for all ages, making it a cruising destination in and of itself.

During her 50 years of service, Preston and its crew kept Puget Sound and river waterways clear of snags and other navigational hazards. Next door to the Preston is the historic railway depot, and while passenger trains

no longer stop here, the building is a community gathering place and is the location of the Saturday Farmers Market. There is always something happening in Anacortes, regardless when you visit.

Each year, the city hosts a colorful schedule of events including a Salmon Derby in March, On-the-Water Boat Shows in April and October, the Waterfront Festival in June, Shipwreck Day in July and the Art Festival in August.

The Oyster Run, at the end of September, fills downtown with the Northwest’s largest motorcycle rally. Twice a week during the summer, the Port of Anacortes hosts concerts in Seafarers’ Memorial Park, at the south end of the marina.

For a little exercise, follow the esplanade to the east side of the marina, where a trail will lead you to the top of Cap Sante Head, providing rewarding views of the marina, downtown, San Juan Islands and Mount Baker. On a summer evening the view of Fidalgo Bay and the setting sun reflecting on Mount Baker is outstanding.

Visiting boaters are discovering that historic Anacortes, with its updated marina and attractions, is indeed a beautiful location offering something for all ages, making it a cruising destination in and of itself.

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49

camano

ISLANDER 2019

A peaceful, beautiful refuge to be discovered

Photos provided by Whidbey and Camano Islands Tourism

At left, people browse paintings at the Camano Art tour.

Above, kayakers enjoy a clear-sky day at sea. Below is the Matzke Outdoor Sculpture Garden, a 10-acre park.

Originally named after a Snohomish word for “land jutting into a bay,” Camano Island is the perfect place for a quiet, weekend getaway for those craving an island experience. Located just off Interstate 5, Camano is convenient to get to and offers a variety of quiet, yet interactive places to visit.

Camano Island history started with Native Americans who fished, clammed and picked berries on the hillsides. The island takes its modern name from the early Spanish explorer Jacinto Caamaño. In the 1700s, Europeans mapped and named many places in the area.

50

The Douglas firs became very desirable for shipbuilding, and by the 1800s Camano Island was a bustling community with mills, homes and schools, and with tall ships taking cargo from the deep waters at the north end of the island, according to the Camano Chamber of Commerce.

Today, Camano offers visitors an authentic island experience. Don’t expect shops and gimmicks aimed at tourists, but real people, real products and real passion for island living.

If you’re looking for fine dining and a unique stay, Camano Inn offers beautiful rooms with a view and spa

services as well as a full restaurant.

There are several bed and breakfasts and other rental properties on the island. Many of them offer breathtaking views of Saratoga Passage.

Satisfy your craving for art and culture by visiting one of many artist studios located all over the island.

Each year in February, Camano hosts the Great Northwest Glass Quest, where plastic “clueballs” are hidden at host businesses and in community sites around the Stanwood-Camano area. Find a “clueball” and return it to the location identified inside for an authentic limited edition glass treasure.

Bird watchers can find several great places to spy their feathery friends. The six-acre English Boom Historical Park is one such spot.

Camano is home to a unique zip-lining company that offers daily canopy tours.

At Cama Beach, rent a cabin and explore the park’s many amenities including the center for wooden boats. Rent a wooden boat and a crab pot, and have some adventure while trying to catch dinner. There are several county parks and Camano State Park, which offers beach access, hiking trails and outdoor recreational space.

port townsend

ISLANDER 2019

Port Townsend stays true to Victorian roots Photo by Steve Mullensky

Known for its beautiful scenery, downtown shopping in historic buildings and Victorianstyle buildings from the late 19th century, Port Townsend is a step into another time and place.

The city is one of three Victorian seaports in the United States. The biggest draws to Port Townsend include a thriving arts community, a sight-filled downtown and a Victorian seaport heritage. Port Townsend’s historic district is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District.

Port Townsend was founded in 1851 and now has a population of over 9,300 people. Stop by, do some shopping, eat or enjoy some of the local activities.

