Take a Hike
or a Bike
Walk or ride your bicycle along the Kettles Trail from the corner of Hwy. 20 and Main Street all the way to through the woods of Fort Ebey to the bluff. The Ebey's Landing parking lot is a popular point of departure for walks along the beach to Perego's Lake or inland to historic Sunnyside Cemetery.
Probably the most popular uphill walk in the area is the climb up the bluff above Ebey's Landing. The endless vistas include crops growing on the prairie
forests
Mt. Baker
Mt. Rainier
and the Olympics
the Strait of Juan de Fuca
and Vancouver Island. There's a good chance that you'll see a submarine
frigate
or a magnificent cruise ship. You're guaranteed to spy container ships and tugs hauling huge barges between ports.
Get Out On the Water
The water influences our weather
geography
and economy. Your visit is not complete without a chartered sail on Penn Cove; visit our mussel farm with one of the local captains. Arrive in your own boat or launch it at Captain Thomas Coupe Park or Ft. Casey State Park. Kayak Penn Cove or Admiralty Inlet. At low tide
look for sea stars below the wharf. SCUBA dive at Keystone Underwater Park and other spots. Watch for gray whale
otter
sea lion
Dall's porpoise
jellyfish
crab
sea star
and Orca in the waters around Coupeville (and be sure to report your whale sightings to the Orca Network). Fish or crab (in season).
Stroll the Streets
Coupeville's scale invites strolling the neighborhoods. Enjoy a self-guided history tour with a free map from the Island County Historical Society Museum or contact the museum to arrange a group tour. More than 50 structures in Coupeville are on the National Register of Historic Places. Look for plaques noting the construction dates and original owners of these Victorian homes and commercial buildings.
Find art and antiques in false-front shops on Front Street. Our Arts and Antiques Walks are the first Saturday of March
June
September
and December; when the shops stay open late and serve refreshments.
Take a Class
Whatever your medium of artistic expression
you'll find the right workshop at the Coupeville Arts Center. Beginning and intermediate weavers can enhance their skills at The Weaver's School. You'll become more aware of how you impact the environment through a workshop at Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies' Pacific Rim campus.
Explore the Reserve
The National Park Service staff conducts on-site programs delving into the history and nature of the Reserve. Typical topics include "Walk Back in Time for a Tour of Historic Downtown Coupeville
" "Find out Who
Where and What is Ebey's Landing
" and "Explore the Underwater World of Keystone Spit."
Sit Back and Listen
To the birds
the breeze
or a Sunday Concert on the Cove at Town Park.