“Whidbey Island is magical; the ferries take you there.”
I saw this quote on a kitchen towel at the beginning of my weekend trip to Whidbey Island, and I thought it perfectly encapsulated the vibes of the island. My entire weekend felt like a little adventure filled with beautiful scenery, delicious food, precious stores, and fulfilling quality time. I loved the cozy vibes and slow pace of life everyone seemed to have. The two main towns I went to were Langley and La Conner.Â
At Langley I visited many unique stores and buildings: Callahan’s Firehouse Studio and Gallery (a glassblowing shop where I got to see the owners make cups — it was super cool), Music for the Eyes (what seems to be a never-ending store filled with jewelry and rugs from Central Asia and other countries), The Clyde Theater (a movie theater that only shows one movie for a period of time), and much more. We ate at Braeburn restaurant for lunch, and I had scrumptious banana pancakes!Â
La Conner was more of a fishing town with lots of seafood restaurants. I visited the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum — can’t say I would have gone had I not been alongside the group of people I was with. The museum is a Victorian-style home built in the 1890s, and I loved the features of the building almost as much as the quilts themselves. We also took a look at the Museum of Northwest Art, and I discovered how much I love glassblowing artwork. I also liked reading the history of a painting, and I think I spent more time reading than I did looking. We ate lunch at La Conner Pub & Eatery — I wouldn’t recommend it, the food was not great compared to what it cost. I have to shout out our brief moment in Oak Harbor because I went to one of the best bookstores I have ever stepped foot in! The Book Rack had everything from discounted novels to board games, card games, a cafe, and more (I wish they would come to Seattle or even California!).Â
Even though the weather was cold and made my nose run constantly, the views were incredible. The house I stayed at is located right above the water, and I was lucky to squeeze in a morning beach walk. Even though my trip was only 48 hours, the people I stayed with and I completed 1 ½ puzzles — more than I have ever done in an entire year. Prior to this trip, I would have said I didn’t really enjoy puzzles, but now I am itching to do one when I get home. Overall, a fabulous trip! How lucky am I to traipse around a beautiful state and meet some new faces along the way.Â