27 OF THE BEST NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND THINGS TO DO
By Tracy Fuga
IntroductionWelcome to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island! As you get settled into your new home, you’re probably looking for some ideas of things to do in the area. You’re in luck! The installation is just a short ferry ride from major cities like Seattle and Everett, Washington, and is just steps from Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean. This beautiful area has so much to offer visitors and those lucky enough to call it home. The area is known for lush landscapes and coastal weather, a vibrant music scene (it’s the birth of grunge) and being a destination for microbreweries, hiking and fishing. Here is a list of 27 of the best things to do while living on or near NAS Whidbey Island. Know what you are looking for? Click the number(s) to go right to what you go: (1-7) Outdoor Recreation (8-9) Golfing (10-11) Gyms (12) Bowling (13-19) Nearby Attractions (20-24) Museums (25-26) Movies (27) Brewery Tours
Suggested Read:NAS Whidbey Island: In-Depth Welcome Center
27 Of the Best NAS Whidbey Island Things to Do
NAS Whidbey Island Outdoor Recreation
1. Costen-Turner Recreation AreaNAS Whidbey Island - Ault Field Intruder and North Saratoga streets Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2432 The Costen-Turner Recreation Area is named for Lt. Tom Costen and Lt. Charlie Turner whose A-6 Intruder was shot down over Iraq on the first night of Desert Storm. Organized groups can reserve the gazebo, which features picnic areas, the quarter-mile track, a softball field and children’s play area. The park will accommodate groups from 25-1,000.
2. The Grind Skate ParkNAS Whidbey Island - Intruder and Princeton streets Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-3309 The Grind Skate Park features a series of challenging obstacles, including a half pipe, quarter pipe, grind box, pyramid and stairs.
3. Cliffside RV ParkNAS Whidbey Island - Ault Field Cliffside Park Drive Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2649 Navy Getaways Cliffside RV Park is nestled along the shoreline of Whidbey Island. Cliffside overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver Island, the San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula. With its awe-inspiring location, Cliffside offers the ambiance of shoreline living, an open window on an ever-changing marine environment and unparalleled sunsets. Reservations are required.
4. Dugualla State Park799 E. Sleeper Road Oak Harbor, WA 98278 Dugualla State Park’s 586 acre property was acquired by Washington State Parks in 1992 to prevent it from being logged. There are six trails at the park which weave together to create a network that’s fun to explore. This includes a mile of shoreline walking, a meandering path through an alder grove and a bit of an elevation gain for those looking for a more challenging hike.
5. Deception Pass State Park41229 State Route 20 Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Phone:1 (888) 226-7688 Deception Pass State Park is Washington’s most-visited state park. Mysterious coves, rugged cliffs, amazing sunsets and a stomach-dropping high bridge make this the go-to spot for locals and travelers alike. You can fish and swim in Cranberry Lake, look for shells along the Puget Sound beachfront or hike through forests and out along the bluffs. Birdwatchers flock to the area to fill their field guides with notes. You might even catch a whale or a family of seals as you gaze out upon the wild waters.
6. Rocky Point Recreation AreaWest Beach and Cowpens Road Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2432 Rocky Point Recreation Area, adjacent to the Gallery Golf Course, is just footsteps from the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Rocky Point beach. Facilities available include an indoor sheltered building (Can-Do-Inn) with picnic tables and restrooms. The facilities can accommodate events such as changes of command, family functions, weddings and other special events.
7. Jim Creek Recreation Center21027 Jim Creek Rd Arlington, WA 98223
Phone:1 (425) 304-5315 Nestled in the foothills of the North Cascades, Jim Creek Recreation Center serves as a Naval Radio Station and regional outdoor recreation facility for active duty, reservists, retired military, DOD civilians and sponsored guests. The center offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, including camping, fishing, boating, hiking, biking and team building programs. There are also regular weekend programs from May through September, as well as seasonal events.
NAS Whidbey Island Golf Course
8. Disc Golf CourseConvergence Zone 3535 N. Princeton Bldg. 2510 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2432 The 18-hole disc golf course offers a new and innovative way to explore Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, with a little competition. The course starts and ends across the parking lot from the Convergence Zone Recreation Center. The course map will lead you on a journey through the 18-hole course and lists distance and par guidelines.
