December 2021 Whidbey Island Real Estate Market Update

🚨 Here it is folks! Your year-to-date Whidbey Island Real Estate Market Update. CLICK HERE TO GET THE PRINTABLE PDF!
🗺️ Stats are separated by area: South, Central, & North Whidbey.
🏡All stats represent only the residential & condo sales, except for the ones specifically for vacant land. May not represent all market activity.
If you want help interpreting this data and what it means for you. Feel free to message us and setup a free buyers or sellers consultation.
🤗 Enjoy!
#wearewhidbey #windermereEconomics
Created by Si Fisher
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Data supplied by the NWMLS. Neither the
Board or its MLS guarantees its accuracy. May
not reflect all real estate activity in the market.
June 2021 Events on Whidbey Island

June 2021 Events Whidbey Island
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Your June 2021 Events on Whidbey Island Calendar is ready with Summer just around the corner. Whidbey Island might as well be paradise on earth this time of year. So get out there and have some fun! Below is a list of events happening this month to go enjoy.
Check out our FULL EVENTS CALENDAR
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Let’s start with some events that have LIVE MUSIC!
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Back again at Dancing Fish! A “paired down” version of the quartet that played here at the end of 2019. An evening of live music with David Gregor and David Licastro! This event is by reservation only and a portion of the $20 admission fee will go to Whidbey Island Nourishes (WIN).
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Details & Tickets
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Dancing Fish will also be hosting several other live music events throughout the month, you can see the full calendar HERE
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Marley Erickson (violin) and Mark Findlay (piano) perform a program that includes Debussy’s Violin Sonata and Saint-Saëns’ Fantaisie Op. 124.
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS
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2020 Winner of the Athens Muse International Competition, Philadelphia International Music Festival Competition, Moscow International Competition, and Danubia Talents International Competition, 18-year-old Marley Erickson has appearances scheduled this year in Brussels, Athens and The Lockenhaus Music Festival in Austria. Marley currently studies with Eszter Perényi and Barnabás Kelemen at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary. Previously, she was a student of Simon James, Hiro David, and Jan Coleman of the Coleman Violin Studio in Seattle, Washington.
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Mark Findlay received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance from the Indiana University School of Music where he studied with Karen Shaw and Michel Block. Mark appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and as featured artist on WGMS radio in Washington D.C. Since moving to Whidbey Island in 2012, Mark has appeared in concert numerous times in chamber and solo performances and has participated as orchestra pianist with the Saratoga Chamber Orchestra.
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Details & Tickets
BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH
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We’re the beneficiaries of Tekla Cunningham’s and Sheila Weidendorf’s year-long immersion in Johannes Brahm’s sonatas.
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Details & Tickets
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Family Fun
Local craft vendors: Arrows Aim Greenhouse, The Painted Thrush,
Petting zoo
Yard games
Potato Sack Races
Hot food: Arbia Pizza, Island Shaved Ice, Pop -N-Thyme Kettle Corn
Sweet Treats: Strawberry Pie, Strawberry Lemonade
Hay Maze
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Experience the Farm
U-pick strawberries, Farm Tours, Learn about the equipment, Sit on a tractor, Meet your farmers, Purchase fresh produce
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Live Music
Dancing & The Arts
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Celebration of Dance 2021
Silent Auction (with free beverage included) between both Saturday shows- 3:00 – 7:00 pm.
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Please join us for Whidbey Island Dance Theatre’s annual Celebration of Dance performance and Silent Auction (Saturday only) to be performed on the Whidbey Children’s Theatre stage! This show features all of our extremely talented company dancers, highlighting their individual strengths in this modern/contemporary style of dance. As always, the choreography is cutting edge, unique and created specifically for this special show by professional choreographers and two of our up and coming pre-professionals. This is truly a gem of a show… not to be missed by anyone who loves dance or anyone who thinks they don’t!
