Island Notes

Four Certified Exhilarating Hikes to Ease You into Spring

We offer up four hikes, walks really, that can be a great first “step” into getting back in shape.

Six Reasons Tourists Love Rural Farm Stays on Whidbey Island

Here are six of the best places to stay on Whidbey Island. These rural getaways pair a rural getaway with things like, horseback riding, a winery, farms, and even a vegan menu. They range from bed and breakfasts to expansive rooms in a farmhouse.

How I Fell in Love with Penn Cove Mussels

There was nothing appealing about mussels to this food and travel writer. Then something happened that changed everything.

Crew filiming The Hour After Westerly at The Fort Casey Inn.

Central Whidbey Locations Star in Short Film

“In my mind, ‘The Hour After Westerly’ and Whidbey Island are inseparable.” PRODUCER – DIRECTOR NATE BELL Yet another crew has wrapped up shooting on Whidbey Island. This time, independent producers from Los Angeles finished principal shooting in Central Whidbey for the short film, “The Hour After Westerly.” The film stars Peter Jacobson and Shannyn Sossamon. Jacobson is recognizable from … Read More

Elger Bay Preserve –
Camano Island’s Easy
Off-Season Walk

The Elger Bay Preserve is a gently sloped trail with detailed guide posts that include distances. The well-groomed trail is good even in the off-season.

Birding on Whidbey and Camano Islands

Whidbey and Camano Islands are a great place to see birds, with some of the best locations around. The island are along the Pacific Flyway, a western “highway in the sky” birds use to migrate. Two of the people most knowledgeable about bird watching here are Craig and Joy Johnston. The artist/writer couple of produced many amazing photographs of birds … Read More

Old buildings line the waterfront and the sun is rising behind them.

Coupeville- The Home to”Practical Magic”

This fall, the waterfront village of Coupeville on Whidbey Island celebrates the 20th anniversary of the release of Practical Magic. Starring Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman and Stockard Channing, this seasonal cult classic chose Coupeville as the film’s setting for its historic, seaport charm that attracts visitors from around the world.