THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. WHEN YOU CLICK ON THESE LINKS WE RECEIVE COMPENSATION, AT NO EXPENSE TO YOU, THAT HELPS THIS BLOG RUN. ALL OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN.

Whidbey Island is one of our favorite day trips from Seattle for both locals of the Pacific Northwest and visitors. This picturesque island has it all - cute towns, hiking trails, nature to explore, public art displays, great food and spots to view wildlife. You can access the island both on the ferry or by going across the famous Deception Pass bridge. This article is all about visiting the island just for the day with kids. We take a family-focused view of traveling with kids - rather than just visiting spots solely meant for kids, we explore places that would interest everyone in the family in some aspect. Whidbey Island is perfect for this.

Deception Pass State Park - view of the bridge from Pass Island

Itineary Overview

Whidbey Island is in Puget Sound just north of Seattle. There is an impressive eight different Washington State Parks on Whidbey Island that help protect the gorgeous nature and historical significance of the island. This island is long but narrow, stretching 55 miles along. This makes it the longest island in Washington. It has quite a diverse range of landscapes including high cliffs, prairies, rocky beaches, freshwater lakes and old growth forests. Whidbey Island is also home to a major active U.S. Navy base.

There are easily many days worth of activities on Whidbey Island and when condensing it all into one day, you’ll need to pick and choose what spots interest your family and fit with the time of year. Here is an example itinerary that you can use as a starting off point. Later on in the article is more details about each spot and alternatives. This itinerary is assuming you are starting from Seattle and will take the ferry to start your day trip. You can also do this itinerary in reverse and end the day with the ferry. There is one major road, SR 525 which turns to SR 20, that runs the length of the island.

10:00am - Ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton

10:45am - Langley

12:00pm - Coupeville

1:00pm - Price Sculpture Forest

2:00pm - Fort Casey

4:00pm - Deception Pass State Park

5:30pm - Drive back to Seattle on I-5

Parking in Washington State Parks does cost $10 a day or you can buy a Discover Pass for $45 which lets you park in any state park for an entire year. If you live in Washington, I will always recommend getting the Discover Pass. If you are visiting and only planning to visit state parks on a couple days, get the day pass. You can buy them at the automated pay stations at Fort Casey, Fort Ebey, Deception Pass, and South Whidbey on Whidbey Island. There is also a drive through gate you can get it from at Deception Pass State Park. The Washington State Parks are free on several select days throughout the year. Note that the parks may be busier on these free days as well.

How to get onto Whidbey Island

Mukilteo Lighthouse from the Mukilteo - Clinton Ferry

Whidbey Island is accessible by two different ferry routes and a bridge. A ferry from Mukilteo - just north of Seattle will take you to Whidbey Island’s Clinton. Or if you are on the Olympic Peninsula, you can take the ferry from Port Townsend to the ferry port of Coupeville. Despite the name, that ferry doesn’t actually take you to the downtown of Coupeville, it takes you to a spot just on the opposite side of the island. The bridge, Deception Pass Bridge is all the way at the north end of the island.

You can do this itinerary in two different ways - either the way I have written (south Whidbey to north) or the reverse. There is no compelling reason for either way you do it, it just comes down to personal preference. We like putting the ferry journey at the beginning because I feel like it gives a great starting experience to exploring the island. It also means that the long drive without any stops is at the end when everyone’s energy is already low. We’ve never experienced a wait for the Mukilteo ferry, but if it looks like there might be a long wait to get onto the island by ferry, it likely would make sense to switch up the itinerary and do it in reverse. You might have an easier time getting off the island in the afternoon at Clinton after making your way south.

If this is your first time on a Washington State Ferry or first time with kids, see the article we’ve written on tips below:

Featured

Whidbey Island Day Trip from Seattle, WA with Kids

Nov 12, 2025

Seattle, Day Trip, One Day, Kids, ferry, whidbeyisland

Whidbey Island Day Trip from Seattle, WA with Kids

Nov 12, 2025

Seattle, Day Trip, One Day, Kids, ferry, whidbeyisland

Whidbey Island is one of our favorite day trips from Seattle for both locals of the Pacific Northwest and visitors. This picturesque island has it all - cute towns, hiking trails, nature to explore, public art displays, great food and spots to view wildlife. You can access the island both on the ferry or by going across the famous Deception Pass bridge.

South Whidbey Island

Langley

Also known by the charming and accurate name of “The Village by the Sea”. This little seaside community has several great restaurants, art galleries and shops, and a free whale museum. Langley is just a 10 minute drive from Clinton, where you depart the ferry.