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Details & Tickets
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We are a modern event supporting skilled makers of the Pacific Northwest. What started as a dream, quickly blossomed into a widely-loved gathering of creators offering their designs to customers in a beautiful weekend event located on whidbey island. Hosted by founder, Mandy Koelbl, and situated inside the newly renovated historical barn at Ducken Farm, the Whidbey Makers Market welcomes you!
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JUNE 4-5, 9 – 1 PM
It’s our 10th Annual Open House at the Freeland Art Studios, we hope you’ll come and see what’s new at the Freeland Art Studios 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 5.
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We’ve got a couple new faces at FAS this year. Charles LaFond is a master potter and creates a wide variety of functional pottery, and Gail Liston has joined us bringing along a splash of color in her paintings. You’ll see some of the same familiar faces (notice I am not saying “old faces” here). See new work by all the artists and find out what everyone else has been up to over the long COVID year.
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Freeland Art Studios is a large studio space, over 7000 sq. feet, so there’s lots of space for social distancing. FAS houses multiple separate artist workspaces with artists working in a variety of different media including: stone, metal, clay tile, pottery, oil and acrylic painting, cast glass, wood, resin paintings, mixed media and water features. Artists are: Penelope Crittenden, Carol Rose Dean, Charles LaFond, Gail Liston, Ben Medford, Matt Monforte, Woody Morris, Sue Taves, Lane Tompkins, and Lloyd Whannell.
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Most of the artists will be at the studio for the open house and will have completed art for sale as well as new works in process. We hope you will stop by to see what’s new.
You can find us at 1660 Roberta Avenue off of Harbor Ave in Freeland (behind Whidbey Island Bank and the WAIF Thrift store.)
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Details
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Want to get together with friends, but your hosting skills are rusty?
Invite them to join you at Happy Hour Under the Tent!
Fridays & Saturdays | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
We’ll be serving up an assortment of soft drinks, local wines and brews, signature cocktails, snacks, and fantastic local talent on the patio and under cover.
Bring a blanket, your best pals, and stories to share!
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Details
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Farmer’s Markets & Street Fairs
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“Explore the best of Whidbey through farm fresh and craft food and drinks, art and jewelry, beauty and wellness, and more at Bayview Corner.”
Every Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM
Bayview Road & Bayview Hall
Langley, WA 98260
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“The South Whidbey Tilth Farmers’ Market celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year!”
www.southwhidbeytilth.org/market.html
Every Sunday, 11 AM to 3 PM
2812 Thompson Rd
Langley, WA 98260
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“Shop local Makers, Bakers and Growers at our open air market on Second Street every Friday from May 14th, through September 17”
visitlangley.com/lp/langley-friday-market-may-14-september-17
Fridays 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Second Street
Langley, WA 98260
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A vendor member non profit local market based upon the principle of providing the community with the best in local produced foods, crafts, and produce. The market celebrates the Coupeville community each Saturday. The gaelic word “comhar” means the value of the community and all it’s participants coming together. We practice comhar each week, and so can you.
Saturdays 10 – 2 PM
Coupeville Community Green
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#WeAreWhidbey
I hope you enjoyed your 2021 June Events on Whidbey Island rundown. This blog post was brought to you by Windermere Whidbey. Your Whidbey Island Real Estate Specialists. Feel free to contact us for help achieving your real estate goals!
Freeland Office
360 331 6006
Langley Office
360 221 8898
Written by Si Fisher | Real Estate Professional | Digital Marketing Specialist
Geocaching on Whidbey Island

Geocaching on Whidbey Island
Why is Whidbey Island the Perfect Place?
It is no secret that Whidbey Island is an astonishingly beautiful place. It’s the kind of atmosphere that draws you outside to enjoy the many state parks and breathtaking beaches. Countless trails dot the landscape all across the island. These trails and parks are what make Whidbey Island the perfect place for one very special activity: geocaching.
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What is Geocaching?