9. Gallery Golf Course3065 N. Cowpens Road Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2178 Gallery Golf Course is a challenging 18-hole course layout with tree-lined fairways, rolling hills and amazing views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island. The course is open to the public and offers lessons, clinics, a grass driving range, rental carts and a full-service pro shop.
NAS Whidbey Island Gym
10. Whidbey Fitness CenterNAS Whidbey Island 3755 N. Wasp St. Bldg. 117 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2420 The Whidbey Fitness Center provides services, programs and state-of-the-art equipment to enhance and encourage your continuing commitment to health and physical fitness. Staff is committed to “fitness for life” and offers a complement of services and facilities to fulfill that goal. Whether you want to stay in regulation fitness standards or just getting healthy, this is the place for you. Call for more information and for hours.
11. Fidalgo Pool1603 22nd St. Anacortes, WA 98221
Phone:1 (360) 293-0673 NAS Whidbey Island does not have a recreational swimming facility but MWE has a partnership with a local pool in Anacortes. Active duty can utilize the facility for free. Call for more information and hours.
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Bowling Alley
12. Convergence Zone Recreation CenterNAS Whidbey Island 3535 N. Princeton Bldg. 2510 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2432 Convergence Zone is truly a place where a range of interests, an array of people and a variety of entertainment come together! It offers bowling lanes, gear rental, indoor playground, toddler play area, pool tables, air hockey, ping pong, computers, video gaming, resource center, faxing/printing/copying services, a multipurpose room, and gathering areas for groups and organizations.
13. Everett Performing Arts Center2710 Wetmore Ave. Everett, WA 98201
Phone:1 (425) 257-8600 One of the premier performing arts spaces in Snohomish County, the Everett Performing Arts Center (EPAC) embraces a 500-plus-seat auditorium with a proscenium stage, full theatrical lighting and sound systems, an orchestra pit, a rigging and fly system, wing space, a shop and costume facilities. Along with the auditorium, EPAC has a multipurpose community room and spacious lobby, making it ideal for a range of activities.
14. Everett AquaSoxEverett Memorial Stadium 3802 Broadway Everett, WA 98201
Phone:1 (425) 258-3673 The Everett AquaSox, a minor league baseball team in the short-season Class A Northwest League, began play in 1984 as the Everett Giants, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Just over a decade later, the Everett Giants and Bellingham Mariners switched cities for the 1995 season, and the Seattle Mariners’ affiliate was renamed the Everett AquaSox. In 2010, Everett won its first Northwest League championship as the AquaSox, although they had also won the league championship in 1985 as the Giants. Catch one of their games at Everett Memorial Stadium.
15. Woodland Park Zoo5500 Phinney Ave. N Seattle, WA 98103
Phone:1 (206) 548-2500 Founded in 1899, Woodland Park Zoo has sparked delight, discovery and unforgettable memories for generations of Northwest families. The zoo manages the largest live animal collection in Washington state, with 1,100 animals representing more than 300 species. The zoo provides a home for 40 endangered and 17 threatened or vulnerable animal species, and its botanical collection includes more than 92,000 plants and trees representing more than 1,300 species. A gift shop, food pavilion, picnic areas and on-site educational programs are also available.
NAS Whidbey Island
16. General Quarters PaintballConvergence Zone 3535 N. Princeton Bldg. 2510 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2432 General Quarters Paintball is located behind the Convergence Zone. Adrenaline, strategy, skill and speed combine in exhilarating thrills on two separate fields. On the speedball field, enjoy high-energy action, ducking behind a series of inflatable bunkers on a 190 ft. by 115 ft. field. Volunteers change the field setup periodically, so new challenges are always emerging. The ever-evolving woods ball field encourages scenario play with its own unique set of natural foxholes, hideaways and fortresses.
17. Whidbey Community Recreation TicketsConvergence Zone NAS Whidbey Island 3535 N. Princeton Bldg. 2510 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2074 Discounts and information are available for hotels, transportation, California attractions, Florida attractions, British Columbia attractions, and much more. Whidbey Community Recreation Tickets is your one-stop shop for fun!
18. Whidbey Island Trips and ToursConvergence Zone NAS Whidbey Island 3535 N. Princeton Bldg. 2510 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-2074 Living in the Pacific Northwest, you are only a short distance from the ocean, lakes, mountains, rainforest, farmland, wine country, and a major city, not to mention a day trip away from Eastern Washington if a dryer climate is more your style. Let local guides show you the best the area has to offer. Whidbey Island Trips & Tours will show you all the hidden hot spots and local favorites.
