I opted for LaLina over Taberna La Concha, which has a more historical character to it and is right on Calle Cava Baja, the most famous tapas street in Madrid (and all of Spain, probably). The interior appears as if it hasn’t been updated in a couple of decades, which I mean in a good way.
Upon disembarking from the ferry and setting foot on the island, it seems as if stepping into an entirely different world. Residents are welcoming and greet you, time does this strange thing where it slows down and, suddenly, that work electronic mail doesn’t seem quite so important, and the sounds of city life fade away and are replaced with a tranquility only possible on an island.
Additionally, it has an amazing variety of great food and drinks fueled by the bounty of local produce, a nice little downtown strip with fun shops to browse in and purchase a thing or two to bring home, and plenty of great beaches and views to explore.
We feel a day trip to Vashon Island is probably the suitable amount of time to dedicate to it for most people, but that certainly doesn’t imply that it wouldn’t make a great weekend getaway.
Whether spending a day on Vashon Island, a week, or longer, we will cover some favorite activities on Vashon Island to help discover what made us fall for it (and why we think you will too).
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.
Table of Contents
Should You Do a Day Trip or a Weekend Trip?
We like Vashon Island as a recommended location worth visiting for a day trip from Seattle. It’s conveniently accessible, it offers a relaxing change of environment compared to the lively metropolitan area of Seattle, and you can experience many of the notable attractions on Vashon Island within a single day.
However, we also opine that Vashon makes a satisfactory weekend departure for precisely the same reasons.
The thing to note is that Vashon is a place where more than two days may result in running out of activities.
To be clear, spending extended time on the island is not necessarily bad. We`ve discussed taking a week there to disconnect and relax our minds. But most people find a day or two is sufficient.
Do You Need a Car on Vashon?
Traveling around Vashon Island requires using a personal vehicle as the island landscape extends past the downtown corridor. While the area isn`t extensive, attractions like the Point Robinson Lighthouse, scattered farms stands, and Lisabeula Park lie outside the central strip necessitating automobile transportation to reach.
Luckily, the ferries running between the mainland and the island are car ferries, so driving right on is possible. It’s more expensive than walking on, but exploring a little more of the island with the car seems worth it.
Another enjoyable option would be to rent bicycles fromVashon Adventures and explore the island by pedal power. Their office requires a bit of a hike to reach from the ferry terminal – it`s located right in downtown Vashon. They rent e-bikes as well as stand up paddleboards and camping gear (among other equipment).
8 Fun Things to Do on a Vashon Island Day Trip
Several of our preferred activities on Vashon Island are listed below without a set order. Further down, a mini itinerary for both a daytrip and weekend getaway has been included to aid in planning how to fit everything together.
Eat Your Way Through Vashon
Would you believe that the best Thai food we’ve ever tasted was on Vashon Island? There’s a thriving culinary scene on the island, and it’s a good foodie destination.
It brings to mind Orcas Islandin that regard, which has a similar “we left the city and started this bakery and now can’t keep up with demand because it’s so popular” feel.
As one might imagine, most of the places to eat are located around downtown Vashon.
Here are a few spots that stand out to us.
May Kitchen & Bar: The finest Thai nourishment we’ve ever consumed. The Pad Kee Mao is absolutely remarkable – the noodles especially are so fresh – and their green curry is something we still envision about. A large portion of the menu is sans gluten (albeit the fryer isn`t), which makes this a spot that we’ll come back to again and again. On our most recent excursion, we brought my little sibling along, and he praised it when we arrived home. Extra data here.
Snapdragon: If you’re seeking a “brunchy” location on Vashon, this is likely your best option. It’s completely vegetarian, and you’ll find a mix of pastries, coffee, and larger breakfast and lunch dishes. They have a nice outdoor patio, which is a lovely place to spend a sunny Saturday morning. The three owners have gradually been expanding their Vashon-foodie-kingdom, and now possess a couple of bars and a general store on the island. There’s no set menu – it changes daily – so you never know exactly what you’re going to receive until you show up, which is kind of fun! More data here.
Vashon Island Baking Company: Certainly not gluten free, which is why I encouraged my younger brother to order and try the maple bacon croissant. As you approach the counter in the small storefront, you can see into the kitchen in the back, where all of the treats you see in the display case are being freshly baked daily. They emphasize local ingredients, and offer a wide variety of pastries. They’re renowned for croissants and bear claws (Alysha’s favorite pastry), though you truly can’t go wrong with any choice. More information here.