There are shops uptown and downtown, full of unique gifts and artist’s creations. Artists of all trades find a place to celebrate their art in Port Townsend, including writers, actors, musicians, painters and sculptors. The Jewel of Port Townsend is a stop for those looking for gifts for others or treasures for themselves, with its offering of art, jewelry, antiques and collectables.

The store is just one of many of the shopping options offered in Port Townsend.

Museums in Port Townsend offer the area’s military history and educational displays. There’s the Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, Fort Flagler State Park Military Museum, Commanding Officer’s Quarters Museum, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Quilcene Historical Museum and more.

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The city’s food is tasty and fresh, with local farms and growers bringing in some of the world’s best produce. Restaurants include The Old Whiskey Mill, Ichikawa Sushi Bar, Key City Fish, Bayview Restaurant and Silverwater Cafe. The town also has numerous sweet shops, including Elevated Ice Cream Candy shop and Port Townsend Chocolates.

Perhaps you’d like to spend the night. There are many bed and breakfast establishments throughout the city. Other accommodations include the Manresa Castle Hotel, a centuryold castle with a beautiful view, restaurant and gardens. The Bishop Victorian Hotel is located in the historic district, near a hub of shops, res-

taurants and activities.

Also near the historic district is the Palace Hotel, a Romaneque-style hotel with 14-foot ceilings. Port Townsend is also home to Fort Worden State Park, a 434-acre military fort from the 19th century. Inside the state park, Centrum hosts a number of public performances and art workshops. Shows include musical festivals and writers’ conferences.

The town is great for those looking to get some physical activity into their lives, with a range of biking and hiking trails throughout. Kayaks are available to rent from May to September; they are perfect for exploring the beautiful waters surrounding Port Townsend.

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skagit

ISLANDER 2019

Land of world-famous tulips

Skagit Riverwalk Park in Mount Vernon offers a good view of Skagit River and a great place to picnic.

Skagit County is as diverse as it is beautiful.

The four cities of Skagit County are Anacortes, Burlington, Mount Vernon and Sedro-Woolley, each offering its own unique twists on Pacific Northwest life. The county also includes the smaller towns of Concrete, Hamilton, La Conner and Lyman. There are a wide variety

County. Although smaller than the annual Tulip Festival, the La Conner Daffodil Festival offers its own sights in March for those searching for flowery beauty.

Take a tour through the San Juan Islands in search of orcas with a whale-watching tour out of Anacortes. Orcas are an important symbol of the Pacific Northwest and a sighting gives a glimpse into what the area is all about.

Food choices are abundant in Skagit Valley, an agricultural community where farmers markets and “farm-to-table” local offerings are plentiful.

Some top picks are Anthony’s Restaurant in Anacortes, the Trumpeter Public House in Mount Vernon and Skagit’s Own Fish Market in Burlington. The C-Square & Third Street Cafe in Mount Vernon is run by the Skagit Valley Food Co-op and it serves some of the freshest, healthiest fare around.

For those looking for drinks, Skagit County

of activities of stops, shops and sights that the county has to offer.

In spring, it’s all about the tulips. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a must-see, typically running in April for two weeks each year as millions of the flowers bloom in Skagit Valley’s fields. Flowers are a major draw to Skagit

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is well known for its offering of wine cellars, microbreweries and distilleries. In Mount Vernon, there’s the Farmstrong Brewing Co., Deception Distilling in Anacortes and the Eagle Haven Winery in Sedro-Woolley.

If in search of art or collectables, there’s the Scott Milo gallery in Anacortes, the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, and several places in Mount Vernon including the Red Door Antique Mall.

In Anacortes, there is a monthly First Friday gallery art walk, for which a schedule is posted online at www.anacortesart.com The Cascade Mall, Costco, Target and the Outlet Shoppes in Burlington are hot spots to shop. Mount Vernon has a super-sized Walmart that is always bustling, plus several art stores including Tri-Dee Arts. Sports enthusiasts can find several athletic stores through Skagit County.

