15 Fun Activities in Coupeville Washington and why you should visit Coupeville
Coupeville Washington is a relaxing and quaint small town on the east coast of Whidbey Island with a population around 2000. Even with such a small size this adorable town has a lot to offer including a very walk-able downtown, nature paths, nearby historical features, and great food.
How to get to Coupeville
Coupeville is about a 2 hour drive from Seattle. You can also visit Coupeville as a stop on a road trip through Washington State. We arrived to Coupeville via ferry from Port Townsend (my favorite way to travel) as part of a road trip starting in Portland Oregon and wrapping our way through Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands. Coupeville is also very near Anacortes which is a ferry port that serves as a departure point to the San Juan Islands. We chose Coupeville as a quiet resting point while our oldest went to camp on Orcas Island. We dropped her off by ferry and just waved good bye …
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Where to stay in Coupeville
We were able to rent a very quaint apartment just above a bakery in downtown Coupeville for our stay. We did buy pastries downstairs but cooked most of our meals at the apartment to save money. There are several fabulous restaurants, we just had a tight budget. We absolutely loved the location and being able to just walk downstairs to enjoy the downtown area. We definitely would stay in the same place again.
Coupeville has several choices for lodging from small inn, bed and breakfast options, AirBnB/VRBO apartments and cottages, waterfront options and even a castle hotel (how fun).
Things to do in Coupeville Washington
Visit Downtown
The downtown area of Coupeville known as Front Street has a quaint historical charm several local shops, restaurants, bakeries, and book stores. It’s a place where I really enjoyed spending some money. Coupeville’s Front Street is a National Historic Preservation District recognized by the United State Library of Congress’s National Register of Historic Places. This detailed walking tour is a great place to learn the history of several of the older building (and some of the new ones that just look old).
Visit the Warf at Coupeville
The Warf it that beautiful iconic building seen in most photos of Coupeville. It houses a Marine Education Center, gift shop, marina with boat services, restaurant, coffee shop (with pastries – yum), and kayak rentals. The Warf was built in 1905 to export grain. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Prior to a bridge being built to Whidbey Island, people arrived via the Warf. The Warf extends about 500 feet into the Cove so it can function at low and high tide. The upkeep costs of the Warf are high, donations are appreciated.
Take a Hike
If you continue north on Front Street the road will turn in to a waterfront trail. This is a wonderful trail for a short hike and ends at a playground. Deer frequent the area. The walk is peaceful and we saw many wildlife in the area. The edge can be a little steep at time so you may have to hold hands of little ones.
Other Hikes in nearby area include
Price Sculpture Forest: Fun hiking path near downtown Coupeville with a beautiful forest, flowers, some water views and outdoor art.
Ebey’s Landing/Bluff Trail: 5 mile loop moderate hike along the coast line that travels near historic Sunnyside Cemetery.
Fort Ebey State Park Loop / Kettles Gate: Several areas of interconnecting trails with the loop being a 7.1 mile moderate loop on the west coast of Whidbey Island; known for pretty wildflowers
Fly a Kite at Fort Casey State Park
Fort Casey is on the west side of Whidbey island just about an 8 minute drive from downtown Coupeville. Fort Casey offers a lot of room to roam (999 acres), has several historical structures and a beautiful beach filled with driftwood. We picked a kite up from the local grocery store on the way to the park. The winds and open space are perfect for kite flying. We also packed a picnic so we didn’t have to rush back to eat. Plus, we love picnics. There is an entrance fee unless you have a Discovery Pass.
Fort Casey was constructed in the late 1800’s and was part of a system of 3 forts called the “Triangle of Fire” used to guard the Puget Sound up to the 1940’s. The bustling fort was set up to defend through WW1 and WW2 then used as training. Today you can explore the batteries,climb to the top of the fort, and see the types of guns in place to defend the sound.
Fort Casey also has a very photogenic vintage lighthouse (Admiralty Head Lighthouse) from 1903 with a gift shop and interpretive center.