Glass Bottle Creamery: This ice cream shop on the island produces the highest quality frozen treats. They close during the winter season (and are only open Friday to Sunday), so if you’re visiting Vashon over the colder months, you’ll have to wait until summer arrives. Locally sourced ingredients – from the milk and eggs to the seasonal fruits in their ice cream – are key here. They offer dairy-free options as well. More information here.
Bramble House: This is one of the nicer eating places on Vashon Island. If you prefer a higher-end experience, this location is a great choice. The menu features a variety of foods including bolognese and duck leg confit. They can accommodate diets with restrictions, and clearly identify gluten free and vegetarian options (which helps me as someone with Celiac Disease). Dinner only is served here, so planning ahead with a reservation is a good idea. More information about them can be found here. Bramble House also operates Lia’s Chicken Shack, a more casual dining spot focused on chicken and biscuits among other selections.
Sample Some Local Cider
Firstly, we enjoy hard cider. And Washington is among the greatest places to find it in the whole country, if not the world.
When we learned that two independent hard cider production facilities operate on Vashon, we were thrilled. Regrettably, due to scheduling complications and such, we have only visited one of them (though we’ve sampled cider from both).
Dragon’s Head Cider might be one of our favorite places on earth, especially in the summertime. They have property about a mile away from downtown Vashon on an orchard, and they host tastings where you can sample a selection of their seasonal cider choices in a lovely, tranquil setting.
We find three favorable aspects about Dragon`s Head Cider.
- Their orchard produces much of their apples locally. 75% of their apples come from the farm on Vashon Island, which allows them to oversee every step of the cider making process from growing the fruit to fermenting the final product.
- Their facility provides a nice setting. Picnic tables under shaded trees, next to a barn and apple orchard, make for a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.
- Their cider tastes great. Several of our favorite ciders ever have been from Dragon’s Head, such as their sharp and refreshing Columbia Crabapple. We recommend a flight to sample five ciders and learn about their production and what makes them unique from others.
If that experience intrigues you, you can find more data here (it’s a 90 minute tour, and it’s fairly expensive).
We know Nashi primarily because of their Asian Pear Cider, which is both exceptional and distinctive. They have a pleasant space on the southern end of the island – such as an orchard where they cultivate some of their apples and pears (the remainder are sourced from orchards around the Pacific Northwest) – where you can sample their ciders.
While you can find their bottles at various locations in the Seattle area, they usually have some intriguing things to sample only available at the cidery.
If you’re a cider lover OR you’ve never actually tried cider before, we’d recommend making a visit to one (or both!) of these places to experience cider at its finest.
Visit Some of Vashon’s Adorable Farm Stands
One of our favorite aspects of Vashon, specifically in the summer, is the amazing selection of produce readily available. And visiting the farms growing such produce directly is the best approach to find it.
Explore the island’s many farm stands, which are small self-serve kiosks where local farms offer a seasonal selection of products. This unique setup is something special about Vashon in particular – we`ve not seen this on any of Washington`s other islands, though one could argue we need look harder.
We would suggest purchasing items from the stand at Plum Forest Farm, which harvests locally year-round and offers regional cheese and flowers when available. Another good choice is Aeggy’s ( here on Google Maps).
Bear in mind, this activity is primarily feasible from April to October, when the farms have crops to cultivate and sell. Some stands operate in winter, offering things like kale and radishes. But the real abundance occurs in summer, blanketed with berries as far as the eye can see!
You can view a map of the farm stands and find additional information here.
Explore Downtown Vashon
Downtown Vashon features only one traffic signal. And it’s really a stop sign. It’s a charming little stretch, where you’ll find a nice selection of restaurants (most of the places mentioned earlier in the “eating” section), shops, and places to get a drink or two.
Here are some of our preferred places to explore, in no specific sequence. Again, refer to the food section above for establishments to dine. All would be on this list, but there is no purpose to include them in both areas.
You’ll register on Recreation.gov ( here is the January lottery) and apply for a permit, selecting seven potential dates and times (times essentially refer to three possible blocks – before 9am, 9am-12pm, after 12pm).
Camp Colvos Brewing: According to the local people the individuals met here, this is the recommended place to go for a drink on Vashon. They have a cozy indoor area, a spacious outdoor patio (with fire pits), and various different beers available (plus, Dragon’s Head Cider!).