Places to stay in Skagit Valley include the Majestic Inn in Anacortes, the Candlewood Suites in Burlington and the Skagit Hotel in Bow, an unincorporated community in Skagit County.

Over a dozen performing art centers can be found in Skagit County. The McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon is well-known for it’s offering of grand shows and concerts.

The Skagit Valley Casino Resort and

Swinomish Northern Lights Casino have adult fun and nightlife.

Those looking for fun outdoor activities won’t be disappointed. There are multiple state parks throughout Skagit County that offer picturesque views and camping grounds.

Anacortes is a top kayaking spot.

Skagit Guided Adventures offers small group nature tours and day hikes around Skagit Valley, including a Skagit Farm-to-Table Tour, Anacortes Wild Side Eco Tour, Skagit Valley Geese and Swans Tour and Skagit Birding Eco Tour.

The Skagit River isn’t just a vital source of water, but a destination for a variety of recreational pursuits, including fishing and rafting.

Downtown Mount Vernon has a modernized waterfront along the river that offers a good walk as well as a great place to view the flow-

Unique “Old World” Charm on Beautiful Whidbey Island Dutch architecture, antique furnishings, and colorful gardens.

Feel as if you’ve stepped through time.

ing water.

The Oyster Dome in the Chuckanut Drive area offers a hike to be conquered for those who enjoy walking outdoors.

The best way to access the trail is from the Samish Overlook parking area on Blanchard Mountain. The hike may be steep, but the view from the top is its own reward.

The Tommy Thompson Trail in Anacortes is another well-known hike, with its 3.3 miles of scenic trail and an over-water jaunt on a former train trestle from downtown Anacortes to March’s Point.

And of course, there are the mountains.

Come visit Skagit Valley, a place seeped with beautiful scenery, colorful flowers, a water-centered cultural identity with salmon and orcas and plenty to do. Skagit Valley welcomes you.

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“I love it when a client calls me on the doclients my best to expert set realistic expectations in the beginning “I strive to add value for each of“Imy with home shares their excitement.” - D of every loan to prevent surprises. ” - and DeRhonda advice and on-time closing.” - Lyn

Lyn Bankowksi

De’Rhonda’ Porter

NMLS #304060 | Assistant Vice PresidentNMLS #94118 Sr. Mortgage Loan Originator Sr. Mortgage Loan Originator Certified Military Housing Specialist Certified Military Housing Specialist

360-679-5633

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360-679-5652

direct direct l.bankowski@alaskausamortgage.com d.porter@alaskausamortgage.com BEST www.lynbankowski.com www.rhondaporter.net EW EY N S GR DB 7

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Dawn Tenna

NMLS #305224 Sr. Mortgage Loan Or Certified Military Hou

360-679-563

d.tennant@alaskausa www.dawntennant.c

READERS CHOICE AWARDS

READERS CHOICE AWARDS

650 NE Bankowski Midway Blvd, Suite 101 | Oak Harbor, 98277Porter NE Midway Blvd, Suite 101 | Oak Harbor, WA 650 NEWA Midway Blvd, Suite 101 | Oak650 Harbor, WATennant 98277 Lyn DeRhonda Dawn

NMLS #304060 People you Vice know.

A name you trust.® Assistant President Sr. Mortgage Loan Originator

(360) 969-5550

Washington Consumer Loan lynbankowski.com Company License #CL-157293

NMLS #94118 People you know.

A name you trust.® Sr. Mortgage Loan Originator

(360) 679-5652

rhondaporter.net Washington Consumer Loan Company License #CL-157293

NMLS #305224 People you know.

A name you trust.® Sr. Mortgage Loan Originator

(360) 679-5632

dawntennant.com Washington Consumer Loan Company License #CL-157293

People you know. A name you trust.

®

Washington Consumer Loan Company License #CL-157293

See us for great rates and service.

650 NE Midway Blvd., Ste. 101, Oak Harbor, WA 98277 55

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