The 22 Best Things to Do on Vashon Island

👉 Jump to: Best Things | Food & Drink | Outdoors | Unique Activities

I’m lucky enough to live just 30 minutes from Vashon Island, and even though it’s tiny and rural, I would never describe it as boring. The surprising number of things to do on Vashon Island make it one of my favorite day trips from Seattle.

This guide details exactly what to expect when you visit Vashon. I’ll overview the most popular attractions, where to eat and drink, and the best outdoor attractions. I’ll also share a few hidden gems where you’ll find fewer crowds and unforgettable experiences.

22 Best Things to Do on Vashon Island

Snapdragon Bakery and Cafe

Grab giant pastries and delightful meals at an eclectic cafe.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-1310 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 3 pm Thurs-Mon, Closed Tues & Wed

Snapdragon Bakery is a must when visiting this wonderful Washington town. This island staple is on the south end of Vashon’s downtown strip, and you’ll be greeted by mouthwatering pastries the moment you walk in. Trust me, they taste as good as they look. 

Grab several pastries — the Danishes and cinnamon rolls are always hits. Hungry for something more substantial? Order a delicious vegetarian dish from the seasonal menu. The offerings change regularly but all of the salads, soups, and pizzas I’ve had have been delicious.

Snapdragon’s interior is charming and eclectic. Find a seat among cozy, mismatched chairs, tables, and couches. There’s an equally homey patio out back that’s open during warmer days when you want to enjoy your food among fresh flowers and greenery.

🛥️ How to Get to Vashon: No roads lead to Vashon, so you’ll need to take a ferry to the island. From Seattle, catch the ferry to Vashon at the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle. Catch the Point Defiance Tahlequah Ferry if you’re coming from Tacoma. You can visit by car, bike, or on foot (though having a car to explore Vashon is the most practical option).

Downtown Vashon

Visit the shops, restaurants, and galleries in Vashon’s core.

📍 Google Maps 

Vashon Island’s walkable downtown area has fantastic eateries, art galleries, and shops. Start your exploration at Giraffe, a store that sells hundreds of fair trade goods from around the world. Plant lover? Go to Herban Bloom, a lovely florist and gift shop, for botanical goodies and gorgeous bouquets. 

Visit Raven’s Nest for contemporary Native art and other treasures. Then head to The Ruby Brink for delicious cocktails and PNW fare. 

There are many other locally-owned specialty shops, tasting rooms, and restaurants downtown. The best way to discover them is to get curious and wander!

Camp Colvos Brewing

Drink craft beer and hang out with the locals in an unpretentious brewery.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 408-7309 | Website | Hours: 3 pm – 7 pm Mon-Thu; 12 pm – 8 pm Fri & Sat; 12 pm – 7 pm Sun

Camp Colvos is a family-friendly brewery that’s hard to miss. Just search for the bright orange building in the heart of downtown. This is the kind of brewery that’s easy to love. The staff is friendly, the beers are delicious, and the food is plentiful (don’t pass up on a plate of tater tots!).

The beer selection at Colvos is well-balanced, but the lagers are particularly good. The Mukai, a rice lager, is one of my personal favorites. But go with the Buckhorn if you’re into IPAs.

Grab a beer and some snacks. Then, sit down in the large outdoor seating area and take your time sippin’.

⏱️ Time Your Visit Wisely: Many businesses on the island have short or odd hours, and some close mid-week or during the off-season. Your best bet for getting to experience everything on this list is to visit during summer and on weekends.

Dragon’s Head Cider

Sip cider while lounging in a beautiful, tucked-away orchard.

📍 Google Maps (Tasting Room) | Phone: (206) 724-3723 | Website | Hours: Tasting Room – 12 pm – 8 pm Thurs-Mon, Closed Tues & Wed; Orchard (open May-October) – 12 pm – 5 pm Fri-Sun, Closed Mon-Thurs

Dragon’s Head Cider is one of Vashon’s fantastic cideries. Grab flights at the uptown tasting room year-round. Visit between May and October to enjoy a glass in the orchard.

The tasting room is way more convenient since it’s located right in downtown Vashon. In addition to cider flights, you can order shareable plates and brunch on the weekend.

Still, visiting the orchard is my favorite option. There’s nothing like sipping delicious cider while lying on a picnic blanket surrounded by apple trees bursting with fruit. Make sure to bring your own snacks (I recommend goodies from the island’s farmers market) to enjoy a lazy and leisurely afternoon here.

Point Robinson Park and Lighthouse

Find the troll, admire a beautiful lighthouse, and soak up Mount Rainier views at Vashon’s most popular park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-9602 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 8 pm daily

Point Robinson Park is a must-visit. Its oldest landmark, a gorgeous, well-preserved lighthouse, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The lighthouse has guided ships and other vessels through the dark and fog since 1885. 

