Puget Sound Islands Archives - CentralWhidbey https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com America's Island Travel Blog Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:40:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.3 https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-logo-32x32.jpg Puget Sound Islands Archives - CentralWhidbey https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com 32 32 Top 10 Benefits of Travelling from Experts https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/top-10-benefits-of-travelling-from-experts/ Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:40:36 +0000 https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/?p=129 Travelling is one of the best ways to spend your time. It is a great way to learn about other cultures, meet new people and […]

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Travelling is one of the best ways to spend your time. It is a great way to learn about other cultures, meet new people and learn new things. It is also a great way to improve your health. Travelling can make you feel happier and more confident.

Traveling can have many benefits, but it is essential to remember that not all destinations are created equal. Some places are better than others for gaining experience and knowledge. Here are some of the top Benefits of Travelling

1. Achieve Peace of Mind

Traveling from experts can be a great way to get peace of mind, especially if you are traveling with someone who has had similar experiences in the past. If you have never traveled alone before and are worried about getting lost or running into trouble at any point in your journey, hiring a guide or porter who has walked these paths may be an idea.

Another benefit of traveling with experts is that they can ensure that everything goes smoothly for you, making your trip as comfortable as possible. They will also help you find accommodation and ensure you have access to all the things you need during your stay abroad.

2. Improve Your Communication Skills

Traveling from experts is a great way to improve your communication skills. You’ll have the opportunity to meet new people and learn from their experiences.

Traveling from experts is a great way to improve your verbal and written communication skills. You will be able to speak directly with someone with experience in the field you are interested in, enabling you to ask questions about that particular field and learn more about it.

3. Enhance Your Creativity

Travelling can help us to be more creative at work. The best ideas often come from taking a break from routine and seeing things differently. A study by Harvard University found that people who traveled could solve problems quicker than those who didn’t travel. This is because they had broader knowledge and a greater sense of perspective from their travels, which helped them see things in new ways.

4. Broaden Your Horizons

Traveling abroad can help to broaden your horizons and challenge your beliefs about life and culture. Taking a holiday abroad can make you realize how much there is to learn about the world, even if you’ve lived in one place all your life! It’s important not to get stuck in a rut; if you don’t challenge yourself, you won’t grow as an individual or professional.

5. Boosts Your Confidence

Travelling allows you to step outside your comfort zones and try new things that you might not have otherwise tried if we were stuck at home all the time with our usual routines and schedules dictating our lives 24/7! In doing so, you become more confident in yourselves as individuals.

6. Get Real-Life Education

Travelling gives you real-life education that cannot be found in books or classrooms. Travel allows you to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds. You will see how they live, making you appreciate yours more. It also teaches you how to adapt to different situations and environments, which is very important for success.

7. Improve Your Health

If done right, traveling can make you healthier by improving your physical and mental health. According to experts, traveling can reduce stress levels by as much as 40% because it gives people time to relax and unwind from their daily routines. Travelling also encourages physical activity by walking or hiking through different landscapes. This improves blood circulation and keeps your body fit even when you’re older.

8. Helps in Making Memories

Travelling can be an unforgettable experience that you will remember for years! You might even find yourself taking pictures every step of the way so that you don’t forget anything! When you return home, your pictures will remind you of all the fantastic things that happened while on vacation (and hopefully make you want to go back).

9. Help in Understanding Yourself

Traveling helps you understand yourself better. It allows you to reflect on your life and think about where you want to go. When you travel alone or with someone unfamiliar with your culture, you can spend time reflecting on your personal goals and beliefs without feeling pressured by anyone else’s opinion or judgment about those goals or beliefs. This can help you see what direction you want your life to go in and how you want to achieve success in life.

10. You Will Experience Fun

Traveling brings fun because it involves meeting new people, exploring new places, tasting new cuisines, etc., which makes life exciting and enjoyable for everyone involved in traveling.

