Something I forgot to include in my summer bucket list last week was visiting the islands of the PNW. I’ve spent extensive time on both Vashon and Whidbey and have a trip to Orcas coming up later this month, so I thought I’d put together some island guides in case that is also part of your summer plans (and in case you need to escape Seafair madness this weekend).
This week we’re starting with Vashon, my favorite island and the one I have the closest connection to.
P.S. Weekend events are still at the end, scroll all the way down to find them!
*This post is a little long, so don’t forget to expand if it gets cut off in your email!
As you might know, I grew up in North Bend in the shadow of Mount Si. But it’s never really felt like home to me… I escaped to the city as soon as I could.
But when the ferry docks on Vashon Island, it feels like a homecoming. My family has had a cabin on Vashon since before I was born, so I’ve been spending time on the island for most of my life. However, it wasn’t until I was an adult that I started to explore beyond our little cove and venture to restaurants other than our usual pizza spot.
I was lucky to find that Vashon has a disproportionate amount of good food and culture for how small it is. It’s also easy to lure friends over since it’s one of the easier islands to get to from Seattle (especially if you take the water taxi).
Below I’ve organized my favorite recs by category and created a day trip guide so you know what’s not worth missing. I’ve also added in some picks (marked by a 🍓) from my favorite locals, Kiko and Lindsey Toledo!
What to know before you go
The ferries are a quintessentially PNW way to travel, but they are also kind of a hot mess right now (read this article for the details, but the TLDR is that we need 26 boats to operate at full service and we only have 15 😬).
My dad’s philosophy is to never check the schedule and surrender to the potential wait as part of the “experience.” But if you’d like to avoid waiting in a 2-hour line, I recommend going earlier in the day (~9-11 am if it’s the weekend) and keeping an eye on the cameras via the website or WSDOT app.
Anything can disrupt this delicate ecosystem, so be prepared for potential delays!
You can avoid the car lines by walking on, but it’s not possible to walk to town from the ferry dock (the hill to get there is part of Vashon’s annual bike ride called PASSPORT 2 PAIN lol), so you’ll need to take the bus or have a friend pick you up on the other side.
Where to Stay
Airbnb — There are SO many cool Airbnbs on Vashon that you really can’t go wrong. My preference is to be near the water, but we rented this one in the woods last year and it was really lovely. You definitely don’t need to be near town!
The Lodges on Vashon — If you do want to be close to town, there aren’t a ton of options beyond this one. A friend who went recently said that they loved the location and the set-up of the space (felt more like a home than a hotel) but it does feel slightly overpriced for what you get (~$275/night).
Sweet Alyssum Farm — Highly rated Hipcamp spots on a flower farm and only a 5-minute walk from town.
AYH Ranch — I’ve never stayed here, but it’s a “western-themed camping experience” that offers campsites, teepees, and log cabins you can rent.
Where to eat & drink
Eat
Snapdragon — If you’re coming over hungry, I’d recommend getting brunch at Snapdragon. They serve incredible pastries that are as big as your head and have both a lovely patio and a cozy sitting room. I also like their pizzas and heavily portioned breakfast specials. If you can’t make it to the island anytime soon, they have a weekend pop-up in West Seattle.
May Kitchen + Bar — A regular on Eater’s list of 38 Essential Seattle Restaurants, this is hands-down my favorite Thai restaurant. The inside is beautifully furnished with wood and decorations imported from Thailand and during the summer you can sit on their outdoor patio in the back. Their signature dish is the Pad Thai that they prepare table side, but I also love the curries and stir-fries. Highly recommend making a reservation in advance for this one!
The Hardware Store — The food here isn’t going to blow you away and it can be kind of spendy, but it’s an island institution and always feels homey (+ it’s usually easy to get a table). If you’re here for brunch, get the smoked salmon crostini!
Lunetta Pizzeria — I tried this with Lindsey and Kiko on a cold winter night when they were new and still getting the hang of things, but I’d love to go back now that it’s a little more polished. Especially for their new HH that has $13-15 pizzas and $12 half bottles of wine.
🍓 The Ruby Brink — “The meat selection here is really good, and of course, so are the co*cktails!” - LT & KT
Earthen Bistro — I loved the brunch they used to offer, but post-pandemic it looks like they’ve pivoted to a prix fixe model with four-course dinners ($75) and wine pairings ($30). The reviews are still stellar, so I hope to try out their new offerings soon.
Gravy — People looooove Gravy. I tried a bite of a friend’s pasta once (it was good), but haven’t yet had a full meal here and I need to fix that. They’re categorized as Southern, but their menu is pretty diverse and ever-changing.
Vashon Sugar Shack — Another spot I haven’t yet visited myself, but a friend loved the lunch they had here and said it felt very homey. It’s also a live music venue!
