Coupeville – In the heart of Ebey’s Reserve
For thousands of years before European settlers arrived, the area around what would become Coupeville was home to several Coast Salish villages of Lower Skagit peoples. The idyllic, sheltered shores of Penn Cove offered a wonderful place to make a home, with people living off the gifts nature provided from land and sea.
The town was settled in the 1850s by farmers and sea captains, who built the historic wharf and grew crops at the prairies on the edge of town.
Centered inside Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, multi-generational family farms still own and operate historic farmlands. Administered by a local Trust Board composed of partners from the National Park Service, Washington State Parks & Recreation, Island County, and the town of Coupeville, Ebey’s Reserve-a first of its kind-provides over 17,000 acres of private farmland, historic buildings, and incredible recreation opportunities.
Coupeville is the second oldest town in the State of Washington and is situated in the heart of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. It is home to the historic Coupeville Wharf, unique shops, restaurants, and lodging. Kayaking on Penn Cove, taking walks along the many woodland trails that surround Coupeville, amazing views of the Olympic Mountains, and the abundance of Eagles, Blue Herons, and other wildlife are just some of what is known as the Coupeville Experience. With a ferry service connecting central Whidbey to the Olympic Peninsula, the region is really a perfect home base from which to explore the entire Puget Sound.
Coupeville Visitor Center
Filmmakers appreciate the beauty of this area, and it frequently appears in TV and movies. Coupeville’s most famous turn on the silver screen was as the whitewashed New England setting for Practical Magic, a cult classic from the 90s about a pair of witchy sisters and starring quite a lineup of Hollywood royalty. Perhaps it’s no surprise that this little hamlet has become quite the Halloween town. Visit in October for a family-friendly Haunting of Coupeville.