It's an ideal day loop trip. Head north to the Mukilteo ferry (use SR 526, the "Boeing Freeway" that

How we use your email Fodor's may use your e-mail address to send you relevant information on site updates, account changes, and offers. For more information about your privacy and protection, please review our full Privacy Policy .
Drive north to Anacortes and take the bridge at Deception Pass. It takes about two hours to drive to Oak Harbor, which is on the north end of the island or three hours to Langley on the south end of the island.
travel to go If you like historic towns, you could drive up I-5 to Conway, through travel to go the Skagit Valley to La Conner and from there to Deception Pass, Penn Cove, and Coupeville. travel to go From there you could take the ferry to Port Townsend and return to Seattle via Port Gamble and the ferry that sails between Kingston to Edmonds.
travel to go It's an ideal day loop trip. Head north to the Mukilteo ferry (use SR 526, the "Boeing Freeway" that passes the Boeing widebody plant - biggest building in the world.) Then stop at (IMO) the cutest town on Whidbey, Langley (the turnoff is only a couple of miles from the ferry dock.) Then up the island, possibly stopping at Greenbank Farm for a bite (or at least, a piece of pie - OMG) then to Coupeville, then through Oak Harbor to Deception Pass. Over the bridge thence east on SR 20 toward the freeway, but do the La Conner detour as HTTY suggests (but my route is in reverse.)
Thanks again. I picked Whidbey because I thought it would be easier to get there on the weekend. I heard that the ferry lines can be long to San Juan Islands. Maybe this would not be true for weekend of Sept 22nd? I do not want to book ahead, since weather may be iffy.
The Mukilteo-Whidbey ferry is nothing like the San Juan Islands ferry - much shorter, much more frequent, travel to go no reservations needed (nor accepted.) In late September I'd be surprised if you have to wait more than 20 min. for the ferry, depending on when you get into the lineup. Plus it's a much shorter drive from Seattle (25 min. vs. nearly 2 hours for Anacortes.)
I love the loop trip described above - in either direction, though your choice might depend on what meal you want to enjoy in Langley, but be sure to stop for pie at Greenbank. Langley and La Connor are both adorable. We also saw lots of bald eagles while driving Whidbey Island. A great day trip. Ferry shouldn't be a problem, but deception pass is worth the drive north.
Ditto, another vote for Gardyloo's travel to go proposed itinerary. That's great. I never really thought about it, when we go we just drive up the the freeway from Seattle to the ferry at Mukilteo, drive the car on to the ferry, travel to go go over to Whidbey, travel to go drive around. I like the Captain Whidbey Inn there. I actually prefer Whibey over SJI, the San Juans are just a lot more hassle/distance to get to. Whidbey is fun, sweet, easy!!!