Wrapping Up

Travelling can be a great way to discover the world around you, but it also has its dangers. Tourists are often easy targets for crime and other hazards, so travel safety is always essential. If you travel internationally, you should get insurance to make sure that medical and other costs are covered. Never take risks when traveling, follow the local laws, don’t drink heavily or use drugs, and be aware of your surroundings.

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South Whidbey Island meeting itinerary https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/south-whidbey-island-meeting-itinerary/ Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:10:33 +0000 https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/?p=98 Imagine you and your group beginning your morning gliding peacefully across beautiful Puget Sound aboard one of Washington state's most popular ferries.

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Imagine you and your group beginning your morning gliding peacefully across beautiful Puget Sound aboard one of Washington state’s most popular ferries.

Unlike other itineraries, Whidbey Island departs from nearby Mukilteo every thirty minutes, and the trip itself takes only about fifteen minutes, so you get all the delights without the inconvenience.

Once you get off the side of the island, it only takes ten minutes to reach the quaint historic town of Langley, the “village by the sea” on Whidbey Island.

If you’re looking for beautiful accommodations under one roof with desirable meeting rooms, Langley has you covered! Travel & Leisure magazine named the Inn at Langley one of the top 500 hotels in the world. It is located right on Main Street in the city. Their boutique meeting room comfortably accommodates twenty people, and it has stunning views of the Saratoga Strait. The Saratoga Inn is another desirable downtown option, with views of the water and the Cascade Mountains, accompanied by freshly baked lunches for your group.

Once the work is done, you’ll have plenty of games to choose from! Why not start at the farm for lunch at Stray Radishes? They can come to you with a delicious meal of fresh local produce, or you can visit them in their great event space just ten minutes from downtown. If you have a big meeting, this place can accommodate 90-150 people depending on the season and includes a speakeasy-style gastropub located in a restored airplane hangar! A very creative and inspiring space offering gourmet food that will make your company happy.

The only dilemma you’ll face is how to spend your day, since so many great options are within walking distance of your accommodation. It could be a group activity, like rafting the Sound with kayaking on Whidbey Island or blowing your own glass at the Firehouse Glass Gallery. Maybe you’d like to get away for a while and shop at Langley’s many boutiques and galleries or have an adult beverage at a local tasting room or brewery.

One thing is for sure, this small seaside town is full of opportunities to entertain everyone. You may find yourself planning your next trip before you even leave!

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Camano Island has it all https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/camano-island-has-it-all/ Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:06:39 +0000 https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/?p=95 Camano Island makes up the other wall of the corridor that is Saratoga Strait. For years a hidden gem and quiet resting place for artists

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Camano Island makes up the other wall of the corridor that is Saratoga Strait. For years a hidden gem and quiet resting place for artists, this island has been experiencing a renaissance, attracting new residents who have discovered how comfortable this piece of paradise really is.

Camano Island – Easy Island!
Camano Island is only an hour’s drive from downtown Seattle, but it feels like a whole world, and can be reached by bridge from the neighboring city of Stanwood.

You may be surprised to find that this island has meeting facilities for small groups of up to nearly two hundred people! For an intimate meeting, visit the Camano Island Inn, a nine-room marina along a private beach with three meeting rooms and a farm-to-table bistro.

You can also visit the spa, on-site gardens and trails, or rooms that have balconies overlooking the waterfront and hot tubs.

For a larger group, visit Four Springs House, Camano Center or Cama Beach State Park. Four Springs is located on a fifty-acre nature preserve, with trails available for walks and retreats during breaks.

The Four Springs House, with three indoor meeting spaces and one outdoor space, can accommodate meetings and events from 10 to 160 people.

The Camano Center is a state-of-the-art meeting space with a large room and a small conference room. With plenty of parking, an inviting lobby and wide hallways for rustic vendors, it creates a modern meeting atmosphere.

