"Just a note to thank you again for such a WONDERFUL visit at your B&B! We are still talking about it and want to return soon! Thanks for all your hard work. This was one of our favorite B&B stays ever!"
Jim & Linda
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"My husband and I decided to enjoy one last weekend away before our baby comes, so we booked a weekend at the Blue Goose Inn on Whidbey Island, a place we had never before visited. We fell in love with the island, and will be back for sure. However, our experience at the Blue Goose was what made the weekend so memorable and special for us. Our impeccable hosts that made us feel welcome and comfotable the entire time. The breakfasts were delicious and served with a smile, the rooms were adorably quaint and meticulously clean, and the price was right. We enjoyed every minute of our special little getaway, and will recommend the Blue Goose to all of our friends! "
Soak up the History of Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve
Within the fast growing Puget Sound region, Ebey's Landing NHR has quickly become the remaining area where a broad spectrum of Northwest history is still clearly visible in the landscape. The historical landscape of the reserve appears to today's visitors much as it did a century ago, when New England sea captains were drawn to Penn Cove. Historic farms are still farmed, forests harvested and century-old buildings used as homes or places of business.
Unlike many National Park units, the 25 square mile historical reserve encompasses a mixture of federal, state, county and private property, all managed in a way that preserves its historic essence. This means that changes in the cultural landscape will continue but in a way that respects the past.
Hike the Bluff Trail at Ebey's Landing
Stroll across rolling emerald fields, climb coastal bluffs towering above the surf, and wander along a driftwood-strewn beach, gazing across busy coastal waters to a backdrop of snowcapped Olympic Mountains. And there's more! Prairie flowers, bald eagles, shorebirds, and historic relics. One of the finest coastal hikes in the Northwest, Ebey's Landing is one of Washington's most naturally diverse as well as historically significant places.
Enjoy Small Town Shopping on Front Street
Take your time and explore the shops and galleries on the picturesque waterfront of historic Coupeville. Check out souvenirs at the museum and lighthouse stores, festival vendors and farmers' markets in Coupeville and Greenbank. This is small town shopping at its best, where the merchant behind the counter is often the owner, artist or artisan.
Savor some Culinary Delights
Coupeville provides a welcome respite from fast food and chain restaurants. Its restaurants, cafes, delis, and coffee houses offer a range of personalities ... distinct characters you'll savor and remember. We also love to share our favorite local delicacy, Penn Cove mussels. The cove is the perfect environment for the Penn Cove Mussel Farm, and our eateries know just how to prepare these bountiful bivalves delivered within hours of being plucked from the cove's waters.
Explore the Admiralty Head Lighthouse
On January 21, 1861, the Admiralty Head light pierced the night for the first time. The fourth-order lens, lighted with a whale oil lamp, was visible 16 miles out to sea over a 270-degree area. It was housed in a white, wooden, two-story house.
If you like lighthouses-this is one to see. Sitting on a bluff in the center of Fort Casey, the lighthouse is staffed by friendly, knowledgeable volunteers who also expertly maintain it. The lighthouse and Fort Casey's big guns have stood watch over the entrance to Puget Sound for decades. Today they watch over a breath-taking view of the Olympic mountains, Port Townsend ferry, shipping lanes, and even the ocassional Orca whales.
Go Fly a Kite at Fort Casey State Park
Now a state park popular for kite flying and hiking, at one time Fort Casey was considered vital to defending the sea lanes into Puget Sound. Any warships entering the Puget Sound would have found themselves under murderous fire from the forts 5-10 inch "disappearing" guns that were designed to stay below there emplacement until the moment of firing when they were raised and fired causing them to lower back below cover once again.
Fort Casey State Park is a 467-acre marine camping park with a lighthouse and sweeping views of Admiralty Inlet and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A coast artillery post features two 10-inch and two 3-inch historic guns on display. The park features 10,810 feet of saltwater shoreline on Puget Sound (Admiralty Inlet), and includes Keystone Spit, a two-mile-plus stretch of land separating Admiralty Inlet and Crocket Lake.
Take a Hike at Fort Ebey State Park
Fort Ebey State Park, a 645-acre camping park on Whidbey Island, was originally built as a coastal defense fort in World War II. Concrete platforms mark the gun locations. The park has three miles of saltwater shoreline on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, a freshwater lake for fishing, and miles of hiking and biking trails.
Go Bird Watching at Crockett Lake
Crockett Lake is a major stopover for an extraordinary number of shorebirds during northbound (April/May), and southbound (early July/October) migrations, the best times to visit. At least 17 species of shorebirds have been recorded here, including Western, Least, Baird's, Pectoral, and Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Black-bellied and Semi-palmated Plovers, and both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. This cornucopia acts as an attractor for Peregrine Falcons and Merlins, and Bald Eagles and Northern Harriers are also usually added to the mix. The surrounding grasslands and marshes have Savannah, Song and White-crowned Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Marsh Wrens, and American Goldfinches. Great Blue Herons use the lake as a foraging site during the breeding season. Ducks and gulls round out the mix. Click here for more Bird Watching on Whidbey