A noteworthy bookstore on Vashon Island is Vashon Bookshop. As book lovers, we appreciate finding this small, cozy establishment staffed by friendly personnel and stocking both new and used reading materials. Browsing the selection of pre-owned volumes is a particular pleasure when visiting such an independently-owned retailer in a remote community.
The Vashon Farmers Market: We spent a whole section talking about the great locally produced goods, and this is a superb place to visit to witness the selection in its entirety. It’s modest, but packed with locally-sourced excellence on Saturdays from April to October. Also, a few non-farm gems like an artisan bakery and pottery atelier.
Hinge: At the southern end of town, this place offers browsing pieces from local artists, like prints, mugs, tote bags, and more.
Wine Shop Vashon: Regrettably, they were closed for their winter recess when we tried to go here on our last trip, but this is a cozy small wine shop on the south end of town. They have daily tastings, which are an enjoyable way to sample some diverse wines you probably wouldn’t ordinarily get to try from various locations around the world.
Walk out to the Point Robinson Lighthouse
The brief trek out to the Point Robinson Lighthouse on the island of Maury in Puget Sound, technically a separate landmass joined to Vashon by an man-made connector, is recommended.
It was constructed in the late 19th Century. In the 90’s, plans were drawn up to sell the land, and local preservationists successfully prevented the development and established the park as it currently stands. Here is a more in-depth history, for those interested.
Today, a short trail leads from a small, busy parking area in Point Robinson Park down to the lighthouse, which is perched on the easternmost edge of Maury Island, jutting out into the Puget Sound (it`s no surprise they wanted a lighthouse in this location). There’s a nice beach too, and it’s a good place to spot marine life in the sound (there’s a handy guide to the local creatures on a sign just north of the lighthouse).
Escape the City on a Hike
When we’re traveling to a new place, the second thing we do – after searching online for “gluten free city name – is to check for hiking trails to include in our plans.
While there aren’t any hikes on Vashon Island that involve steep climbs and spectacular vistas, there are a variety of pleasant forest walks or beach strolls that can enhance your trip to Vashon.
Here are three places to explore, along with some specific trail suggestions.
Shinglemill Creek Preserve: A short stroll through the woods on the northern end of the island. It’s a relatively easy hike that is about 2.4 miles with some up and down walking to help increase the heart rate. Be certain to park at the Fern Cove end (the northwest end), and add on the short walk down to Fern Cove at the conclusion of the hike.
Maury Island Marine Park: Situated on the southeastern side of the island, this location provides a stunning vista of Mount Rainier across Puget Sound on clear days. Parking available here, and a brief two mile trail leads down to the shoreline.
Island Center Woods: Right in the heart of the island exists a forest – simply named Island Center Forest – where you can embark on a more prolonged hike. The outer boundary loop is a 6.5 mile route that is perfect if you’re seeking a more extended, serene hike, while there are countless trail combinations to form a shorter hike in the interior of the park.
Catch the Sunset at Lisabeula Park
I don’t precisely recall how we came to learn about this locale – someone living on the island informed us of it, with apologies that we`ve forgotten who extended the guidance – but it presents an excellent setting to watch the sun descend.
It’s a wide beach with picnic tables and plenty of driftwood, and it faces west towards the setting sun. We don’t have much else to add, but wanted to ensure we included it on this list!
Go Wine Tasting on Vashon
In addition to cideries and local produce, there’s a nice assortment of wineries on Vashon. Though they generally source their grapes from elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest, mostly eastern Washington.
Maury Island Winery: Nestled on the edge of Maury Island, this winery has grown grapes here since 1980, becoming an official winery in 2008. They have cultivated a small winemaking haven connected to but set apart from Vashon Island. Visit for the sparkling Cremant de Maury rose. Appointments only between Memorial Day and Labor Day. More details here.
Vashon Winery: A small, somewhat traditional winery (based on their website) situated just a bit north of downtown in a picturesque red barn. Tastings available on weekends, or by appointment, between April and October. Additional details here.
Palouse Winery: At the northern end of the island, near where the Fauntleroy Ferry disembarks passengers, you’ll find Palouse Winery. It began as a passion undertaking, with the owners choosing to acquire a crop of Cabernet Franc grapes apparently on a somewhat impromptu basis, and has evolved into an award-winning winery. Most of the grapes they utilize come from eastern Washington. They also create port, which is a discovery we made on our trip to Portugal, that we’d be interested in trying on our next excursion. The location is excellent, and the outdoor area is a perfect place to sip wine in the summer months. Currently operating by appointment only. Additional information here.