Geocaching is a hobby that has been around for almost twenty years, following the significant improvements on the global positioning system. The concept of the game is simple; go to a location indicated on your app/GPS, find the hidden treasure, re-hide and repeat. Geocaching’s simple, yet successful, concept attracts millions from across the globe to get outside and participate. On Whidbey Island alone there are over 300 caches!
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From the Geocachers:
We asked a few Geocachers about the draw to the hobby and they gave us a wealth of knowledge.
Sandra, a long term Geocacher, expressed “so many activities today [are] related to being indoors and sedentary in nature,” but she believes breaking that trend is what brings people to the hobby.
“Geocaching [is] directly related to being outside, the benefits are exercising your brain and your body! I’ve also been introduced to wonderful like-minded people who enjoy adventures.”
Bill, a fellow Geocacher, echoes every word of Sandra’s beliefs in the benefits of Geocaching. Asked why he started he simply said, “it was a way to get out!” As a retired man Bill is grateful to have geocaching for a hobby. Its something that keeps him active, helps him meet new people and discover new places.
So how easy is it to get into Geocaching?
Step 1: Download the App
This is the easiest part! Both iTunes and Google Play offer Geocaching as a phone app. All you need to do is search for it and download.
Step 2: Set Up a Profile
Setting up a profile allows you to save those caches you have already found and will start to develop statistics after you’ve been participating for a while.
Step 3: Start Finding Caches!
The app will immediately give you directions to the caches nearest you. You will follow it to the location and after that you are mostly left to find the treasure.
We Gave it a Try:
We decided to give it a try ourselves and it was great! We discovered there was a geocache right next to our Coupeville office. When we got a little lost and confused, we found out there was a helpful hint to guide the way. After a little snooping we found a tiny pill box with the visitor log!
Overall it was a pretty great experience and we can’t believe there are SO MANY more caches to find and places to discover on Whidbey Island! Sandra stated it best, “Whidbey Island is a magical place to live and geocache in… I loved discovering the “Mother of All Erratics” in the Saratoga Woods near Langley, (as well as) new trails and Dugualla State Park on North Whidbey, and secret places in Deception Pass State Park. We have lived on Whidbey almost 38 years and all of those places and more were discovered through geocaching!”
Go get out there and explore!
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QR Codes Connecting Us to History

QR Codes Connecting Us to History
Coupeville:
It’s of no surprise to anyone that Whidbey Island is home to some fascinating and wonderful towns each with their own history and culture. Perhaps the most intriguing is Whidbey’s oldest town and home of the first Whidbey Island settlement, Coupeville.
Coupeville is an adorable waterfront community rich in history and culture. In 1850 Issac Ebey became the first official Whidbey Island settler when he applied for the first land claim on the island. Claiming over 600 acres of what is now Ebey’s Landing, Ebey was soon to be followed by his nephew and many others. By 1854 there were 29 settlement claims in Coupeville alone and in 1881 it officially became the Island County seat.
Preservation:
Although all of Whidbey is covered in fascinating history, Coupeville is unique in its preservation. Where many of the original buildings of Oak Harbor and Langley have been torn down or decimated by historic fires, downtown Coupeville’s original buildings remain intact and in use. In fact, the town of Coupeville has more historic buildings in a condensed area than anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Technology:
To celebrate this fact and educate people on these beautiful historic buildings, Island County’s 4-H club took on the project of using modern technology to connect us to the past. Next time you’re in downtown Coupeville, take a closer look at those historic store windows. You might just see one of these:
Scattered down Front Street are tons of these QR codes leading to the Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association website developed by the 4-H club in 2012. This website is full of information gathered from the Island County Historical Society, City Records, and over 100 personal interviews with people recounting memories and stories of the historic downtown. Each building’s QR code will lead you directly to that building’s history: when it was built, it’s original purpose, and the different stores that have occupied the space.
So, the next time you are strolling down Font Street whip out that smartphone of yours and learn a little bit of history along the way.