Its newest landmark, Oscar the Bird King, is one of five Thomas Dambo trolls in the Greater Seattle area that arrived on the island in 2023. Of all the trolls I’ve visited, I gotta say Oscar’s the coolest.

Visit Point Robinson Park to snag a photo with the troll, explore the shoreline, lounge and play in its grassy areas, and wander the trails. Love whale watching? During the summer, you may get lucky enough to see orcas offshore.

And even if the orcas aren’t around, expect to see an incredible sunrise year-round and the mighty Mount Rainier on clear days.

Food & Drink on Vashon Island

May Kitchen + Bar

Dine on delicious, authentic Thai cuisine.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 408-7196 | Website | Hours: 4 pm – 8:30 pm Wed, Thu, Sun; 4 pm – 9 pm Fri & Sat, Closed Mon & Tue

May Kitchen + Bar is my favorite restaurant on the island. It has an ambiance designed to make you feel like you’ve been transported far beyond Vashon and straight to Thailand. One bite of the food will bring you the rest of the way there.

There are plenty of delicious items on the menu, but order a classic, the pad thai, if you want to see a fun preparation demonstration right at your table. Try perfectly spiced thom yum soup, crispy fried watercress, fresh spring rolls, or creamy curries. The desserts are equally delicious and there’s a full cocktail bar.

I highly recommend making a reservation in advance, especially on weekends when it’s likely to get swarmed with people craving some of the best Thai food in the Seattle area.

The Hardware Store Restaurant

Eat at a hardware store turned island-dining staple.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-1800 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 8 pm Mon-Thu; 11 am – 8:30 Fri; 9 am – 8:30 pm Sat; 9 am – 8 pm Sun

Enjoy a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere and consistently delicious food at the Hardware Store Restaurant. The large restaurant used to be a hardware store (hence the name), but now it’s a focal point of the Vashon restaurant scene. 

Come for breakfast. You might get a chance to snag some of the delicious housemade donuts if you’re lucky. Show up for lunch or dinner to get show-stealing clam chowder, fish and chips, or gourmet burgers.

Vashon Island Baking Company

Start your day with the best pastries.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-1441 | Website | Hours: 6 am – 6 pm Tuesday-Saturday, 7 am – 5 pm Sunday, Closed Mondays 

You’ll find tasty sweet and savory pastries at Vashon Island Baking Co. The shop is tiny but filled with mouthwatering goodies and a good selection of gluten-free and vegan options. Order fresh-made bear claws, apple fritters, ham and cheese croissants, mochi cake, and tons more.

Grab a coffee and pastry and nibble it on the go. There’s not much seating inside, but you can pause to enjoy your snacks on one of the benches outside the shop or at nearby Ober Park.

Island Queen

Grab a cheap meal in a re-imagined diner.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-7777 | Website | Hours: 11 am – 7 pm Thu-Mon, Closed Tue & Wed

Not in the mood to spend much? Enjoy a cheap lunch at Island Queen, a quick-serve diner with burgers, fries, and ice cream. Eat outside on the patio or inside the colorful restaurant where you can chow down while admiring the model train on the ceiling. 

Grab a milkshake to go for a special treat. And if you’re visiting the island with your pup, order one of its pup-sized ice cream cones and watch them greedily consume it in about 2 seconds (I’m pretty sure it formed a core memory for my dog).

Nashi Orchards

Taste delightful ciders right near Vashon’s downtown.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 734-5551 | Website | Hours: 12 pm – 5 pm Saturday & Sunday, Closed Monday-Friday

Nashi Orchards is an award-winning Vashon Island cidery. Its main focus is on perries made from pears grown on the island and throughout the Washington region.

Nashi only uses the best Asian pears, European pears, and heirloom apple varieties, resulting in ciders that are crisp, light, refreshing, and naturally sweetened. It’s incredibly easy to stop by for a flight and leave with a bottle or two because its tasting room moved from the orchard to downtown Vashon.

Maury Island Winery

Enjoy a private and casual wine tasting at a winemaker’s home.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 595-3643 | Website | Hours: By appointment Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day

Book a tasting with Maury Island Winery if you’re looking for a less formal wine-tasting experience. This one is particularly special because you’ll have an opportunity to speak directly to the winemakers. 

The winery is located on the southern end of the island. Call ahead to schedule your tasting and expect a low-key afternoon where you’ll be treated to wine pours, snacks, and stories about the winery’s history. The winemakers are a husband-wife team who have been making wine from grapes grown in their backyard since the ‘80s.

