Washington State has many beautiful islands that are worth visiting. Especially in Spring and Summer. Some would be more enjoyable if you can spend a night or two there because of the time it takes to get there. Others take only 20 to 30 minutes by ferry. In this blog, I will only focus on two of the beautiful islands near Seattle worth visiting.
Islands near Seattle worth visiting
Bainbridge Island
Although all of the islands offer tranquility, Bainbridge has a special claim. Bloedel Reserve is a 150-acre garden and forest reserve. What’s unique about Bloedel is that there is no signs, no plant identification tag. The intent is to provide visitors a natural and peaceful experience. There are 12 individual gardens here. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours meandering through this lovely space.
7571 N. Dolphin Drive, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, Phone: 206-842-7631
Another attraction is Fay Bainbridge Park. It has 17 acres and 1,400 feet of shoreline. You can camp, or just spend time on the beach. From here, you can see Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, and the Cascade Mountains. There are 15 tent camping sites. There are also campsites intended for kayakers because this park is a stop on the Cascadia Marine Trail.
15446 Sunrise Drive NE, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, Phone: 206-842-3931
Vashon Island
Vashon is an artist town. It’s only a short ferry ride from Seattle. The first Friday of each month is art walk. It highlights island and regional artists.
At Point Robinson Park, you can go on walking trails that wind through the wood. And, The Point Robinson Lighthouse has two bungalows that you can rent for a weekend or a week. They used to be the keepers’ quarters. One bungalow accommodates 6 people; the other one, 4. There are Orca sightings all year round. Here is a link to renting the bungalows.
If you don’t have a specific agenda while on Vashon, drive around the island. There are many working farms, so during harvest season, you’ll pass by farm stands. They are on an honor system. That tells you something about this community.
Vashon has a large population of artists, including hundreds of painters, sculpters, dancers, musicians, and actors. In 2016, the $20 million Vashon Center for the Arts opened, and has a full calendar of activities. Here is the link to the Arts Center.
19600 Vashon Hwy SW, Vashon, WA 98070 , Phone: 206.463.5131
To read more about Vashon Island and what to do on a day trip there, Jiaying Grygiel wrote a detailed article about her trip.
Although the focus on this blog is only on two islands close to Seattle, there are many islands farther out that are worth the trip. The article San Juan Islands in Washington State goes into detail about them.
If you enjoy the topic of this blog, here is one on Explore Seattle in Springtime that you might also like.
Estrella Chan coaches immigrants and international professionals in English fluency, interview skills, and public speaking. To schedule a session with her, please email support@englisharoundtheworld.com
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