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The Communities of Whidbey Island
North Whidbey
Oak Harbor
A small, charming North Whidbey city, and home to the men and women of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Oak Harbor hugs the northern shoreline of Penn Cove. All the many types of Whidbey Island lifestyles and properties can be found here: in-town homes, condos, investment properties, commercial property, building lots, land, farms, high bank waterfront home sites and beach communities. The waterfront features the popular Windjammer Park, the Harborside Shops, located in the old town district and the Oak Harbor Marina which provides full marine services.
North of town lie the spectacular, rocky cliffs of Deception Pass and its breathtaking bridge. To the west and the setting sun are the sandy shores of West Beach. Surrounding the south edge of town rolling farmlands overlook Penn Cove.
Coupeville
Across the cove Coupeville, Central Whidbey’s historic seaport town, features Victorian manors and funky, front street shops. Artists love Coupeville and Coupeville loves artists, showing their works in a number of specialized galleries and offering year-round classes at the Coupeville Arts Center. Perched on the bluffs along Penn Cove, the town started life as an 1800's seafaring center and now serves the entire island as county seat and medical services hub.
Nearby Ebey’s Prairie, Fort Ebey and Ebey’s Landing National Historic Preserve are steeped in the history of early settlers who came here searching for Whidbey Island real estate. Some of the Victorian homes they built now serve modern visitors as inns and B&Bs clustered on the Madrone lined shores of Penn Cove. The cove is popular for sailing, and historic tall ships regularly ply its waters. A little south of Coupeville are Fort Casey, the Keystone Ferry and miles of wild rhododendron filled forest.
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I know that that island will not be perfect,
it will have the flaws of life,
the absurdities of the dinner table . . .
Anne Sexton
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South Whidbey
Greenbank
Lying between Admiralty Inlet and Holmes Harbor is Greenbank, a lovely hamlet and ideal setting for the laid back island life. Greenbank is the only South Whidbey community that enjoys the rainshadow effect, the reduced rainfall that prevails on the northern part of the island. The iconic Greenbank Farm, once a working loganberry farm and now a county park, treats tourists and locals alike to farmers markets, gourmet pie, wine tasting, antique shops, galleries, alpacas and walking trails. The farm is a popular backdrop for gatherings including Highland Games, Burning Word Poetry Festival, the Greenbank Loganberry Festival and weddings. Up the hill, the landmark Greenbank General Store offers gas, a deli and groceries. Nearby Meerkerk Gardens is a 53 acre preserve of rhododendron gardens and walking trails that wander through primal forest to sweeping water vistas. In the high season Meerkerk also hosts a number of festivals.
Freeland
At the narrowest point of Whidbey Island, between six mile long Holmes Harbor and sandy Mutiny Bay, the town of Freeland is the hub of South Whidbey with business services, farm and building supply stores and gourmet food vendors. Sailing, water skiing and golf are the most popular sports of the Freeland area with kayaking, clam digging and skim boarding close behind. Holmes Harbor Golf and Country Club, near Freeland is a growing community, a highly popular destination for Island visitors and will soon have a marina to serve those arriving by boat. With miles of shoreline stretching from Greenbank all the way around to Baby Island and from Double Bluff to South Whidbey State Park, beach and waterfront activities and vacation homes are the focus of life in Freeland.
Bayview
The Bayview Center office is located in the at the Bayview area of Langley, west of downtown Langley. Here roads lead out to Useless Bay beach front properties, the homes and lots at the Useless Bay Golf and Country Club, the farms of Maxwelton Valley and Lone Lake. Bayview is also home to Bayview Corner and the influential Goosefoot Foundation, Hedgebrook Writers Retreat and the planned South Whidbey Commons, a multi-service facility for island residents of all ages. Located at the crossroads of South Whidbey, Bayview serves the area from the Clinton ferry landing, Cultus Bay and Scatchet Head to the sandy beaches of Sunlight Beach and Double Bluff.
Langley
This town of one-of a kind shops and unusual galleries also features fine dining ranging from Northwest seafood to Mediterranean cuisine. The Whidbey Island Center for the Arts is located here, as are the South Whidbey schools. Langley’s inns and B&Bs boast views of the waters of Saratoga Passage and Camano Island, accessible from the Langley Boat Harbor marina. Boardwalk beach communities located near Langley offer a unique island life style not found in other Whidbey Island towns. Langley residents enjoy the happening life at the center of the South Whidbey artistic community.
Clinton
At the southern end of Whidbey Island the village of Clinton serves as the western terminus of the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry run and the gateway to Whidbey. Immediately north and south of the ferry landing are sandy beach communities, but most of the Clinton area is high bluff view properties and rolling forest land. Several organizations and business in the Clinton area focus on protecting the environment and encouraging sustainability. The Chinook Conference Center at Whidbey Institute is located near Clinton, also nearby is Island Greens a low tech, par 3 golf course and downtown the Rockhopper Coffeehouse which features local art, live music and a commitment to supporting humane and environmentally friendly farming practices. Along Clinton's Hwy 525 corridor are many places to grab a bite to eat, including Hong Kong Gardens, Trattoria Giuseppe and Kiichli's Bagel Bakery. At the Clinton ferry landing is South Whidbey's newest park, Clinton Beach, where the picnic shelter sports a living roof.
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