Whidbey Island: A day-trip how to

Looking for a winter day trip that doesn’t involve snow? Why not Whidbey Island?

With waterfront views, specialty shopping, good food and outdoor adventures all along one easy route, it can be a lot of fun without a lot of effort.

Just take the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry and head north on Highway 525.

Langley

It’s the slow season in Langley, but you wouldn’t know it inside Mo’s Pub and Eatery.

Despite Mo’s motto — it’s a “place to drink and throw sharp objects” — there’s something for families too. Sip a single-malt scotch and play darts in the bar or sit fireside in the eatery and chow down on some Irish-style fare.

Wherever you decide to sit, be sure to try the fish and chips: crisp nuggets of cod fried in a Guinness beer batter and served with the pub’s special fries. There’s a bottle of malt vinegar at every table to add a little extra flavor to your fish. It’s reasonably priced at $10.99 and goes great with the ginger ale on tap.

Then make your way down the street to The Star Store, a grocery and mercantile with a little bit of everything. Browse the clothing departments, fine wines, kitchen and cooking supplies, toys, Whidbey Island products and other hidden gems.

It’s a local destination for shoes, anything cocktail and the inflatable moose heads ($26.95) they’ve been selling for 28 years.

Coupeville

Stroll along Coupeville’s mainline, Front Street, with its mix of shops: bakeries, antiques dealers, art galleries, bookstores and wine bars.

Here are a few stop-worthy shops to note:

Knead and Feed is a cool place to grab a cup of steaming coffee or tea and make the winter wind a little more bearable. They have great baked goods, too. Try a walnut caramel roll, a Marionberry bear claw or a slice of pie.

The Penn Cove Art Gallery is just a few doors down. It’s a cooperative gallery with works from more than 20 local artists, such as custom furniture, prints, paintings, wood carvings, photography and stained glass.

Take a walk on the Coupeville Wharf and Warehouse before you head back to the car.

Then bundle up for hike at Ebey’s Landing.

It’s perfect for a slow, wintertime stroll with views of snowcapped mountains, rolling praries, sheer bluffs and miles of sea.

The full hike is 5.6 miles round trip, but you can take shorter trails if you have little ones along. The park service has a junior ranger program that gives kids a chance to learn about Coupeville history and earn a badge by completing an online activity book.

Deception Pass

The scenic 4,134-acre park has hiking trails through old-growth forests, three lakes and more than 14 miles of saltwater shoreline.

Take a walk, picnic on the beach or admire the views on the drive across Deception Pass Bridge.

You’ll need a Discover Pass to park. It’s $10 daily or $30 annually at www.discoverpass.wa.gov.

Getting back: You won’t need to buy round-trip ferry tickets for this outing.

Just cross the bridge and continue on Highway 20 for about 15 miles, bear right and take southbound 1-5 all the way home.

If you go

Ebey’s Landing: 360-678-6084; www.nps.gov/ebla.

Deception Pass: 41020 Highway 20; 360-675-2417.

Knead and Feed: 4 Front St., Coupeville; 360-678-5431.

Mo’s Pub and Eatery: 317 Second St., Langley; 360-221-1131; www.maureenspub.com.

Penn Cove Gallery: 9 Front St., Coupeville; 360-678-1176; www.penncovegallery.com.

The Star Store: 201 First St., Langley; 360-221-5222; www.starstorewhidbey.com.

Ashley Stewart: 425-339-3037; astewart@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.