19. Fleet and Family Support Center - Nor’WesterNAS Whidbey Island 3675 W. Lexington Bldg. 2556 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-6289 Fleet and Family Support Center is your one-stop shop for free parenting and life skill programs, financial programs, deployment support, transition and employment assistance, relocation assistance or deployment/mobilization support anywhere in the Pacific Northwest, and more programs to promote quality of life for military personnel and their families. Visit the Fleet and Family Support Center for further information on base and community services.
NAS Whidbey Island Museums
20. Pacific Northwest Naval Air MuseumNAS Whidbey Island 270 SE Pioneer Way Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Phone:1 (360) 240-9500 The Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum (formerly known as the PBY Naval Air Museum) is a great way to see many of the artifacts and memorabilia related to Whidbey Island’s Military History. The museum even has a restored PBY Catalina on display across Pioneer Way from the museum. The plane was the first to call Whidbey Island home when the original sea plane base was built at the eastern end of Oak Harbor. Inside the museum you can get inside an actual gun turret from a PBY and feel what that is like. You can fly simulators and experience what it’s like to wear military night goggles in the museum’s specially-built room!
21. Port Townsend Marine Science Center535 Battery Way Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone:1 (360) 385-5582 The Port Townsend Marine Science Center and Museum is an educational and scientific organization devoted to understanding and conserving our marine and shoreline environment. The interactive museum and hands-on aquarium feature countless animals, plants and objects to discover via touch tanks, microscopes and a hydrophone.
22. Museum of Pop Culture325 Fifth Ave. N Seattle, WA 98109
Phone:1 (206) 770-2700 The Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP, (formerly known as EMP Museum) has plenty for visitors, including interactive activity stations where they can perform music before a virtual audience, sound sculpture and lots of educational resources. The 140,000-square-foot Frank O. Gehry-designed facility is home to exhibits that cover pop culture, from the art of fantasy, horror cinema and video games to science fiction, literature and costumes from screen and stage. Hours vary by season; check the website for more information.
23. Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour8415 Paine Field Blvd. Mukilteo, WA 98275
Phone:1 (800) 464-1476 The Future of Flight Aviation Center is the sole public tour of a commercial jet assembly plant in North America. It is the starting point for the Boeing Tour of part of the aircraft giant’s Everett production facility that builds the 747, 777 and 787 jets. The museum includes a 28,000-square-foot gallery filled with static and interactive exhibits and displays, as well as a 240-seat theater, cafe and shops. Hours vary by season; check the website for more information.
24. Imagine Children’s Museum1502 Wall St. Everett, WA 98201
Phone:1 (425) 258-1006 The Imagine Children’s Museum promotes the power of play: learning and growing by doing what every child loves to do best — play! Interactive exhibits and activities encourage children from ages 1 through 12 and their families to role-play, experiment, splash, think, wander and create together. Visit the museum’s website for information on hours, admission and special no-fee or discount nights.
NAS Whidbey Island Movie Theater
25. Skywarrior TheatreNAS Whidbey Island 955 W. Midway St. Bldg. 118 Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Phone:1 (360) 257-6684 Skywarrior Theatre seats over 600 people and features the Navy's first digital projector, complete with a silver screen and 3-D capabilities and fully cushioned seats with their own drink holder.
26. Historic Everett Theater2911 Colby Ave. Everett, WA 98201
Phone:1 (425) 258-6766 Opened in 1901, this performance space is a historical community gem saved from the wrecking ball by dedicated residents who donated their time, money and enthusiasm to make sure Everett didn’t lose one of its most recognizable downtown buildings. There is always something new and exciting going on at the Historic Everett Theatre, from concerts by world-famous entertainers to live theater productions with the theater’s own Outcast Players.
27. BreweriesWashington’s coastal location and wet weather make for the perfect beer-making location. The state’s breweries are small and family owned and are integral parts of the local community. Brewers in the area pride themselves on developing unique beers using imaginative (some might say ridiculous) ingredients like hot peppers or white chocolate, while some keep it simple with IPAs and pilsners. Find a brewery close to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
ConclusionRainy days might await you on a regular basis, there are always things to do — rain or shine! It’s perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, music and craft beer lovers, fishermen or foodies. Whatever your mood or hobby, there’s something for you to enjoy near your new home at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
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