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Get Your Ghoul on Whidbey Island Style

Get Your Ghoul on:
Whidbey Island Style
If you have found yourself strolling the streets of Coupeville recently, you might have noticed some spooky spirits lurking about. Don’t worry! These ghouls aren’t out to get you but instead, they welcome in the Halloween season.
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October 1st marked the beginning of the annual Haunting of Coupeville. Five years ago the City of Coupeville’s Chamber of Commerce decided the town’s holiday spirit and Spooktacular events deserved an overarching identity.
Thus, The Haunting of Coupeville was born!
Every year from October 1st – 31st the Haunting includes not only fun town decorations but events that are enjoyable for the entire family!
- Enjoy the weekend picking pumpkins and taking trolley rides at Sherman’s Farm; but be careful, the barn is haunted!
- On the 24th Potterhead’s can enjoy a Dark Arts Dinner Party at Front Street Grill complete with appetizers, potions, and maybe even some Butterbeer.
- Enjoy exploring Haunted Fort Casey on the 26th-27th where children are invited to participate in Trick or Treat Lane, games, ghost stories and a bounce house.
- Coupeville’s Great Pumpkin Race on Sunday the 28th serves as a grand finale to the festivities. Watch as participants race their handcrafted pumpkins down front street tin hopes to win the champion trophy.
Young or old, this season holds events that anyone and everyone can enjoy. So get your ghoul on this Hollows Eve in the beautiful town of Coupeville.
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For more information about the Haunting of Coupeville visit: www.HauntingOfCoupeville.com
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Summer Time Sweet Treats

Summer Time Sweet Treats
What do you do to keep cool in these hot summer months? One of our favorite things is to head out for a cold and sweet treat! Thankfully, Whidbey is home to some amazing places for just that!
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KAPAWS Iskreme – 21 Front St NE, Coupeville
One of Whidbey Island’s best-kept secrets, KAPAWS is a favorite stop for some amazing ice cream and quaint small-town atmosphere. We highly recommend grabbing one of their fresh waffle cones that you can smell a mile away. The best part is their $1 kid cones – for kids only! Open 7 days a week from 11 am to 5:30 pm, KAPAWS offers friendly service, generous portions, and reasonable prices that won’t disappoint!
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Ciao – 701 Main St N, Coupeville
You may be surprised to learn that Ciao isn’t just about the amazing pizza. Every day, gelato is made in-house from a recipe created in the 1700’s! Made from milk rather than cream gelato sports a velvety texture that will make your taste buds dance. Stop by Monday through Saturday 11am-8pm to try out one of their many flavors. We especially love their Affogato, which is gelato floated in espresso! Yum!
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K&R Farms “The Stand” – 36699 SR 20, Oak Harbor
If you’ve ever driven toward Anacortes, you probably noticed the farm stand on highway 20. K&R Farm’s “The Stand” is a favorite stop for local produce, fresh beef, ice cream, and many other tasty delights. Recently, The Stand started serving Hawaiian shaved Ice and it has been a big hit! Hawaiian shaved ice differs from your run of the mill snow cone because of the soft snow-like texture that absorbs all the flavor of the syrup and makes for a refreshing treat! You can visit the stand 7 days a week from 11 am to 6 pm.
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Toppins – 32650 SR 20 A101, Oak Harbor
“Frozen yogurt your way” is our favorite way to describe Toppins. With 12 different frozen yogurt flavors and 80+ topping choices, all self-serve, you can create your own dessert masterpiece. What’s even better is that it doesn’t stop there! Toppins also offer’s floats made with your frozen yogurt flavor choice. We really enjoy their pineapple float with its refreshing flavor that is perfect for summer. You can stop by for your cool off treat from 11 am to 10 pm Monday through Saturday and 11 am to 9 pm on Sunday.
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Café de Lisio – 957 Ault Field Rd, Oak Harbor
It may be easy to miss, but Café de Lisio is famous locally! Their “mile-long” menu of creative combinations for all their delicious coffee drinks may be overwhelming so just tell the barista what you’re after and they can suggest one for you. Everything can be done icy cold and kid friendly! Our favorite cold menu item is the Attitude Adjuster, and trust us, you will not be disappointed. The café and drive through are open from 5am-6pm Monday through Friday and 6am-5pm Saturday and Sunday for your convenience.
