It’s fall.
If you love visiting Whidbey Island but can’t stand the long ferry lines of summer, you can have the island back now.
My husband and I took a spur-of-the-moment day trip to the island last weekend and didn’t have to wait to catch a boat from Mukilteo on Saturday morning or on the way back from Clinton in the afternoon.
Though the sky was cloudy, the air was warm, and we even had some sultry sunbreaks.
Ahhhhhhh, autumn.
Here’s a recipe for a perfect fall day trip to Whidbey that’s not to the popular destinations of Langley, Freeland or Greenbank, but almost halfway up the long island to charming Victorian Coupeville.
We started the day with a leisurely hike at Ebey’s Landing, then hit historic downtown Coupeville for fish and chips at Toby’s Tavern, and some window shopping, ice cream and a walk on Coupeville’s wharf.
Ebey’s Landing
Billed in local guidebooks as one of the best hikes in Washington, this 5.6-mile trail, just five minutes from Coupeville, far exceeded our expectations.
We walked first through fields of golden grass, then across windswept bluffs with stunning views and finally along a beautiful beach of soft sand, smooth stones and gnarly driftwood.
Though the route gains only 260 feet of elevation, this lollipop loop trail’s vistas were so vast and dramatic, we felt like we were scaling the highest heights.
You can park down by the beach at the Ebey’s Landing Wayside (where Ebey Road meets Hill Road), but a far more romantic approach is higher up near the Sunnyside Cemetery off Sherman Road.
We parked at the cemetery and followed wooden signs down a gravel road surrounded by fields of winter squash.
Quickly, we reach the 150-year-old homestead of Col. Isaac Neff Ebey, who settled on Whidbey Island in the early 1850s and was later killed by northern coast Indians.
Soon the road turned to trail at a cluster of benches known as the Prairie Overlook, featuring views of rolling fields and the shiny waters of Admiralty Inlet.
When we reached the edge of a cliff overlooking the water, we set off on the bluff portion of the hike, entering the Robert Y. Pratt Preserve, a precious bit of habitat owned by The Nature Conservancy.
It was a surprisingly soft trail, a most welcome change from rough mountain trails covered in roots and rock.
We ran into only a few other hikers, despite the nice day.
Not long after we started walking the bluff, Perego’s Lake, a massive lagoon formed by a narrow spit, appeared below, as if we needed more interesting things to see.
After about a mile and half, we descended quickly to the lagoon and beach for a serene stroll along the shore to the Ebey’s Landing Wayside.
Stairs led us away from the beach, back up to the prairie, Ebey’s old haunts and our car.
It took us about two hours, but families with kids should allow more time.
Coastal winds can be strong, so I recommend bringing hats, windbreakers, cocoa and snacks.
Toby’s Tavern
Kids aren’t allowed at Toby’s because it’s a bar.
Sometimes the service is a bit gruff.
And you might have to wait for a table, even at 2 in the afternoon on a Saturday in October.
Get over those things, and you’ll fall in love with this Coupeville institution.
Toby’s, a red building on the town’s Front Street, is almost always busy on weekends thanks to the fabulous fish and chips served with fries and coleslaw ($13), plus burgers, sandwiches and other selections for dinner.
You can also try a truly local delicacy, Penn Cove mussels, locally harvested year-round from Coupeville’s famous waters (1 pound for $12, 2 pounds for $21).
Two large booths with waterfront views offer the best seats in the house for viewing the whitecaps of Penn Cove and, usually, soaring bald eagles.
Historic pictures decorate the walls along with snarky signs, wild game heads and antlers galore.
Under a buffalo head, a sign reads: “No body is ugly after 2 a.m.”
If you’re traveling with kids, check out the Knead & Feed bakery or the newish Front Street Grill, both on Front Street.
There’s also a new restaurant, Ciao, open at the corner of Main Street and Seventh Avenue, serving authentic Neapolitan pizza, plus pasta, sandwiches, soups, salads, espresso and gelato.
Kapaw’s Iskreme
After exploring Front Street’s many antique, gift and clothing shops, we were ready for dessert.
This tiny shop (the name’s pronounced “ice cream”) on Front Street sells delicious, inexpensive scoops of all the best flavors.
Here a so-called “single” includes three decent-sized scoops of your choice for $2.75; a “double” gets you five scoops for $4.25.
Add 25 cents for a waffle or sugar cone and it’s still a steal.
We devoured our ice cream — mint chip, peanut butter chocolate and rocky road — while walking down the long Coupeville wharf, where there were still more shops to explore and rays of sun to catch.
If it’s too cold or rainy to linger, jump in your car and drive the 30 miles back to the ferry and you’ll probably be home in time for dinner.
Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037; sjackson@heraldnet.com.
If you go
Hike: Find a full route description, trip reports and detailed driving directions for the Ebey’s Landing hike at tinyurl.com/ebeyslanding, courtesy of the Washington Trails Association and Craig Romano’s “Day Hiking: Central Cascades.”
Ebey’s Landing: Go to www.nps.gov/ebla for more about the 17,500-acre Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. Go to tinyurl.com/robertypratt for more about the Robert Y. Pratt Preserve, 554 acres protected by The Nature Conservancy, including the bluff portion of the Ebey’s Landing hike.
Places: Go to www.cometocoupeville.com for a complete guide to visiting Coupeville, including restaurants, lodging and shops, or contact the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce visitors center at 905 NW Alexander St., Coupeville, 360-678-5434 or www.centralwhidbeychamber.com.
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