Best Scenic Islands in Washington State

Old May 5th, 2015, 04:10 PM
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Best Scenic Islands in Washington State

I'm planning my first trip to the Seattle area this summer with my family. On the map I see quite a few islands near Seattle. I would like to know which island[s] are: (1) the most scenic, (2) can be accessed by ferry from Seattle with your car on board, and (3) have hotels?
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Old May 6th, 2015, 03:24 AM
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This is too complicated for any one individual to answer reliably.

Seattle itself is at the hub of a network of commuter ferries and the island to the north have their own web.

You need to Google the Washington State Ferry System for schedules and routes.

Each of us has his own favorite islands and towns. I found Whidbey Island and the town of Port Townsend (can't recall which island) very attractive.

Once you know where you are going, you can decide where you want to stay. Lodging is available on many of the islands, but I would not delay in booking it if you are going this year.

There is also a fast catamaran that you can take as passengers if a day trip from Seattle to Victoria, British Columbia, sound interesting.
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Old May 6th, 2015, 07:22 AM
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Here is a summary of the various islands in the Puget Sound region. I make no apologies for any opinion that sneaks in masquerading as fact.

Islands accessible by car directly from Seattle:

Bainbridge Island - Bainbridge is a large island with a mixture of rural and suburban development. The main town, Winslow, has a pleasant mixture of shops, cafes, etc. Bainbridge is usually described as a "bedroom" commuter suburb (commuters travel by ferry to downtown Seattle) but it's a little more complicated by that. Bainbridge is connected by road bridge to the Kitsap Peninsula (itself connected to the Olympic Peninsula by another bridge.) The ferry ride to/from Bainbridge from downtown Seattle is quite scenic.

There are a couple hotel/motels on Bainbridge, as well as a number of bed and breakfast and VRBO/AirBnB type accommodations.

Vashon Island: The north end of Vashon Island is reached by car ferry from the Fauntleroy area of West Seattle, around five road miles from downtown. At the south end of Vashon a second ferry takes cars and passengers to the Ruston neighborhood of Tacoma. Vashon (and Maury Island, a peninsula) is very rural, despite being sandwiched between the two big cities. Vashon has some lovely views, waterfront parks, a smattering of interesting buildings, and a small commercial center (itself called Vashon.)

I'm not aware of any hotels/motels on Vashon, but again, there are numerous B&Bs and the like.

That's it - just those two islands reachable from Seattle itself.

There are other island reached by car following drives from Seattle, including:

Whidbey Island: Whidbey is a long skinny island that one reaches by means of a ferry from the little town of Mukilteo (the ferry terminal is around 20 miles north of Seattle.) At the north end, Whidbey is connected by a (spectacular) road bridge across Deception Pass to Fidalgo Island, one of the San Juan islands. (Fidalgo itself is connected to the mainland by another bridge.)

Whidbey is very large and has a number of terrific destinations for visitors. The little waterfront towns of Langley and Coupeville are quite picturesque and have lots of interesting galleries, shops, restaurants etc., as well as a few hotels or inns.

Fort Casey State Park, near the ferry terminal that you can use to get to Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula, is very interesting, with a lighthouse, coastal defense gun batteries, beaches, and lots to see.

Two-thirds of the way up Whidbey is the town of Oak Harbor, site of a large US Navy air station. Oak Harbor has a wide range of accommodations and commercial facilities, but it's not of great interest to tourists.

Deception Pass State Park, at the north end of Whidbey, is one of the real highlights of Puget Sound. It's a narrow channel through which the water rushes at high speed during tide changes; on both sides of the channel are lovely beaches, old growth forest with hiking trails, etc. It's a spectacular place, well worth visiting.

The last group of islands in the North Sound reachable by car ferry are the San Juan Islands. One travels to the San Juans by ferry from Anacortes, the main town on Fidalgo Island.

There are many islands in the San Juans, but the principal visitor facilities are located on just three - San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island. These three have quite different characteristics: San Juan is the most developed, with the main town, Friday Harbor, containing numerous accommodations and facilities. Roche Harbor, at the opposite end of the island, is also very picturesque. One or two of the daily ferries from Anacortes to Friday Harbor continue on to Sidney BC, on Vancouver Island.

Orcas Island is the largest of the group, quite rural and quite "counter cultural" in its vibe. Mt. Constitution in the center of Orcas is the highest point in the islands; the views are quite spectacular. Orcas has a number of inns/B&Bs and a small amount of commercial development.

Lopez Island is less hilly, quite rural, but with a nice low-key commercial center. Lopez is much beloved of cyclists. Again, it has a couple of inns, B&Bs and the like.

The San Juans are justifiably famous and popular with visitors, but can be difficult or time-consuming to reach at peak periods, when long waits for ferries can eat into your time. From Seattle, the drive to Anacortes takes around 90 minutes, then a wait for the ferry and an hour or more on the boat, means one needs to set aside at least three hours, often more, just to get to the islands from Seattle, making them impractical for a day trip.

Now at the south end of Puget Sound are a group of islands that are comparitively less visited. Anderson Island is reached by ferry from Steilacoom on the mainland, and Harstine Island by bridge in rural Mason County. These islands have very little commercial development.

So back to your question, which one to visit? Much depends on how much time you have. The San Juans are the most popular and well known, Bainbridge good for a day trip, but my vote (without knowing much at all of your interests) would be Whidbey, owing to its size, diversity, and proximity to lots of cool resources.

On the way to Whidbey, if interested, you could stop at the Boeing Everett plant for a tour of the jumbo jet production line, housed in the biggest building in the world. The Mukilteo ferry is ten minutes from the tour center. http://www.futureofflight.org/

Hope this helps.
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Old May 6th, 2015, 09:29 AM
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When I read this article today, I thought of you: http://www.komonews.com/seattlerefin...302650731.html

HTtY
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Old May 8th, 2015, 05:13 AM
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Thanks all for helpful comments. Gardyloo, your extensive response was very helpful. And I haven't heard the term "gardyloo" since I was in Edinburg, Scotland!
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Old Oct 6th, 2015, 04:55 AM
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I found North Cascades Loop and Enumclaw for most scenic islands in Washington. For the hotels I recommend you D.C hotel with good facilities.
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