Depending on the time of day you arrive on Whidbey Island, I would recommend Langley for a coffee, quick breakfast, a longer sit down brunch or where you can grab a sandwich for a picnic later in the day. Langley is also home of the Whidbey Pies Shop. Whidbey pies are well known throughout Washington and beyond. They are sold by the slice or as a whole pie with the flavors changing regularly. The Marionberry pie is uniquely Washington and the one that I would recommend, but it is hard to go wrong with pie.

If you are in Langley when the Whale Center is open, it is a must visit. This is a great museum for all ages and completely free to visit. It is relatively small and you can be in and out within 30 minutes, depending on how quickly and thoroughly the readers in your group are. There is a very handy map showing all of the recent whale sightings in the area. We always check this to see if any whales have been spotted that day. In the back of the museum is an amazing children’s room where kids under 10 can easily spend that entire 30 minutes playing. They have free coloring pages, stuffies, magnatiles, books, whale figurines, puzzles and more. The volunteers that work at the museum are incredible source of knowledge as well.

From the whale center, you can head toward the water to see the Langley whale bell and whale sculpture. You can also stop along the way at the Sculpture Garden right next door to the whale center if you wish. If you are lucky enough to see a whale out in the water, you can ring the bell to alert everyone in town. While we haven’t seen a whale here, we have seen bald eagles and seals from down on the beach at Seawall Park. You can possibly see gray whales in spring, resident orcas in the fall, and transient orcas and humpback whales throughout the year.

Bayview Farmer’s Market

Over 400 farms cover the island and many of the residents are connected to the agricultural industry. The easiest way to find all of the amazing things these local farmers and craftsman make is going to the Bayview Farmer’s Market. It takes place every Saturday from late April through October. Lots of fresh produce, baked goods, art, and food vendors where you can get lunch or just a snack. Every time we’ve gone, they have also had a kids activity booth that is completely free to participate in. You can also listen to live music or play some yard games.

If you aren’t visiting on a Saturday, there are other Farmer’s markets throughout the island - Langley’s is on Fridays, Oak Harbor’s is on Thursdays, and Coupeville also has a farmer’s market on Saturdays.

Other spots to see if you have more than one day:

Earth Sanctuary - forest nature reserve with several trails and spiritual sites to connect to nature. $7 entry fee per person.
Double Bluff Beach - wide sandy beach with beautiful views of the Olympic mountains and the sandy cliffs around you. There is drift wood on the beach for kids to build forts or play in the ones already built. Great for low tide explorations as well. Note that it is an off-leash dog beach and it can get quite windy.
South Whidbey State Park - old growth forest with several easy 1 mile trails.

Central Whidbey Island

Fort Casey State Park

Whether you have a history buff in your family or not, Fort Casey will be a highlight on the island. This coastal defense from the 1900s has cool bunkers and tunnels that kids and kids at heart can run around and explore. You can spend an hour just walking around the fort and getting lost in the maze like rooms. The fort is built into the prairie grass-covered cliffside so from the water you wouldn’t be able to tell there was a fort. You can climb up to the top of the fort and get amazing views of the water, all the way out to Canada on a clear day. You can take a walk through the prairie grasses, watching boats sailing in and out of Seattle. Across the water is Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula, along with the beautiful Olympic mountains. You should be able to see the ferries that cross between Port Townsend and the Coupeville ferry terminal.

For kids, I would recommend bringing flashlights if you can so they can explore the rooms without getting too scared. It can be pitch black in some of those inner rooms and staircases. If you have older kids, this might be a great spot for a quick (or potentially quite long) game of hide and seek. This area often gets quite windy and you will likely spot many people flying kites. Watch others or you can bring your own kite to fly in the large field.

After the fort, head up the hill to the Admiralty Head Lighthouse. This gorgeous Spanish-style lighthouse is well preserved and has some incredible volunteers that are very excited to share about it. You can walk up the winding steps to the top of the lighthouse and visit the house. They have artifacts and exhibits on the lighthouse and other lighthouses in the area. There is no extra fee to go inside the lighthouse. Ask the volunteers there for a kids workbook, which has a scavenger hunt and other fun pages to fill out either while you are at the park or on the drive later. Despite being meant mainly for kids 7 and older, my 4 year old loved it and filled it out in her own way.

For parking, you will either need to buy a $10 day pass or have a discover pass. Both will allow you to visit all the other state parks on the island.

Ebey’s Landing

Alternatively, you can visit Ebey’s Landing to enjoy the coastal bluffs. If you are visiting Fort Casey and just doing Whidbey Island as a day trip, I would recommend skipping Ebey’s Landing as you do get some coastal bluff views from Fort Casey.

