Take a cozy Spring getaway to fabulous Whidbey Island! Go on lovely beach walks with great views of the Olympic Mountains and Admiralty Inlet just two blocks from the artist’s quirky studio apartment where you can create your own masterpieces! Curl up in front of a (faux) fireplace with a good book, and cook your own dinners in a fully stocked and colorful kitchen!
The space
Completely furnished and very private studio apartment on the first floor of my home with its own kitchen and full bath. Even though it’s called a daylight basement, it has big windows and it’s light and bright and airy! It’s approximately 400 ft.² with a queen bed, desk, comfy chairs, lots of good books, art supplies, and art. Shared entrance. If you’re lucky, some of the many Whidbey deer and bunnies will come right up to your window and say hello!
Guest access
Two blocks from the beach for strolling at low tide. Just a few miles to the darling shops and restaurants of Langley – our little village by the sea. Sorry, no pets or children under the age of 12.
Other things to note
THINGS TO DO, HOUSE GUIDELINES, and WHAT’S PROVIDED FOR GUESTS:
THINGS TO DO:
There are lots of brochures and maps and guides in your room, but here's an overview:
- LANGLEY - our little Village by the Sea - has great shops, FIVE art galleries representing some of the best local and Northwest artists, great restaurants and coffee shops, and has a cozy market called the Star Store, with a great deli, just a few more miles away going the opposite direction from where you turned off the highway to come here.
- Most STORES CLOSE at 5 PM. Restaurants usually stop serving at 8 PM, and many restaurants are closed on Mondays, so check before you go.
-To go KAYAKING and PADDLEBOARDING, you can find rentals and tours in the Langley marina. Research Whidbey Island Kayaking online for information and reservations.
-The LANGLEY WHALE CENTER is well worth a visit. If you see a whale, ring the Whale Bell. Ask them where it is located.
-You can blow your own glass at CALLAHAN’S FIREHOUSE and Gallery in Langley.
- Hike the HIKING trails on the more than 100 acres at the Whidbey Institute and places like the Hammond’s Preserve just up the road, or visit the Earth Sanctuary in Freeland. Some local trails with easy to difficult choices. Just Google them for maps and locations and hours:
Whidbey Institute
Earth Sanctuary
South Whidbey State Park
Double Bluff public beach
Saratoga Woods
Putney Woods
Castle Park
Waterman Shoreline Preserve
Trillium
Trustland Trails
Ebey’s Bluff
Deception Pass State Park
Price Sculpture Park
-Birdwatching is available on all those trails, also. Google Birding Whidbey Island- Audubon Society for more information and a map of the best spots.
- Attend live THEATER at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts/WICA, Whidbey Children’s Theater, Outcast Productions at the Fairgrounds, or the Island Shakespeare Festival in the summer.
- See current MOVIES at the funky Clyde movie theater. (You won’t believe their prices – like stepping back in time!) check the Internet for showtimes. No AC, but it stays cool inside.
- Enjoy the WHIDBEY ART TRAIL. Meet with artists working in their own studios.
- Go winetasting on the WHIDBEY WINE TRAIL.
- Create your own ART with owner/artist’s art supplies and art books on drawing, watercolors, encaustics, colored pencils and acrylics.
- Get cozy with a good book or just take a delicious nap in the hammock.
- Shop at the OPEN AIR MARKETS in the summer. Friday market in Langley 11:30-4pm, Saturday is the big Bayview Farmers Market from 10 to 2PM in Bayview (be sure to include a visit to the incredible Bayview nursery, too!), and Sunday is the Tilth market from 11-2 PM. Fresh produce, flowers, music, food, arts and crafts.
- Go on the Open Studio Tour and also enjoy the old-fashioned Island County Fair in the late summer.
- Lots of great THRIFT STORES. Google Whidbey Thrift Stores.
- Attend the many FESTIVALS: Coupeville Arts Festival, Penn Cove Musselfest, Djangofest, Tour de Whidbey Bike Race, Langley’s Mystery Weekend, Wag ‘n Walk, etc.
- To find out more about what’s happening on Whidbey Island, go to the Information Booth at Ken’s Korner just five miles up Cultus Bay Road, the Chamber of Commerce in Langley, or “What’s Happening on Whidbey” online. Or just ask anyone what’s going on during your stay. We’re pretty friendly here!
- If you're coming from the north, as you come down the island (if you're heading up the island from the south, just reverse these locations), I would suggest parking and walking out on the DECEPTION PASS bridge to get the full experience of the view. Then stop at the old CAPTAIN WHIDBEY INN in Coupeville which is a step back in time. Ask if you can walk around upstairs so you can see the rooms. They have a nice bar and restaurant and deck, too.
-Spend some time in the historic little town of COUPEVILLE on the water about halfway up the island. (The movie Practical Magic filmed some scenes here.) It's got great shops and galleries and a pier and the funky TOBY’S TAVERN – a favorite locals hangout that has the best Penn Cove mussels from Penn Cove just a mile or so away. They're prepared with a light broth that retains the flavor of the sea. Martha Stewart even did a show about them once!
- A drive through FORT CASEY is delightful, and if you're into hiking, Ebey's Landing has incredible views.
- If you really want to get plugged into island life, send an email to drewslist and ask to be put on the list. Drewslist sends out emails a few times a week that deal with all kinds of events, housing, garage sales, dances, fundraisers, help wanted, etc. You can opt out of the list any time.
-Just one block to the south in the summer in the very top of the trees is a rookery of approximately 50 GREAT BLUE HERONS and their nests in the summer. You will see them flying back-and-forth from the bay throughout the day. If an eagle tries to get to their nests, you will be lucky enough to see all of them rise up and drive the eagle away. It’s like pterodactyls during the Stone Age, especially the croaking sound they make as their call. They only weigh about 5 pounds or so, so they can easily perch on the small top branches. Fascinating creatures.