🍓 Glass Bottle Creamery — “A must-stop for dessert! It also has an arcade for kiddos.” - LT & KT
Drink — coffee
Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie — I make an effort to come here every time I’m on the island. The building was the original Seattle’s Best Coffee roasting facility and you can still see some of the old equipment inside, alongside a giant wall of tea blends and an espresso bar. On the porch, you can find locals milling around the self-serve drip coffee and kicking back in the chairs. Next door at Minglemint you can get local raw bulk honey and other organic grocery items and on the weekends they serve ice cream in the back at Zuzu’s. A true island hub!
Caffe Vino Olio — Favorite place to grab coffee in town.
wrote about their bagels which I had no idea were made in-house!It's a Shanda
Burton Coffee Stand — I haven’t been to this stand yet since it’s only open on weekdays, but it’s on my list! It’s the only coffee shop in the southern part of the island.
Drink — something stronger
Camp Colvos — A trip to Vashon isn’t complete without a visit to Camp Colvos. Located right on the main drag, their large outdoor patio is the ideal place to sit in the sunshine with a cold beer (I love to get the Mon Frère when it’s on tap + the tater tots).
Home Sweet Home — This bar is next door to Snapdragon and only open Thursday - Saturday, so the timing hasn’t lined up for me to stop by recently. But the times I have, it’s magic — I can’t imagine a better place to be on a cozy night. They often use this space to host live music and events and the co*cktails are thoughtfully crafted (and affordable!).
Pop Pop Bottle Shop — This is a newer spot on the main strip and would be good for a third or fourth visit, or if you wanted to pick up something more unique (or NA) to drink back at your Airbnb (they charge a $2 corkage fee if you drink their canned beers on site). Their teriyaki is pretty good and there’s an arcade + ice cream shop next door that can entertain kids if you’ve got ‘em.
O Sole Mio — The front is a NY-style pizza restaurant (aka a Big Mario’s) but in the back, you’ll find a moodily-lit dive bar and an outdoor patio. The HH is worth making a pit stop for (2-5 every day, all day Sunday).
Sporty’s — This is where the local characters hang out. It’s not my first rec, but this is the spot if you want a diner breakfast with a mimosa or to cheer on the Croatian football team (there’s a mural of Dubrovnik on the wall).
Nashi Orchards Tasting Room — It’s hard to choose between all the wineries and cideries on the island, but Nashi will always be my favorite. I hosted my birthday at their tasting room a few years ago and it’s a lovely place to spend an afternoon with a group or on your own. Nashi is unique in that they produce perry (cider made out of pears) which I now prefer over cider.
Palouse Winery — This winery might look like just a house and a garage, but it has a beautiful garden and is a great place to kill time before you get on the ferry.
Dragon’s Head Cider Orchard — The orchard is a fun place to bring a picnic to and spend an afternoon. They don’t offer tastings here, but you can get their ciders by the glass or bottle.
🍓 Dragon’s Head Cider Uptown — “Laura and Wes opened a new spot in town that is supposedly excellent (we haven't been because kids aren't allowed with their specific liquor license). We hear the apple and manchego slaw is very good!” - LT & KT
What to do
Rent electric bikes — The best day I’ve ever had on Vashon was when we rented electric bikes and rode them out to the lighthouse and back. Unfortunately, Vashon Adventures had to sell off its fleet of e-bikes when insurance costs made it untenable, but Vashon Bikes seems to still offer a few! I’d only recommend a regular bike if you’ve got seasoned biker legs.
Visit the Point Robinson Lighthouse and the troll — Whether you visit by bike or car, you’ll definitely want this on your itinerary. It’s a beautiful view (of Des Moines) and the troll, Oscar the Bird King, is one of my favorites in the series. The lighthouse keepers’ quarters are also available to rent!
🍓 Hike Dockton Forest or Shinglemill Creek
“Dockton Forest: This 2.5-mile trail will take you through an evergreen and a large madrona forest before you end up at a gravel pit (it’s more picturesque than it sounds). There's also a really good mountain bike trail here. If you venture off the beaten path, you can find some old retired Cold War bunkers.
Shinglemill Creek: An easy 3-mile out and back, the entrance is across from what used to be Vashon Winery. You can walk all the way down to the beach if you want!” - LT & KT
Browse the farm stands — There are farm stands all over the island where you can exchange cash or Venmo for eggs, flowers, and produce.
Hit the farmers market — Every Saturday from 10 am - 2 pm the whole town comes together for the farmers market. It’s compact, but there’s usually live music, hand-carved wooden utensils, cashew cheese, and lots of fresh produce from the local farms.