If you want to do a longer trail through the bluffs, head to Ebey’s Landing instead. The entire Ebey’s Landing Trail is 3.6 miles but you can walk just part of it before heading back. The views stay beautiful from the moment you park for the entirety of the trail. The trail up from the beach is steep but the rest is mostly flat. The trail can be narrow in sections and is right next to a cliff, so be wary of young kids if they are hiking with you. We have yet to complete the entire trail and instead usually just do about half a mile along the trail before returning back. There is a large beach near the trailhead that we also enjoy playing at. If you are doing the entire hike, you likely will need to be cautious of tides and try to line up your hiking with low tide.

Parking can be tricky for this spot as the lot is usually full mid-day. There is additional parking on the main road by the beach.

Farm Visit

Whidbey Island is full of amazing farms and no matter the season, you can find a farm open to explore.

Last August, we visited Scenic Isle Farm for their Sunflower Stroll. There are pathways through the tall sunflower field and clearing in the middle with yard games. Entry includes being able to pick a sunflower stem and you can pay for additional stems as well.

Greenbank farm is a popular one just south of Coupeville, with beautiful gardens, walking trails through the farm, and shops. You can also get the famous Whidbey Pies or enjoy some cheese or wine.

K&R Farms Stand is also great for buying local produce and honey - along with ice cream and freshly cut flowers. It is well decorated throughout the year but especially in the fall with Pumpkins.

Coupeville

A quaint seaside town and one of the oldest in Washington. You can walk along the wooden wharf, stroll through the town and its charming historic buildings, and look out into the calm Penn Cove. If you are familiar with the movie, Practical Magic, you might recognize this town as it was the filming location for the original movie. Short but well filled, the Front street has shops and restaurants. Kapaw’s Iskreme is our go to on the island - absolutely delicious and some many unique flavors. Their single is made up of 3 smaller scoops and you can choose different flavors for every one. Prices are also very affordable. There is typically a line but it goes quickly. The other restaurants on the street are also worthwhile for lunch, possibly overlooking the water.

You can also stop in the Island County Historical Museum in town. It is fairly small and can be interesting for kids. Admission is free but donations are appreciated.

We enjoy walking down the wharf and watching the boats coming in and out. You can go down to the boat dock on the wharf to see sea stars and crabs at low tide and jellyfish anytime.

Price Sculpture Forest

Just a short drive north of Coupeville, the Price Sculpture Forest is a whimsical walk through the woods great for the whole family. You can also walk from the town of Coupeville on the 1.5 mile trail. The forest trail is free to visit, but donations are accepted to keep the park maintained.

The trails total 0.6 miles and divided into two loops. If energy is low, you can just walk around the first loop which is flat. Or you can extend your walk down the second loop called the Whimsy Way on the sloped hillside. Even for kids who struggle staying motivated on hikes, this trail is perfect with a new sculpture every minute. If you want more information about all the sculptures, you can get a self-guided tour on your phone by following the instructions found in the parking lot.

We visited the sculpture forest for the first time on our last visit to the island and it is definitely going to be a repeat spot for us. The art pieces are varied and many make use of the nature around them. Several of the sculptures are well hidden in the forest or interactive, which adds a fun layer for kids.

Other spots to see if you have more than one day:

Fort Ebey - great spot for camping and miles of hiking trails.

North Whidbey Island

The group might be running out of steam by the time you’ve made it up to the north of the island. There is only one last must see on the island and it might just be the highlight of the day. Prior to, you’ll drive through Oak Harbor, Washington - the largest town on Whidbey Island. If it is around a meal time, this would be a great place to stop. You can also pick up some food to eat later at the beach.

Deception Pass State Park

Washington’s most-visited state park and for good reason. This jaw-dropping park is known for the bridge by the same name - Deception Pass Bridge. There are also miles of forest trails and several beaches.

We typically stop first at the beach to get a beautiful view of the bridge from below. There are several beaches in the state park, but we like visiting Little North Beach. There is a bathroom in the parking lot that I recommend stopping at before heading down the short walk to the beach. Note that you will need a day pass or discover pass to park. The beach is mostly rocky with some sandy spots for kids to play in. We typically bring down a few sand toys. Along with the beautiful views of the bridge from below, we love this beach for the wildlife. Without fail, we can typically spot a bald eagle in one of the nearby trees and seals swimming around in the currents hunting for fish. If it is low tide, you can explore the low tides in the area for sea stars and anemones. If you have them, bring binoculars.

After the beach, you can drive across the Deception Pass Bridge and try to park on the small island in the middle to see the views on both sides. You can even walk across either part of the bridge or the whole way.

Once you’ve passed over the bridge, you are officially off of Whidbey Island. Depending on the time of day, you can stop by the nearby town of Anacortes for dinner or extra adventuring or just drive on back to Seattle.