- Commune with the numerous deer, bunnies, herons and eagles. Langley is famous for its bunnies of all different colors – especially around the fairgrounds and the main curve into Langley. (Urban legend has it that baby bunnies used to be released at Easter time and children would chase them and take them home. A few escaped, and you know how rapidly bunnies multiply, so we have wild bunnies that look like domestic ones everywhere. They even became famous a while ago on national news!) UPDATE: some sort of bunny disease wiped out the Langley bunny population recently. But people are beginning to see them again! But we have plenty of bunnies for you to enjoy in my neighborhood!
- Go beachcombing, clamming, crabbing, fishing, swimming, hiking, bike riding.
- Or just be - don't do. Leave the chaos behind. Find yourself again.
I so hope you enjoy your stay and return to the world, rejuvenated and refreshed and restored. Let the magic that is Whidbey Island work and live in you. Always.
HOUSE GUIDELINES aka QUIRKS AND BURPS:
- The SEPTIC SYSTEM will loudly “burp” upwards when the tank fills.
- Please plug laptops, phones, and other gadgets into one of the POWER SURGERS when charging. Otherwise, if there is a power outage, it can fry your electronics.
- Keep your HALL DOOR CLOSED for privacy.
- No children or pets.
- PLEASE PUT ONLY TOILET PAPER IN THE TOILET. The septic system is very delicate.
-The FIREPLACE is your HEATING UNIT. DON'T PUT ANYTHING WITHIN 3 FEET. BE SURE AND TURN IT OFF WHEN YOU LEAVE FOR SAFETY REASONS.
- I would love to invite you UPSTAIRS, but my insurance doesn’t cover it.
- The FRONT DOOR is a hard close if you are outside. If you are inside, turn the knob slightly and it should be a soft close.
- You can open the CURTAINS during the day since people really can’t see in from the street.
- A KEY to your space is provided on the desk if you’re more comfortable with that.
- My CAT has never been allowed in your space.
- Please, NO CANDLES OR INCENSE or strong fragrances. Please VAPE outside well away from the windows.
- NO CABLE TV available.
- The WATER is from a community well and gets a very high rating.
- Please don’t leave WET TOWELS on the floor.
- If you COOK, please open the window above the kitchen sink to vent or you might activate the smoke alarm.
- Please TURN EVERYTHING OFF anytime you leave the room.
- There are SLEEP MASKS for your use in the wall receptacle beside the bed.
- Our spaces are quite SOUNDPROOFED from each other so no need to be concerned about normal noise and volume.
- On the rare hot days, there is a column FAN provided.
- The two small WINDOWS on the west side were accidentally broken by a recent guest who couldn’t figure out how to open them, so I’m currently getting bids for new ones. Please don’t try to open those windows.
- When you DEPART, please do up your dishes and put used towels in the bathtub. No need to remove sheets from the bed.
- Only residents are allowed to have BEACH FIRES or use the POOL or TENNIS COURTS.
- Please feel free to enjoy the FRONT and BACKYARDS, too. (Don't be surprised if you are joined by a few curious deer or bunnies.)
- For BEACH ACCESS, at the bottom of the hill you will see the parking lot and clubhouse. To your left you will see a railing with steps leading down to the beach.
- BEACH COMBING, especially after storms, and walking are best at low tide. If anyone asks you if you’re a resident, just tell them that you are friends of Susan Jensen and that you are visiting me since this is a private beach.
- You might want to pick up FOOD – probably breakfast things - before your arrival.
- My ART and BOOKS are for sale - priced as marked.
- It’s so quiet here that, if the HUM FROM THE REFRIGERATOR bothers you at night, there is a small “white noise” machine beside the bed with all kinds of sounds from rain to waves. Or just unplug the refrigerator. (Don’t forget to plug it back in in the morning!)
- If you run out of towels and washcloths, there are more in the hall SUPPLY CLOSET in the entryway along with any cleaning supplies or other things you might need.
- Text anytime with questions!
PROVIDED FOR GUESTS:
* refrigerator, stove, microwave, blender, toaster, coffee pot, decaf and caffeinated coffee, a nice assortment of teas, powdered milk, different sugars, salt and pepper, jelly and ketchup and mustard and mayonnaise packets, cups and glasses and dishes and silverware, measuring cups and spoons, pots and pans with lids, frying pans, cookie sheet, spatula and other large utensils, towels and washcloths, a white noise machine, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hairdryer, paper towels, toilet paper, (emergency) Kotex and Tampons and Depends, garbage bags, wine opener, can opener, cooking spray, cheese cutter, cutting boards, small compost bin for food scraps since the septic system can’t handle a garbage disposal, a fan,
a fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink and one on top, a fire blanket in the red bag hanging on the side of the hutch. (Just pull the black tabs to extract the blanket and place it carefully over the fire until the fire goes out. It’s fiber glass so it will extinguish a fire.)
- In the closet, there is a yoga mat, two pairs of rubber beach-combing boots sizes 8 and 10, hangers, shelves, a battery operated lantern with a USB port for a power outage.
There’s a red picnic backpack on top of the hutch along with various teapots.
- In the hall closet are more towels and washcloths, cleaning supplies, a broom and mop, umbrellas, and a big and tabletop ironing boards.
-There’s a hair dryer and clothes steamer in the white wicker basket and an iron under the bathroom sink.
-Games and cards provided for fun.
-Whidbey Life and Airbnb magazines.
-Lots of books on art and writing.
