Savor Shellfish and Saltwater Views on This Ferry Good Road Trip in the Pacific Northwest

Scenic route to shellfish shacks , breathtaking bridges over narrow strait , and winding roads to sprawl saltwater views pepper the drive northwards from Seattle , leading to and through the islands of Puget Sound . This route head trip will take you on landandsea , specificallyWashington State ’s famous ferries , which carry cable car across the marine highway , part of the world ’s second - prominent vehicular ferry organisation .

recent May and other June is an ideal time to take this trip as the Pacific Northwest ’s long days and mild temperatures make for ideal conditions to explore evergreen - lined hiking trails — without the dateless crowds of high season .

Just be admonish , that does n’t mean no gang at all ( this is not the road trip for whimsical anti - planner ) . Shoulder season slows down a routine , but summer staff also have n’t arrived , so about everything requires a reservation — hotels , restaurants , and even hot tubs . But Quran now and reap the payoff later : a trip all plan out , start to finish . All you need to do is show up ready to love the views and eat awing food .

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QUICK FACTSDistance from Seattle to ferry terminal:26 milesIslands visited:3 ( +1 for ferry only)Number of ferrying trips:4

Day 1

Take a leisurely morning to sleep in before channelize north out of Seattle to the Mukilteo Ferry Dock , where the sauceboat make the20 - bit crossingto Whidbey Island about every half - minute . The ferrying arrives at the southerly baksheesh , and every part of one of the country ’s retentive islands shows off lush mound and stunning Puget Sound aspect . Get a taste for them by starting with tiffin on the outside deck ofPrima Bistroin Langley , a 15 - arcminute driving from the Clinton ferrying concluding . Make your room north and contain at the first National Historic Reserve , Ebey ’s Landing , and the neighboringFort Ebey State Park , for a walk along the verbose bluffs and research the old military installments ( bring a flashlight , it ’s dark in there ) .

Pop just across the main road to the enticingly cozyCaptain Whidbey Inn , for a Nox leaning into its woodsy PNW vibes . Stick around at the restaurant for dinner or head into nearby Coupeville for a meal at the classic seafood diveToby ’s Tavern . Either way of life , govern the same affair : mussels from Penn Cove , the pee just a few feet away . If you ’re not stock yet , crest off the night with an old - school day drive - in movie at theBlue Foxabout 10 min from the hotel .

Day 2

Start your day with a gentle walk around the brine shoreline atDeception Pass State Parkfollowed by a driving force over the dauntingly high , delightfully terrific Deception Pass Bridge . Reward your braveness with some of the best fried seafood this side of the Mississippi atThe Shrimp Shack . jump in May , the local versions of the eponymic crustacean are fresh and in season , but until then , the hutch has peck of halibut , oysters , and other seafood .

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Day 3

pitch up for the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. with breakfast at Doe Bay ’s coffee shop before driving up to the top ofMt . Constitution , the highest point in the San Juan Islands . Climb the giant stone tower for a 360 - degree view out over the island of Puget Sound . Take a manner of walking around the footpath , or kill back down the mountain to rent a canoe atCascade Lakeat the foot of the mountain and go for a warm paddle . Stop for lunch atBuck Bay Shellfish Farm , where you could build your own chill seafood record from the unrecorded oysters and crabmeat in the tank , then crack and shuck at the picnic tables out front .

Continue on your route by get to the 3:10pminter - island ferryto Lopez Island . Once there , make yourself at base at theEdenwild Inn , one of the few topographic point that ramp up early on in the year . Pop next room access toUrsa Minorfor dinner party , where the chef scouts and forages for local ingredients that he cures and pickles , then uses in dishes like fermented potato gnocchi with Salmon River and kimchi .

Pop byBarn Owl Bakeryfor baked goods , then bring them down toShark Reef Sanctuary , where a 10 - moment walk through the trees and across a boardwalk ends overleap the water . right away across from the end of the trail , a few rocky island attract huge number of seals and ocean lions , which slop and sun themselves , as if show off for visitors like you .

Prima Bistro

repel back into town for luncheon atSetsunai Noodle Bar , where the local bounty transforms into saporous soup with fresh , hand-crafted udon and ramen dome , suffice to picnic table on a lawn . Then get back to the dock for the 1:35pmferry to Anacorteson Fidalgo Island .

Before you drive back to Seattle , avoid sit in traffic going south by extending your trip with a scenic itinerary through the local farm resist , making your way to the township of Bow , where you’re able to beak up sunbaked goodness atBreadfarmand fancy beverages , cheeses , and pickle atSlough Foodbefore point to your terminal stop , Taylor Shellfish ’s Samish Oyster Bar and Market . bribe a dozen oysters and shuck them at the walkover tables outside as you wait for the sun to set and the dealings to give out down . undulate back to Seattle a snatch later , full of pelecypod and felicitous as a clam .