Discovery pass needed. Easy trek down to the beach. There's public restroom and water available…read morenear the beach entrance. We tried crabbing here twice. Definitely bring a spare lure; our first attempt, we had to cut the line as it got snagged on some rocks. Saw a lot of people on the beach, enjoying a picnic or even kayaking out to crab boxes in the evening. Beautiful park overall. Make sure you're sure-footed if you're going to climb the rocks.

The beach park section of Larrabee park is gorgeous. There's ample parking, then a decent that's…read moreabout a 45 second walk to a grassy lawn and a beautiful stage built in the early 1900s. There were people performing music on the stage and park goers enjoying on the grass. Just to the left of the stage there's a path to the beach. Another 2-3 minute descent brings you to a trail going left and right. The path to the left is a short trail to a rock you can sit on and climb down to get to the water. Further that way there's another beach. The path to the right leads to a nice beach with a great view and a shade tree. There were some bugs in the washed up kelp, but nothing too bothersome imho. We had a stand up paddleboard so we used the path on the right after the stage area. I would recommend anyone bringing gear down (scuba, kayaks, paddleboards) to use this beach. Larger crafts can use the boat ramp just north of this beach, and you can drive right up to that ramp (north of the stage and parking area). It was a beautiful park and a great place to picnic, enjoy the water, and view the sunset!

We were exploring Deception Pass State Park and stumbled onto this county park and hopped out to…read morecheck it out. We didn't hike too far, but enjoyed a nice walk down the path and back. I left me phone charging in the car after too many pictures earlier- so no pictures from this run- just memories of brisk, forest air & lush, dense fauna. The meadow at the entrance of the park would be fun for a picnic!

A hidden gem in Anacortes! This hike is right near Deception Pass State Park, but still part of the…read moreSkagit county park system. The parking lot is not huge but good sized and has a pit toilet. Day use only and dogs are permitted on a leash. This trail has a lot of different trails on it. You can get a map at the kiosk but I recommend downloading the Avenza Maps app and getting the map for this trail. It has markers on the trails but I still would have got lost without the app. It works offline and shows exactly where you are on the map. If you just want to see some spectacular views, then take the easy route down the Sares head trail to the Sares head overlook. The views are just breathtaking. I did some other trails in the park but some were really tough and climbing over rocks and branches and going up some hills. And at one point it was a very sketchy spot that dropped off right by the water. Next time I will make sure I look up the difficulty of the trail before attempting all of it. But it is definitely worth it just for that main viewpoint. Be sure to check it out if you are in the area.

The summit view is obscured with tall trees so it can be difficult to get a good view unless you…read morewant to do a little more hiking beyond the summit parking lot. On clear days you can see Mount Baker. There's a neat statue on top called, Mountain Guardian, with a small information placard explaining the significance of the work. It really meshes into the surrounding forest. Nice hiking overall, pretty peaceful. The road to the top is well maintained, although it's a little twisty at times so definitely do not speed or else you might wipe out, or wipe out the oncoming traffic!

Some great views with good hiking trails…read more Can get windy so you might want to bring a coat

Causland Park in Anacortes is a worthy little gem to visit. After so many years of visiting…read moreAnacortes, I spotted it on Google maps and dropped by. Intriguing. John Baptiste LePage (1857-1939) is the French-Canadian artist and architect who designed this unique memorial park, built from 1919 to 1921. It is now a registered national historic place. The plaque at the front of the gazebo/stage centerpiece dedicates the park in honor of Harry Leon Causland and the "brave sons of Fidalgo Guemes Decatur and Cypress Islands... who gave their lives in the Great War... 1917-1919." A second war memorial has been added with places to honor those who lost their lives in subsequent wars - World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War. Ominously, a spot sits empty on this memorial, as if to await the names from the Afghanistan 20 years war that just ended (or did it?). While the park has clearly been updated, it's quite clear what is original vs. what is new. The original portions feature different colors of stone mosaics forming 3-dimensional designs with an architectural style that favor non-angular, non-edged designs. At certain angles, they resemble Park Güell in Barcelona, i.e., the work of Antoni Gaudi. This park is lovingly well maintained. While I do not suggest driving to Anacortes just to visit this small park, I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area.