Kama Beach State Park was once a family resort where people could escape the city and enjoy fishing, boating and campfires on the beach. Their cabins have been updated for increased comfort, but still retain the charm of a bygone era, and there are three meeting rooms for groups of 35 to 175 people. The largest room, the Cama Center, is a modern structure built just a few years ago. Each of these meeting rooms offers enviable views of the Saratoga Channel, Whidbey Island, and the Olympic Mountains.

If you’re looking for an exciting team adventure, Camano Island is also home to NW Canopy Tours, which has been voted the best zipline in the Northwest! This hotel, located on the historic Christofferson Farm, is owned and operated by a local family with close ties to Camano over 100 years ago. They offer six ziplines through the gorgeous northwest woods, as well as a Terra Teams course designed to accomplish your goal, whether it’s socializing, problem solving, team building, or just having fun.

Camano is a paradise for artists of all stripes. For twenty years, the island has offered a very popular open studio tour in May, but year-round you’ll find galleries and work spaces open by appointment. There’s also the year-round Matzke Sculpture Park, which showcases the work of well-known and emerging sculptors.

If you only have time for a quick stop, visit Camano Commons at Terry’s Corner, where you’ll find local art, food and gifts before returning to the mainland.

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Meeting facilities and natural beauty North Whidbey https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/meeting-facilities-and-natural-beauty-north-whidbey/ Fri, 29 Apr 2022 11:03:18 +0000 https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/?p=92 If you approach Whidbey Island from the north, you'll have a special treat.

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If you approach Whidbey Island from the north, you’ll have a special treat. Instead of waiting in line for the ferry, you’ll drive across the famous Despatch Pass Bridge, which connects Whidbey to Fidalgo Island and the mainland.

The elegantly arched bridge rises eighteen stories above the turbulent waters that rush across the passage below. When you enter the island, you’ll find yourself in Washington’s most popular state park, where hiking, camping, fishing, boating, climbing, and, of course, the bridge vie for visitor attention.

Ten minutes from this natural oasis, you’ll find Whidbey Island’s largest city, the bustling naval town of Oak Harbor.

Offering the largest hotels on the island and most options for traditional meeting spaces, you’ll have no trouble finding the right place for your group, whether you have ten people or three hundred.

From Oak Harbor to the nearby historic village of Coupeville, options on this side of the island range from the Best Western Hotel with banquet hall and conference center to Camp Casey, a former military camp with many historic buildings, beach access and incredible views of Admiralty Bay and the Olympic Mountains.

Whidbey is steeped in military history, and you can learn about it in many forms. Oak Harbor has the PBY Naval Air Museum, which details how the naval base became a vital part of the country’s efforts during World War II.

Let the experienced PBY volunteers bring history to life for you, or interact with the exhibits yourself by trying out different planes on the museum’s two flight simulators.

For another step back in time, take a twenty-minute scenic drive to Fort Casey, where you can view the artillery battery on the cliffside installed to protect the entrance to Puget Sound, or get closer to history with a tour of the Admiralty. Head Lighthouse.

North and Central Whidbey is the perfect place to escape to nature, as the area abounds with state parks and beautiful beaches with views in every direction. To combine outdoor recreation with a fascinating history lesson, why not visit the unique and beautiful Ebey Wharf? Here you can explore the intersection of today’s island farmers with the history of the area’s first settlers in a massive venture that is part national reserve, part private land. Gentle rolling pastures are surrounded by sweeping views of the beach, creating an effect that’s almost too idyllic to be believed, making this a popular spot among photographers!

If that’s not enough to keep you busy, you’ll also love the retail options in this part of the island. From small Coupeville boutiques to larger Oak Harbour outlets with gourmet restaurants and local cuisine. For some vintage entertainment, why not play a few sets at the Oak Bowl or see a movie at the Blue Fox Drive-In Theater?

Be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to explore this lively island community. You might be surprised at what you’ll find here!

