My husband, Scott, and I grew up on Whidbey Island, one of the largest and longest islands in the United States. Just a couple hours north of Seattle, either by ferry or bridge, Whidbey is home to the picturesque Deception Pass Bridge, Naval Air Station Whidbey, an abundance of clams and mussels, a whipping surf, and thick landscapes of green. But one typically unknown FUN FACT about Whidbey is that the Sandra Bullock/Nicole Kidman movie “Practical Magic” was filmed in the charming waterfront town of Coupeville back in 1998! For my prom day date, back in June 1998, Scott and I visited another beautiful PNW island, the San Juans, and were surprised to learn they were filming that weekend so we were limited on where we could venture that day. You can imagine just how disappointed Scott was to be only miles away from his childhood dream boat, Nicole Kidman.

Portia, Sarah and I were invited to venture around Whidbey on a PNW fall weekend. We had dashes of both sun, wind and rain, but being natives, we embraced it and made the best of it. Including a lot of wind blown hair photos for effect.

Our brief stay on Whidbey included a walk around Deception Pass, a unique creative experience at Marbley in downtown Coupeville, lunch and drinks at Toby’s Tavern on the waterfront, a magical stay at Captain Whidbey Inn, a visit to my home town of Oak Harbor for coffee, shopping, and photos in the Allgire Project mural parking lot.

DECEPTION PASS BRIDGE was built in 1935 and connects three islands in two sections, Fidalgo to Pass and Pass to Whidbey. Its elegant lines and structure command attention and draws on average 20,000 passengers a day.

Deception Pass is best known for the bridge itself, but from below, along the rocky beach shore, you can catch striking views of the bridge above and enjoy walks by the water.

There are plenty of hikes around the area. Goose Rock being one of my favorites as a kid.

TOBY’S TAVERN // downtown Coupeville, WA

Downtown Coupeville is a special place. Once painted all white during the filming of “Practical Magic”, Coupeville often rests in a layer of early day fog with sun breaks around the lunch hour and makes perfect for fishing and beach combing. A sprinkling of shops and restaurants line each side of the narrow waterfront street. Favorite, Toby’s Tavern, serves up local Penn Cove mussels, hand battered fresh fish, delicious burgers and fries, and even offer the very popular Beyond veggie burger. Portia and I sprang for a glass of wine the size of our faces. No complaints.

Once a mercantile back in the late 1800’s, Toby’s has been a well-known tavern since about the sixty’s. Sandra Bullock once played pool with the owner after a day of filming!

MARBLEY - Water Marbling and Mercantile // downtown Coupeville, WA

1000 year old art technique that has a fascinating past and reason as to why it is such a unique experience. Create a one of a kind piece of silk scarf artwork (bamboo “silk” also offered) by dropping paint on to a layer of water and gel. It is a mesmerizing art form and seems to serve as a visual meditation as you glide combs and stylus through the paint and water and orchestrate your own special design and work of art.

Tips:

Plan to drop some coin on the other half of the studio which is designated to a mercantile filled with lovely home and body scents and oils, handmade goods and jewelry.
BOOK AHEAD! Walk-ins aren’t accepted and they book up in advance quite often.
Make sure you ask Ed, owner, the history of marbling! It’s quite special!

CAPTAIN WHIDBEY INN // Coupeville, WA

A historical gem that is perched in the north nook of Whidbey Island, Captain Whidbey Inn is over 100 years old and still breathes much of the old world charm. With just a handful of lodge rooms and uniquely designed cabins, Captain Whidbey is unlike any other experience and only a brief drive from Seattle.

To learn about the Captain Whidbey Inn, see this post from our family visit last year.

TIPS:

While this can be a great “off the grid” or “disconnect” getaway, if you’re planning to bring the kiddos, keep in mind that there is no in-room TV or public pool to occupy them. However, the island is scenic and nearby cities such as Oak Harbor and Coupeville offer plenty of activities and experiences for the whole family.
For a couples getaway, the original water facing Historic Lodge houses a small grouping of rooms on the second floor and are 21+ only. The rooms feature beautiful views and unique decor. Please note that these rooms do not have in-room bathrooms. There are shared bathrooms located on the same floor, nearby.

Views of the Historic Lodge entry and second floor rooms

THE RESTAURANT serves seasonal fresh fare and handcrafted cocktails, presenting quite the modish vibe. For warmer seasons, the back patio area off the lodge houses spacious outdoor seating, lights and a view of the water. GREAT for summer evenings.

I highly recommend the captain’s burger and truffle fries. for a twisty cocktail, the “you’ve changed” is both sweet & spicy.

Make sure to check with the website or front desk for hours and availability as they are limited during times of Covid.

We stayed in a Lagoon King Room which overlooked the lagoon side of the property, across from the Historic Lodge. The views at sunrise are magical and warm. You’ll be happy you woke up early for it.

sweaters and sweatshirts from the Golden Shop

ALLGIRE PROJECT // Downtown Oak Harbor, WA

Located on Pioneer Way in downtown Oak Harbor is the Allgire Project. A fabulous outdoor mural space showcasing PNW artists and founded by Oak Harbor native Sarah Schacht. Sarah’s grandparents, Myrtle and John Allgire, purchased the building on SE Pioneer Way in the 1960’s, opening the long time staple clothing shop The Casual House. Recently, Sarah purchased the adjacent building to honor her family and create a space “to bring community, small businesses, creative projects and events together under one indoor-outdoor space to enrich and engage Oak Harbor’s community and visitors.” - Allgire Project