Another winery on Vashon island is Andrew Will, though they do not have a tasting room. Orders can be placed for pickup either at the winery or for interested visitors.
Getting to Vashon Island
There’s no way around it, getting to Vashon requires taking a ferry. There’s no bridge connecting the island to the mainland (like there is for Bainbridge), so a ferry is your only option.
The real question is which ferry to take, because there are three options. We`ll cover the two most common alternatives below.
Another ferry option is the Southworth ferry, departing from the opposite side of Hood Canal across Puget Sound from Seattle. This provides the best travel route if coming from Bainbridge Island or Gig Harbor. You can find more details here.
The Fauntleroy Ferry (From Seattle)
For a day trip from Seattle, you`ll want the Fauntleroy Ferry, departing from West Seattle. This is a busy ferry terminal, so plan to arrive about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the ferry you wish to take, especially on weekends.
Between 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm, they advise arriving an hour in advance due to increasing inbound and outbound traffic at this time.
The ferry crossing takes 20 minutes from dock to dock, placing you on the northern region of the island, approximately 7 minutes from downtown.
You are able to view the current sailing program here, and the present fares for this route here.
The Tahlequah Ferry (from Tacoma)
If you`re approaching from the south, you`ll want to use the Tahlequah Ferry which departs from Point Defiance in northwest Tacoma to cross over.
The crossing here takes a quarter of an hour, and it`s less busy than the Fauntleroy route. Arrive 20-30 minutes in advance during peak times, which usually occur in the mornings.
Vienna House is really good value. Guests can choose from either a simple room or a lounge one. The simple has all essentials and vibrant decoration.
When to Visit Vashon Island
The first thing to know about visiting Vashon Island is that the day of the week is just as important as the time of year.
We’ve been to Vashon both on a summertime weekend and on a weekday in the depths of winter. And they are extremely, extremely diverse experiences. Weekends bring the daytrippers by the ferry loads, which creates a lively ambiance, while weekdays are more relaxed and tranquil.
Another important factor to note is that most of the wineries, breweries, and other shops were only open on weekends (sometimes including Thursday and Friday, but always verify the schedule in advance). If exploring those areas was a primary part of your itinerary – and we think it should be – then planning a weekend visit is recommended.
In terms of seasons, as with most areas in the Pacific Northwest, the summer months provide the best time to visit, though spring and fall also offer some advantages.
During the warmer months, you`ll find extended days of sunlight that make relaxing island life even more pleasant. You`ll have many activities to choose from such as wine tasting and picnics in one of Vashon`s parks, all of which can be done outdoors. The Strawberry Festival occurs in July and is a highly important annual event on the island`s calendar.
In the springtime and autumn, the weather can be a little unpredictable, and you might get some rain when you’re on the island. However, most businesses on the island remain open, and both the spring and fall bring unique stages of bloom to the island’s flora, along with great locally grown produce at the farm stands.
Winter brings bare trees, colder conditions, and more rain. Attendance reduces until the longer, warmer days of spring and summer, and many businesses completely close or take long breaks to relax before the summer rush begins.
Additional Areas to Visit in Washington State
Visiting the great state of Washington? Here are some additional posts you may appreciate.
- The Best Things to Partake in Seattle: A Local’s Comprehensive Guide (forthcoming SOON!)
- Where to Lodge in Seattle: 7 Amazing Areas to Seek Accommodation
- A suggested 3-day itinerary for an amazing weekend visiting Seattle
- Experiencing Seattle Over Two Days: What to See and Do in 48 Hours
- Plan for Seeing the Best of Seattle in a Single Day
- The 8 Best Day Excursions from Seattle: A Complete Guide
- 10 Remarkable Nearby Getaways from Seattle: A Complete Planning Guide
- Where to Find the Best Coffee in Seattle: 15+ Amazing Seattle Coffee Shops
- A Thorough Travel Guide for Gluten-Free Individuals in Seattle
- How to Plan an Amazing Washington State Road Trip
- The 19 Best Lodging in Washington State
- 33 Remarkable Cabins in Washington State
- 12 Amazing Easy Hikes in Washington State for Beginners
- A guide presenting an incredible schedule of activities for exploring Olympic National Park
- Activities to Engage in Leavenworth, Washington: A Complete Guide
- What to Experience on San Juan Island: A Complete Visitor Manual
- Top Things to Do on Orcas Island: Complete Planning Guide
- Popular activities on Vashon Island: A complete daily itinerary
