The quaint Whidbey Island town of Coupeville will be homebase for the wedding weekend. Several small shops and artisan boutiques line the small waterfront town center, and everything is walking distance from the host hotel. Be sure to check out A Touch of Dutch European Market and the Kingfisher Bookstore. In the morning, grab a pastry at Little Red Hen Bakery and a wash it down with a fresh cup of coffee at Sunshine Drip. There is no shortage of places to grab a cold beverage in Coupeville – head to Toby’s Tavern or Penn Cove Brewing Company for great beer, Overboard for waterfront craft cocktails, or Vail Wine Shop and Tasting Room for a wide variety of vino. Some of our favorite places to grab a delicious dinner in Coupeville include The Oyster Catcher, Ciao, and Front Street Grill.

If you elect to drive onto the island as opposed to booking a ferry, you will traverse the Deception Pass Bridge at the northern tip of Whidbey Island. The stunning views from the bridge are a great vantage point to see where the waters of Skagit Bay (fed by the Skagit River) meet the more turbulent waters of the Puget Sound leading out to the Strait of Juan de Fuca – the passageway to the wide open Pacific Ocean. Several hiking trails in Deception Pass State Park offer gorgeous vistas of the dramatic scenery. Another great way to see the landscape is to book a boat tour out of Deception Pass Marina (follow the link below to book tickets) or rent sea kayaks at Bowman Bay.

The nearby town of Oak Harbor is the largest municipality on Whidbey Island and boasts a strong military community as it is home to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Fun fact – Tom Cruise and his film crew for the new Top Gun 2 movie worked with the Naval fighter pilots who fly out of the base adjacent to Oak Harbor to film the majority of the in-air scenes. Tom Cruise even took flight lessons from some of the pilots! Through out the weekend you will likely hear fighter pilots making practice flights around the island – the locals lovingly refer to the loud sound coming from the jets as the "Sound of Freedom.” Swing by Windjammer Park in downtown Oak Harbor where you will find friendly walking paths along the coastline. It was here that Robert placed 17th in the 2023 Oak Harbor School District Turkey Trot, winning two pumpkin pies!

About 40 minutes from Coupeville you will find the historic fishing town of Anacortes. The downtown corridor in Anacortes features some fun shops and lively drinking establishments. There is a large, active fishing fleet that sails out of Anacortes so you might be able to pony up to the bar alongside a weathered mariner and listen to some dramatic tales of their time on the open ocean. Anacortes is also the primary ferry terminal for exploring the numerous San Juan Islands that dot the NW Puget Sound. Follow the link below to explore ferry options.

Less than 10 minutes south of downtown Coupeville you will find the Coupeville Ferry Terminal that can shuttle you a few miles across Admiralty Bay and into Port Townsend, another historic fishing village. If you are planning on driving on, we highly encourage booking a spot on the ferry in advance. However, walking on the ferry is more than doable, and just as fun! From the ferry terminal in Port Townsend, the entire city center is walkable. Explore the many fun shops, bars, and restaurants along the Port Townsend waterfront, or hike up the steps to visit Uptown Neighborhood and dive into the incredible history of what is was like to reside in Port Townsend during the real Wild Western days of saloons, merchants, brothels, and all the craziness that made the early years of Port Townsend so fascinating. If you have a little extra time, head out to Fort Worden State Park on the outskirts of Port Townsend and enter The Guardhouse – a fascinating cocktail bar set in the military base’s old jail where you can sip an adult beverage in a converted jail cell. Just make sure to stay out of real jail- Abby will be too busy to bail you out!

A short drive west from Coupeville will put you in Fort Ebey State Park. This stretch of land is named for one of the early, prominent settlers of Whidbey Island – Jacob Ebey. At the far southern end of the park you will find Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve Visitor Center which features the original house that Jacob Ebey and his family lived in, along with a beautiful walk through farmland out to the coastline. Further up the coastline you will find Fort Ebey – a World War II era series of fortified positions on high ground overlooking the narrow stretch of sea between Port Townsend and Whidbey Island where US military personnel guarded the entrance to Puget Sound against invasion. Exploring the restored fort and bunkers is a great way to spend a few hours.

For those of you who plan on taking the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton at the southern tip of Whidbey Island, you will easily be able to explore the charming southern Whidbey towns of Clinton, Langley, and Freeland. Several tasty restaurants and wineries dot the southern end of the island. Not taking the ferry? No problem! It is only about a 30-minute drive from Coupeville, and makes a fantastic day or half-day trip.

If you are looking to hit the links, check out either Whidbey Golf Club or The Gallery Golf Course.