Don’t Miss the Penn Cove Water Festival

A seaside getaway is closer than you think

By Cassie Gruber March 29, 2016

A group of people paddling in a canoe.
A group of people paddling in a canoe.

This article originally appeared in the May 2016 issue of Seattle magazine.

Where: Coupeville, a two-hour drive from Seattle, is a Whidbey Island gem that’s bursting with bayside charm and—as the second-oldest town in Washington—a rich history. WHY: The 25th annual Penn Cove Water Festival (5/14; penncovewaterfestival.com), which celebrates Native American culture through canoe races, cultural performances—including a Native American flautist and a traditional storyteller—as well as authentic food and crafts. INDULGE: Stop by the Bayleaf (bayleaf.us) tasting room and gift shop to peruse its selection of wine, cheese, deli meats and other luxe pantry items, or drop by Mon Petit Cache (Facebook, “Mon Petit Cache”) to find vintage goodies of the art and antique varieties. RELAX: Stroll along Bluff Trail at Ebey’s Landing (a National Historical Reserve), where the 5.6-mile loop follows the eastern coast of Whidbey, flanked by the Olympics and the Cascades. Wend your way through wheat fields, grassy meadows and 
hillsides of wildflowers as you take in the views of Puget Sound. 

WHERE: Coupeville, a two-hour drive from Seattle, is a Whidbey Island gem that’s bursting with bayside charm and—as the second-oldest town in Washington—a rich history.

WHY: The 25th annual Penn Cove Water Festival (5/14; penncovewaterfestival.com), which celebrates Native American culture through canoe races, cultural performances—including a Native American flautist and a traditional storyteller—as well as authentic food and crafts.

INDULGE: Stop by the Bayleaf (bayleaf.us) tasting room and gift shop to peruse its selection of wine, cheese, deli meats and other luxe pantry items, or drop by Mon Petit Cache (Facebook, “Mon Petit Cache”) to find vintage goodies of the art and antique varieties.

RELAX: Stroll along Bluff Trail at Ebey’s Landing (a National Historical Reserve), where the 5.6-mile loop follows the eastern coast of Whidbey, flanked by the Olympics and the Cascades. Wend your way through wheat fields, grassy meadows and hillsides of wildflowers as you take in the views of Puget Sound. 

 

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