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About Whidbey Island https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/about-whidbey-island/ Fri, 29 Apr 2022 10:54:19 +0000 https://www.centralwhidbeychamber.com/?p=87 Whidbey Island is the largest of the islands that make up County Island, Washington, in the United States.

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Whidbey Island is the largest of the islands that make up County Island, Washington, in the United States. Whidbey is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Seattle and is located between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 corridor in western Washington. The island forms the northern boundary of Puget Sound . Whidbey Island Naval Air Station is located here .

Whidbey Island is about 55 miles long (if measured by roads going from the far north to the far south), or about 37 miles if measured in a straight line from north to south, and 1.5 to 10 miles. wide, with a total area of 168.67 square miles, making it the 40th largest island in the United States . It is considered the fourth longest and fourth largest island in the contiguous United States after Long Island, New York; Padre Island, Texas (the longest barrier island in the world); and Isle Royale, Michigan. In Washington State it is the largest island, followed by Orcas Island .

History
Whidbey Island was inhabited by members of the Lower Skagit , Swinomish , Suquamish , Snohomish and other Indian tribes. The Salishan name of the island was Tscha-Kol-cho. They were peaceful bands who lived by the sea and on land, fished, gathered nuts, berries, and root vegetables, which they stored for the winter.

The first known European observation of Whidbey Island was during the 1790 Spanish expedition of Manuel Kemper and Gonzalo Lopez de Aro on Princesa Real.

Captain George Vancouver fully explored the island in 1792. In May of that year, Royal Navy officers and members of Vancouver’s expedition Joseph Whidbey (captain of HMS Discovery ) and Peter Puget (lieutenant on the ship) began mapping and exploring the island area of what would later be called Puget Sound . After Whidbey rounded the island in June 1792, Vancouver named the island after him. By then Vancouver was claiming British territory.On June 4, 1792, the king’s birthday, near Cape Possession on the southern tip of Whidbey Island, Vancouver officially took possession of the entire coast and interior adjacent to the Straits of Juan de Fuca, including Puget Sound, called New Georgia.

The first known overnight stay of a foreigner was made on May 26, 1840, by a Catholic missionary, Father Francois Norbert Blanchet, while traveling through Puget Sound. He had been invited by Chief Tzlakum. Blanchet stayed on the island for almost a year and led the inhabitants in building a new log church.

In December 1984 there was a violent skirmish on the island between law enforcement and white nationalist and organized crime leader Robert Jay Matthews of The Order. There was a major firefight between Matthews and FBI agents in which Matthews was killed in a house fire. Since then, Matthews’ followers have gathered on the island where he was killed by FBI agents on the anniversary of his death to mark the occasion.

Geography
Whidbey Island is often referred to as the longest island in the continental United States (or another similar statement), but according to the ” Seattle Times,” it cannot be properly counted. Whidbey Island has four lakes that are part of its inland hydrology: Cranberry Lake (inside Deception Pass State Park), Deer Lake, Goss Lake, and Lawn Lake (both near the city of Langley).

Parks and Preserves.
Whidbey Island is home to the Eby-Landing National Historic Preserve , the first National Historic Preserve in the United States, created by the National Park Service to preserve the island’s rural history and culture and protect the area’s rare and sensitive plants.

Washington’s state parks located on the island include Deception Pass State Park (the most visited state park in Washington), Joseph Whidbey State Park , Fort Ebogo State Park , Fort Casey State Park , Possession Point State Park and South Whidbey State Park . There are also several county parks on the island, including:

Saratoga Woods, a 120-acre park on the south end of the island with horseback riding, biking and hiking trails. Among its features are an abandoned airfield and an unstable glacier.
Double Bluff County Park, a 3/4 acre park with beach access, picnic area, and an off-leash dog park.

Earth Sanctuary is a nature preserve, sculpture garden, and retreat center on Whidbey Island. The complex of ponds and wetlands has been designated as a “habitat of local significance” by the Whidbey Audubon Society and the Island County Critical Areas Program.

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