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Upick Berries

UPick Berries
There is nothing that will make you appreciate delicious berries more than the sweat and work that goes into picking them. Working for those juicy goodies will only make them taste even better, and that’s why we love the opportunity to visit local farms for their U-Pick berry events. There are several farms on Whidbey Island that give you the chance to take the family and pick your own strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries!
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Bell’s Farms: 892 West Beach Rd, Coupeville.
Bell’s Farms is practically famous on Whidbey Island for their plump and juicy strawberries. They host the annual Strawberry Daze Festival where you can not only pick strawberries, but also enjoy a glass of strawberry lemonade and other delicious strawberry treats while you are there. Bring the kids they have a petting zoo and fun activities too! UPick strawberry season can vary so follow their Facebook page for real time updates. https://www.facebook.com/Bells-Farm-164501900234634/
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Bonnie’s Blueberries: 4414 N Jones Rd, Oak Harbor.
Boasting of 75+ year old blueberry bushes, Bonnie’s Blueberries is the perfect place to pick your own fresh Rubels, Atlantic, and Jersey blueberries. This small, mother and son run business is a favorite in Oak Harbor due to their welcoming personalities and of course the delicious blueberries! Their blueberry season typically runs somewhere around July 1st through September 31st, however the blueberry crop is totally dependent on mother nature. For updates on Blueberries and when they will be ready, call 360-679-3600. If you just can’t’ wait that long Bonnie’s Blueberries offers frozen berries year-round, just call to place your order!
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Hunter’s Moon Farm: 935 Bunch Lane, Oak Harbor.
Hunter’s Moon Farm, a certified organic blueberry farm, provides the chance to pick a variety of late season blueberries. The farm is open Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10-4pm and the blueberry season is expected to begin the end of July and run through the middle of September. To stay up to date on their season and other happenings around the farm, you can sign up for their mailing list here: http://huntersmoonorganics.com/ . Hunter’s Moon is also known for their blueberry honey, snack bars, syrup, and jam which you can grab while you are there for your blueberry picking adventure! You can also follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Hunters-Moon-Farm-764648210260935/
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Crescent Harbor Blueberry Farm: 2726 Laurel Lane, Oak Harbor.
If you’re looking for more of a “private” blueberry picking experience. Crescent Harbor Blueberry Farm is the place to go, and they don’t stop at blueberries! This small, family farm also offers raspberries, Marion berries, tayberries, and boysenberries. U-Pick berries at Crescent Harbor are available by appointment only. To make your appointment and get updates on the crop availability, give them a call at 360-679-4210.
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K&R Farms The Stand: 36699 SR 20, Oak Harbor.
Previously known as Dugualla Bay Farm, K&R Farm “The Stand” is making its presence known in Oak Harbor. Stop by for a U-pick strawberry and raspberry experience, then reward your hard work with a hearty serving of ice cream! The Stand has not released their U-Pick days just yet, so you will want to follow their Facebook page for updates on their crop, and hours of operation as it changes from week to week. https://www.facebook.com/KandRFarmsLLC/
Map of UPick Berry Farms:
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Whidbey Island Pop-up Flower Stands

Whidbey Island Pop-up Flower Stands
Summer on Whidbey is a magical time for many reasons but one of the most idyllic reasons is the beautiful little flower stands that pop-up all over the Island as the ground warms up. They’re almost all honesty stands, which speaks to the culture we enjoy in this community and they are run by individuals who operate them almost as a labor of love! If you don’t drive past one on your daily “commute” you may not even know they exist or how many are out there so we created a map for you! This shows the most well-known stands in the Oak Harbor and Coupeville area. We would love to add more! If you know of any additional stands please send us pictures, a specific location, what they typically offer, cost, etc. and we will add it to the map!
