Planes, Trains, Automobiles … and Ferries! — Newsletter, August 30 2026
Sunnyside Members Norm & John
There's planes, trains, and automobiles—but let’s not forget Washington State’s other highway system: ferries!
This month’s newsletter is about transportation on the high seas. Well, perhaps “high seas” is a bit of an exaggeration. Let’s call it a ferry ride on the Salish Sea.
Sunnyside couple Norm and John recently started reminiscing about how Washington State Ferries have been part of their lives growing up and living in the Puget Sound region.
Washington State Ferry
Norm grew up in West Seattle, where the Vashon Island ferry was a mainstay of childhood weekend adventures. No parents needed. The neighborhood kids would walk or ride bikes through Lincoln Park, hop on the ferry, stand out on the bow, and see what nature had to offer—the wind, waves, seagulls keeping pace with the boat, and seals and other sea life in the water. Pretty amazing stuff for a kid.
As an elementary school teacher in Everett, John remembers taking students on monthly field trips using public transportation, including Everett Transit and Washington State Ferries. The students learned how to navigate public transportation while discovering that one of the most amazing places to study was right in their own backyard—the Salish Sea.
Clinton Beach
One favorite destination was Clinton Beach on Whidbey Island, an easy walk-on ferry ride from Mukilteo. The beach is right next to the terminal and offers a wonderful place to explore marine life, have a picnic, watch the ferries come and go, and maybe even spot an orca. And if you don’t have time for a ferry ride, Mukilteo has a beautiful beach of its own.
And the best part? The Mukilteo ferry is just about a half-hour drive from Sunnyside. From there, Whidbey Island and the Salish Sea are right at your doorstep.
The Mukilteo Ferry Terminal
For John, a sunny morning and an open day practically beg for a ferry adventure. One favorite loop starts with the Mukilteo ferry to Whidbey Island. Drive north through the island, then take the Coupeville ferry to Port Townsend, with its galleries, shops, restaurants, and plenty of places to stay overnight. Continue to Kingston, hop aboard a third ferry to Edmonds, and you’re nearly back to Sunnyside.
Looking ahead, Norm can’t wait to recreate some of those childhood ferry adventures with a new gang of “kids”—his Sunnyside Village neighbors. Leaving the land behind, feeling the wind and waves, watching for sea life, and simply enjoying the adventure together.
A ferry ride, the Salish Sea, and good neighbors to share it with—it doesn’t get much better than that.