By Jackie Varriano / The Seattle Times

In May, my colleagues put together a list of essential things to do in the summer in Seattle. At the time, I didn’t feel like I had anything groundbreaking to add, but now I’ve figured out the perfect entry. It’s not in Seattle but Jetty Island, a quick ferry ride from the Everett Marina, is the picnic-perfect day trip to take before summer ends.

First built to protect the harbor in the mid-1890s, Jetty Island is accessible year-round via personal watercraft (it’s a quarter-mile from shore), and a passenger ferry runs from July 5 to Sept. 1 (reservations required; Wednesday-Sunday; round-trip tickets $3-$5 for passengers 2 and older).

The island has a floating restroom at the ferry dock, but that’s it as far as services go. There are no garbage cans or sidewalks, so pack out everything you bring in and know that it’s difficult pushing strollers, wagons and wheelchairs on the sandy walking paths.

The beach, however, is glorious. The island is 2 miles long, and the western stretch of beach is sandy and unobstructed. The water is shallow and practically warm in comparison to most Puget Sound beaches, making it perfect for extended swimming and splashing.

Of course, one of the best things about being at the beach is the beach picnic. Before heading to Jetty Island, my family grabbed sandwiches from Seas the Day Cafe, one of the half-dozen or so eateries dotting the Everett waterfront.

The cafe serves breakfast all day, but our ferry reservation was at 11:30 a.m., so we opted for lunch. We ordered the Italian ($13.75), a grilled sandwich topped with ham, salami, provolone, pepperoncini, lettuce, tomato, mayo and Dijon, plus a pastrami and havarti with pickles on rye ($12.50). My kids got the “Just a Turkey” Sammie ($11.25) with turkey, Swiss, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo, plus a peanut butter and jelly on gluten-free bread ($6.75). All sandwiches come with chips.

The sandwiches are nicely sized and well put-together; tightly wrapped in paper, they’re perfect for bringing to the beach. Additionally, there’s a small cooler with eight flavors of Snoqualmie Ice Cream and three different cone options, so you can grab ice cream on either side of your island journey.

However, a person can’t live on sandwiches alone. This is where Scuttlebutt Brewing Co. comes in.

The massive menu at this taproom covers too many cuisines: There are nachos and tacos, burgers and sandwiches, soup, salad, pasta, all manner of deep-fried items and even prime rib on Friday and Saturday nights. But I am still thinking about the dreadnought cod bites ($17.59) weeks later.

These little cod nuggets are dredged in spicy panko crumbs and deep-fried until they reach a burnished bronze. Served with a chipotle lime mayo, they had a spicy heat that built slowly and managed to feel light and crispy despite the time in hot oil.

The crispy honey-fried chicken sandwich ($16.99) also had a nice crunch but was a bit dry and overdone on my visit. However, the fresh-cut fries served with the sandwich were the pinnacle of skinny, salty, crispy fry greatness (beer-battered, sweet potato or onion rings are also options).

Elsewhere around the waterfront, there are places to get coffee, pizza, beer and pastries. Or, if you’re looking for a cocktail in a historical setting, check out The Muse Whiskey & Coffee. I popped my head into the 100-year-old Weyerhaeuser building and found the impressive restored office building is overflowing with deep-tufted leather couches and velvet armchairs, begging you to sink in with a cup of coffee. The space flips to a whiskey bar in the evenings, with a full food menu. It’s an intriguing place to stop even if a visit to Jetty Island isn’t on the agenda.