The beach and coast around Fort Casey is also very pretty and makes a nice stroll. Children especially love seeing the different shaped driftwood and playing in the sand. Adults will love the peacefulness of the area.
Visit the Island County Historical Society Museum
The Island County Historical Society Museum holds permanent and changing exhibits that focus on local history. Interactive exhibits are also available. We made it as far as the front porch but just didn’t get the timing to work with restless kids to come in and explore. Next time …
Look for Starfish in the Tidal Pools
There are several areas in Coupeville where you can get down to the water and explore especially near the town park. Get your toes wet, look for starfish and take in some of the relaxing atmosphere.
Rent a Kayak
Kayaking is a wonderful way to get out on the water in the Pacific Northwest. Please pay attention to safety instructions especially tidal paterns and currents. Kayaks can be rented through Harbor Gifts at the Warf or Whidbey Island Kayaking.
For Kayaking be sure to bring a water bottle and appropriate clothing. To prevent sunburns don’t forget the sunhat and sunglasses, & sunscreen. Kayaking outfitters should have appropriate life jackets and waterproof bags to store your phone.
Go Sailing, Watch Whales and other Boat Charters in Coupeville Washington
The sailboat Suva is a Gatsby-era schooner built in 1925 that has always called Coupeville Washington home. The sailboat is docked at the Warf and is available for sailing excursions.
Other options for charters (including whale watching) include Leisure Yacht Charters NW, Island Adventures, and Mystic Sea Charters.
Enjoy Natural Surroundings at Ebey State Park
This park has beautiful views of the coastline and several options for walking trails. There is also an old fort to explore. Walking the beach can be a very peaceful experience. Consider bringing a sunset picnic. Bring a camera.
Explore Ebey’s Landing
Ebey’s Landing is a National Historical Reserve featuring several several old structures and a beautiful cliffside hike.
Learn about Block Houses and other Historical Structures
Coupeville has several areas where you can find different types of historical houses and structures. Block houses are some of the more unique structures. These houses are half cabin half fort structures built for defense against Native American attacks generally around the mid 1850’s. The blockhouses that are still standing are the Alexander blockhouse, Crockett Blockhouse, Davis blockhouse, and Ebey Blockhouse.
Visit the Coupeville Library
I really enjoy visiting local libraries wherever we are staying. Libraries really help you learn the feeling of a town. Plus they’re free. We made several stops to the library during our short visit. We read several books while exploring the children’s section and meandered through some of the local history sections. We even picked up a couple of used books for sale to bring back to our rental.
Take a Drive to Deception Pass
Deception Pass is about a 30 minute drive north of Coupeville but its a wonderful addition to a Coupeville stay. Kids will enjoy the Jr. Ranger program. The scenery is beautiful and the tidal areas and beaches are really fun to explore.
Go to a Festival
Coupeville has several festivals and why not? It’s a perfect area for outdoor festivals. Festivals include an Arts & Crafts Festival, kite festivals, music festivals and harvest festivals. For a complete list of Coupeville Festivals look here.
Enjoy Some Fabulous Food and Cocktails
Coupeville has several wonderful restaurants permeating delicious smells with some very yummy food. Due to our strict budget and restless kids, we were only able to enjoy a few.
I really enjoy restaurants in creative spaces. We also really enjoyed the low key and relaxed atmosphere of Pad Thai located in a beautiful Victorian home.
We also really enjoyed Ciao Food and Wine and Front Street Grill – so, so yummy. We wanted to go to Oystercatcher since it always smelt so good … but we thought the restless kids would interfer with the experience.
Other great choices include Currents Bistro and Toby’s Tavern for downtown area restaurants.
So Why Visit Coupeville Washington?
Coupeville is such a wonderful and quaint little town in Washington state and makes a fun stop to get away from all the hustle and bustle of some areas. It’s relaxed and friendly atmosphere is a fresh breath of air. The beautiful scenery encourages outdoor acitivities and peaceful hikes. Coupeville is a wonderful place to visit.