Whidbey Island Pop-up Flower Stand Map
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Ebey’s Reserve:

A historical living landscape
You may have heard of, or even spent an afternoon hiking the bluff on Ebey’s Reserve. It’s spectacular landscape, and unparalleled views of Admiralty Inlet and the Olympic mountains are a treat for the eyes and refreshing to the soul. But, while you are busy soaking it all in, you may not realize how Ebey’s Reserve is a preservation of not just human history but a preservation of how humans interact with the land and nature.
As Early as 1300, Western explores began inhabiting central Whidbey because of the abundance of natural resources from both land and sea. However, it wasn’t until 1851, by suggestion of his friend Samuel Crockett, that Colonel Isaac Neff Ebey claimed land on Central Whidbey. Ebey was delighted with the area and wrote home urging his family to join him. Soon after hearing about the paradise Ebey described, they emigrated to and settled on the island, making the Ebey family one of the first permanent settlers on the Island.
During your visit, you can still view the home of Colonel Isaac’s father, Jacob Ebey, and his blockhouse that was built to protect and defend his claim of the island from Indians. The house sits overlooking the prairie that is now known as Ebey’s landing and stands as a memoir to the beginning of life on Whidbey Island.
But, the story doesn’t end there! In addition to farmers, central Whidbey attracted sea captains and merchants because of the protection Penn Cove offers and the high value timber for shipbuilding. One of the many settlers that made their way to Whidbey was the daring Captain Thomas Coupe, who astonished his fellow seafarers when he sailed through Deception Pass in a full-rigged ship, a risk very few were willing to take. Coupe then claimed 320 acres of land on Central Whidbey, that later became our beloved town of Coupeville.
Protected by the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978, Ebey’s Reserve stands as a historical living landscape that promises the same experience for generations to come. It is a place to enjoy the unchanged views, celebrate and honor the history of the area, and preserve the natural resources that attracted so many here in the first place. Ebey’s Reserve is a true treasure of Whidbey Island, no matter how many times you visit you will always return feeling like it’s the first time.
Suggested links:
Our favorite hike in Ebey’s Reserve is the “bluff trail” https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/ebeys-landing-trail
To learn more about life on Whidbey in the past visit the Museum
https://www.islandhistory.org/
For ways to get involved, attend events or support the Reserve http://www.friendsofebeys.org/events.html
For more about Ebey’s Landing visit them on the web http://www.nps.gov/ebla
Follow Ebey’s Landing on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ebeyslanding_nhr/?hl=en
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The Salty Mug

Looking for that extra special coffee?
You cannot beat this specialty salted caramel coffee drink, named “The Salty Mug” from… well The Salty Mug.
Take a stroll down the Coupeville Wharf and you will come upon a beautiful red barn nestled by the waves at the end. Inside you will find a gift shop, a restaurant and The Salty Mug coffee shop. Don’t forget to look up and see Rosie the Gray whale while inside as well as the Handsome Samson & Rudy!
Towards the back of the building you will discover a small entrance to a quaint coffee shop, The Salty Mug. Inside you will notice art hanging on the walls featuring local artists, fresh baked goodies lining the counters and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. There is cozy seating inside with glorious views out the windows looking across Penn Cove allowing you to enjoy the view even on the chilly days.
Ask owner David Howell (pictured) and his wife Pat what their suggested drink is and they will say, “the salty mug of course” they are not kidding. OH MY GOODNESS it is so good you will not want to try anything else.
Finally, escape from reality as you venture out the side doors onto their beautiful patio. It is here you get to see some of the most beautiful views on the island. Why not sit awhile and smell the crisp sea breeze and listen to the local wildlife splash in the water. Did I mention the view? Seriously, what is better than a warm cup of coffee while looking at the majestic snow capped mountains across the ocean?
For more about The Salty Mug click here.
Video on the History of the Coupeville Wharf:
Keep a watch out for other blogs:
Harbor Gift N’Kayak Rental
The cove Café