Nice park ..lots of character, beautiful trees. Fun for…read moredogs on a leash. This is a memorial park.. Very spiritual.

I stopped at Bowman Bay one day on my way to Oak Harbor to visit my grandma. I had packed a lunch…read moresince I was traveling in the morning to midday and traffic was starting to pick up. My sister had recently come here to go kayaking and recommended it as a spot to visit. So, I decided to give it a try as a lunch spot. Discovery passes were required for parking, fortunately I had thought ahead and it was in the glove compartment of my car. I arrived towards the morning side of noon on 1 September 2021 and parking was abundant. The weather was sunny with a slight wind. So I decided to park, grab my lunch and eat on a piece of driftwood on the beach. A group of kayakers were just heading out as I ate and a few dog walkers made their way up and down the shore. Just up from the beach there were picnic tables and a large grassy expanse. A trail led off into a wooded area. The restroom building not far from the parking lot was kept cleanly.

This is one of those perfect little bays where time passes you by. Clean bathrooms. Easy parking,…read moremore spots down the road where they rent kayaks if it's full. An absolute lovely hike to Rosario Beach and Rosario Head, about a mile and hugs the coastline.

My four-year-old daughter and I LOVED Fort Ebey State Park. We went on a sunny August day and had…read morethe best afternoon. Coming from out of state, we easily purchased a $10 Discovery Pass day ticket and parked in the lot. Using our flashlight on our phone, we explored the actual fort, built during World War II as a coastal defense. The fort is preserved well and you can go inside all the rooms and tunnels. There are also trails along cliffs lined with meadows and forests, offering beautiful views of the water. There are public restrooms near the parking lot.

Ebey's Landing is a great place to start exploring Whidbey Island because this is where Colonel…read moreIsaac N.Ebey started his exploration of the island and also died here during a revenge killing. He died at the hand of Hatain native men. He was the first non native resident of the island. Today it is a great place to enjoy a picnic, stroll the beach, skip rocks, explore whatever is brought out by the tides, and just have a great time.

I have been to Whidbey Island 5x now, and I always see the sign for this park and we finally…read moredecided to check it out. I was hoping for an easier hike for John, and truthfully myself too, since I hiked to one of the summits at another park that morning. 3pm in the afternoon we found one side of the park is camping, but the other side has sport fields and trails. Some trails are equestrian friendly- aka, watch out for poo while hiking. The wind was gusting on this particular day and the trees were really talking- tippy tops smacking together and the rustling of leaves. We happily found a very recently completed Eagle Scout project & as a former leader and still volunteer, I was happy to see it so far out on the trail and wondered if there was more done! One the way out we realized that a tree bordering the trail had snapped from the wind! We had taken pictures of various fungi and plants at this particular spot and pictures really confirmed that it splintered in a matter of minutes from when we hiked past the first time! That startled me a bit, I know to watch out for dead fall when pitching a tent- but wow! I enjoyed how the trail weaved you in and out of dense forests and into areas with more lower vegetation. We saw animal tracks as well. Flowers were almost all gone and what was left was getting blown off with the wind of the day. I think May would have been more colorful! I'll have to hike this again next visit!

Saw the park on the map while roaming the island hiking. Apparently a camping location when it's…read morenot winter, they've still got a decent bit of parking available outside the gate. We decided to check it out, taking the perimeter trail part way and returning via the road. The trails are narrow, flat, and easy to follow. Not a whole lot to see, but lovely trees for sure. I wouldn't say it's the most peaceful spot however, with pups barking at the shelter on one side and the constant sounds of a nearby shooting range on the other. Still yet, an okay spot for a short hike...just watch for the horse poop on the path.

Easy stop for people and dogs. Nice trail. Great little, nearly hidden, spot before you reach the…read moreferry area.

About 6 parking spots 2 picnic tables…read moreStairs/trail down to Guemes Channel Trail Great views!