You get up in the morning to the quiet of island life, waves lapping on the shore, birds and eagles flying overhead, deer and other wild life framing the landscape of your life. But every once and a while, you just need to go to the city and feel the pulse and excitement of Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, the Seattle Art Museum, Nordstrom’s, Uwajimaya’s, the Seattle Library, and, of course, the many incredible restaurants.
If you live on Bainbridge Island, it’s pretty easy since the ferry and it delivers you to Coleman Dock right in the middle of downtown Seattle, and everything is within an easy walk, cab or bus ride. On the other hand, if you live in the San Juans, you have no real option except to take the ferry to Anacortes and drive into the city.
If you live on Whidbey Island, you can always take the ferry and drive, but there is another choice. Why not take a train! This service is new in the last few years, and you can take the Sounder train into Seattle from the Mukilteo station that is a 4-5 minute walk from the ferry landing.
If you want, you can make the trip almost entirely car free. Here’s whatFREE Island Transit bus from close to wherever you live on the island to the ferry landing, board the ferry and enjoy the fresh salt air, while maybe catching a glimpse of a seal or if you are lucky a whale. Exit the ferry, and catch the Sounder at the adjacent terminal. In 44 minutes you will step off the train in downtown Seattle. Magic! No car, no hassle, a day in the city, and then back to Whidbey. Here is the current Sounder commuter train schedule.
