Reconnecting with Friends and Nature on Whidbey Island
I sit down to write this at the end of a hectic day. Our trip to Whidbey now two weeks prior, I can feel that serene centeredness from a weekend with ample time to wonder, wander, and marvel starting to slip away. Good timing to revisit these memories.
This weekend trip on Whidbey Island with my two best friends, all carrying hectic mom schedules, was facilitated by the ease of a short ferry ride and easy beach rentals. It was a trip away with a focus on connecting with nature, slowing down and supporting local businesses. Driven by the need for uninterrupted conversations, deep breaths, and cultivating connection.
May on the island is perfection—the cusp of the busy season blending with the budding promise of summer. The rhododendrons and lilacs are showing off, fresh produce is appearing at the farmer’s market, and the moody skies hint at the power of the clouds. It’s a quieter, cozy island experience. Give me Pacific Northwest beaches and outdoor classes on foraging any day. Embracing the island’s slow-paced majesty was so refreshing that we’re already planning our next trip, as there was much we didn’t get to.
Here are the musts…
I have told everyone who will listen about the Whidbey Island Grown Food Hub. This brilliant concept satisfies my local foodie soul. They compile a list of local growers and food-makers into a one-stop shop. In advance of our trip, I placed an order on their website and picked it up when we arrived on Friday—so easy!
The first evening we cooked a feast of salmon, freshly made pasta with a mushroom cream sauce, bread, and butter. The weekend continued with a granola and yogurt breakfast, an egg brunch, smoked salmon pate, and crackers. All of which were local – from the creamery to the freshly foraged fungi and everything in between.
Book a Whidbey Wild Mushroom Tour and grab sandwiches at Greenbank Pantry and Deli (literally the best tuna fish sandwich I have ever had). I can’t say enough about the mushroom guide’s knowledge and the fun we had walking through the forest looking for mushrooms. I highly recommend this activity, as fungi are incredibly diverse and fascinating. While foraging, I was reminded that it’s so worth seeking out what we can only slowly develop. You see that the slower you go, the more you observe the forest floor, and therefore the more the fungi reveal themselves to you. I love that.
You must also brunch at The Braeburn in Langley, I recommend their “should be famous fried chicken” and waffles with a house-made Bloody Mary – I went spicy. It’s worth the long wait; we put our name on the list and then wandered the nearby shops. Don’t miss the gorgeous Callahan’s Firehouse next door where you can watch them handcraft glass. Stop in at Sweet Mona’s Chocolates for the kiddos and Band Box Beauty Supply for an incredibly curated selection of inclusive clean beauty products. I wanted everything.
For an evening out, try Saltwater. This tiny spot seems to be something the locals know a lot about. Packed on a rainy quiet evening, the seafood was delicious. If ever you were to try oysters, this is your moment.
The best surprise of our trip was Whidbey Pickle Barn. I am a bit late to the party – who knew pickleball was so much fun?! The core workout from belly laughing rivaled the full-body fun we had playing on one of their beautiful new courts. Conveniently Rocket Taco, a must on Whidbey, is down the street.
I can’t get over how easy it was to feel so transported from my daily routine on Whidbey. The island easily convinced me to pause. Listening to the waves, reveling in the tumbled seashells and how the rain makes everything shine brighter, savoring how locally grown tastes, and staying up past bedtime to deepen the laugh lines with my best friends. All of this is a gift to carry back with me. Time goes by so fast, and I don’t want to miss the extraordinary in my everyday life because I was burnt out. We are so lucky in the Pacific Northwest to have treasures like Whidbey Island in our backyard. I will return.