🍓 Spend some time at the Burton Area Recreation Center — “Aka the skate park, it’s top-notch for skateboards, scooters, bicycles, and people of all ages, from small kids to old-men-wannabe-skaters. It also has a big climbing boulder and disc golf trails.” - LT & KT
Browse the local event calendar — Despite being small, Vashon has a very active events calendar and I always like to keep an eye on who’s coming through. Here are a few things I’m excited about coming up:
Concerts in the park — every Thursday in August
🍓 First Fridays — “a big party that is especially fun in summer when they shut down the main street in town to cars, and people, bikes, strollers, etc, take to the street. Happening this Friday, August 2!” - LT & KT
Farm dinners — 8/6 and 8/13
Stupid Bike Night — every Friday in September
Otello by the Vashon Opera — 9/20 and 9/22. There are only two operas they perform each year and this is their fall show. I’ve heard this little company is pretty big in the opera scene!
🍓 Visit the record store Side Stack Records — “Owned by the lead singer of The Fray, if you've ever heard How to Save a Life 😉” - LT & KT (Editor’s note: I had no idea!! I got a great Santana record here for $10 last time I was in — I like that they’ll play the record for you on their epic sound system before you buy it if you want)
Where to shop
There are lots of cute little shops to pop in and out of on the main strip, but these are worth making a point to stop into:
Standard Goods — This Seattle-based gift shop is known for its neighborhood-branded apparel, so I recommend stopping in if you want a shirt or sweatshirt to remember your visit by.
HA & CO — A curated shop of the owner’s pottery and other assorted jewelry and home goods. It’s spendy, but there are some unique finds here and it’s a good excuse to visit Burton.
🍓 The Country Store — “A great place for unique gifts for all ages, plus they have well-built farm and garden supplies. Last time Kiko was there, they were selling modernized vintage gas lamps.” - LT & KT
Golden Afternoon Shop — A vintage and gift store right by the coffee roasterie, I’ve been dying to check this place out! Their IG is super cute.
How to spend a day trip
If I were to plan your perfect day on Vashon, here are the “can’t miss” recommendations I’d give you:
Come over hungry and get brunch at Snapdragon (save your coffee needs for the next stop)
Fuel up at Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie
Head to the Point Robinson Lighthouse to walk on the beach and visit the troll, Oscar the Bird King.
Make your way back to town, stopping at farm stands along the way
Visit a few of the boutiques before grabbing a beer at Camp Colvos
Eat dinner at May Kitchen + Bar
Head to the ferry!
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📆 This weekend’s events
Summer at Sam: Live Music & Art | Thursday, 8/1 | Belltown | Free
Pioneer Square Art Walk | Thursday, 8/1 | Pioneer Square | Free
KEXP Presents: Concerts at the Mural | Thursday, 8/1 | Uptown | Free
The Moth StorySLAM | Thursday, 8/1 | Fremont | $15
Jefferson Jumpstart | Thursday, 8/1 | Beacon Hill | Free
Yerbana Yoga in the Park | Thursday, 8/1 | Fremont | Free
C-ID Summer Cinema: Polite Society | Saturday, 8/3 | C-ID | Free
The 'Zoid U-Dist Music Festival | Saturday, 8/3 | U-District | $30
Silent Reading Picnic | Saturday, 8/3 | Capitol Hill | Free
Summer at Sam: Yoga, Live Music & Book Club | Sunday, 8/4 | Belltown | Free
Forest For The Trees 7 | Sunday, 8/4 | Myrtle Edwards Park | Free
Free Entrance Day in the National Parks | Sunday, 8/4 | Various locations | Free
Multi-day:
Shakespeare in the Park | 8/1 - 8/3 | Various locations | Free
West Seattle Glass Float Hunt | 8/1 - 8/15 | Various locations | Free
Sister Act | 8/1 - 8/17 | Greenwood | $44+ (more on this next week, but I went last night and it was incredible!!! Highly recommend going, they just extended the run to 8/17)
Conor Byrne Co-op Grand Reopening | 8/2 - 8/3 | Ballard | $20-25
West Seattle Wine Weekend | 8/2 - 8/3 | West Seattle | $50
Seafair Weekend Festival | 8/2 - 8/4 | Genesee Park | $15-35
CatVideoFest 2024 | 8/2 - 8/4 | Capitol Hill | $16.50
Seattle World's Vintage Fair | 8/3 - 8/4 | Seattle Center | $15-20
What’s next:
8/17 | The C-ID is throwing a block party! There will be live music, food, and art happening under I-5. The Fremont market will also be hosting a Night Bazaar.
9/14 | Everyone is throwing a BRAT dance party these days. Showbox SoDo is next up.
🚨 ICYMI
A wave of closures: Seattle’s only native coffee shop, Big Mario’s Northlake Tavern, and the celebrated Samara in Sunset Hill. The Stranger has new owners! The light rail fare is going up to a flat fare of $3, but you no longer need to tap off.
🌟 Seek of the week
What are your favorite spots on our PNW islands? Share yours in the comments and I’ll feature them in future guides!
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