What to Do Outdoors on Vashon Island

Maury Island Marine Park

Hike, camp, and explore a scenic park on the water.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 296-0100 | Website | Hours: 6 am – 10 pm daily | Entrance: free

Maury Island Marine Park is located on Maury Island, a small island attached to Vashon. Nature lovers will adore the walking trails and scenic views at this 320-acre park.

The park is home to a large concentration of Pacific madrone trees and has plenty of perfectly placed benches and lookouts for visitors to take it all in.

Wander down to the shoreline to see the Cascade Mountains and Mount Rainier on clear days. You can go kayaking or camping at Maury Island Marine Park from May to October. Blue herons, seabirds, and other animals roam the park, so wildlife watchers will have plenty to see.

Shinglemill Creek Preserve

Hike through a lush green valley to an estuary filled with birds.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-2644 | Website

Shinglemill Creek Preserve is one of the best hikes on Vashon. There are a few different trail options, but for a good workout, I recommend the Shinglemill Creek Trail. You’ll begin by wandering through an orchard before descending into a valley teeming with ferns, towering cedars, and other shade-loving plants.

The hike is doable year-round, but the trail becomes muddy during the rainy season. It’s steep in some parts, so make sure you read my Seattle packing list to ensure you bring the right footwear if you’re tackling it during the rain.  

The trails lead to Fern Cove which is home to tons of migratory birds, making this an ideal hike for birders. Just know that dogs are not allowed in Fern Cove, so you’ll need to turn back before reaching this point if hiking with pups.

👉 Read Next: Interested in some off-island hiking? Bookmark my guide to the best hikes near Seattle!

Lisabuela Park

Picnic and play at a small, grassy park.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-9602 | Website | Hours: 7 am – 9 pm Mon-Fri, 8 am – 9 pm Sat, Sun & Holidays

This little resort-turned-beachfront park is tucked away on the west coast of Vashon. Lisabuela Park is a bit of a hidden gem, popular with locals and rarely crowded.

Beach comb or search for clams along the rocky shoreline. Play frisbee, bring your dog, or picnic on the large grassy area or at one of the picnic tables scattered around. The wind can pick up easily here, so it’s a great place to fly a kite or simply sit back and watch the sunset.

🚗 How to Get Around: The easiest way to get around Vashon is by car. You can go on foot and take the bus from the ferry terminal if you plan to spend all your time downtown, but it’ll be harder to reach other spots on this list without some wheels. Need a rental? Use Discover Cars to peruse your options and find the best deals.

KVI Beach

Spend time on a hidden beach.

📍 Google Maps | Hours: 6 am – 10 pm daily

KVI Beach is a public beach tucked away in a residential neighborhood. This hidden gem is owned by a local radio station and equipped with a radio tower standing tall near the shore. 

Parking can be difficult here, especially during warm summer weekends. But if you snag a spot, you’ll be treated to a beach full of sea creatures and marine life. Search for crabs during low tide, look out for seals, and you may even see orcas offshore.

The beach also has volleyball nets and, typical of Seattle-area beaches, lots of driftwood to navigate around or rest on.

Unique Vashon Island Activities

Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie

Warm up with a cup of joe in a historic coffee house.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-9800 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 4 pm Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 2 pm Sunday

Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie is an old-school coffee shop with a rich history. It was the original location of Seattle’s Best Coffee, and the building still retains this old charm and some of the original coffee-roasting equipment. 

Today, it’s both a coffee shop and a specialty store where you can buy organic produce, teas, local gifts, honey, beeswax, and more.

Come here to play board games, chat with friends, read a book, or journal. There’s no Wi-Fi, which makes it a great spot to disconnect.

Burton

Visit the small community on the south end of the island.

📍 Google Maps

You’ll find the small town of Burton south of Vashon’s downtown area. This small, unincorporated community has a few quaint attractions worth checking out.

Visit the general store in the area, Harbor Mercantile (also known as the Burton Store), where you’ll find all kinds of island goods and necessities. 

Stop at Spiceberry Home for home goods or grab a cup of joe from the Burton Coffee stand. Afterward, take a walk and stretch your legs on the trails or get on the water at Jenson Point Park.

Art Galleries

Check out Vashon’s robust art scene.

📍 Google Maps 

Vashon Island is filled with artists of all mediums, meaning it’s really easy to get a taste of the local art scene.

I recommend visiting Swiftwater Gallery, which has a curated collection of creations by various artists. Purchase some of their work to bring home with you. Or, if you get really inspired, sign up for a class to make something of your own. 

The Vashon Island Center for the Arts is another must-see space for art shows, music acts, book talks, and dance performances. It’s probably the best place to get to know the vibrant arts community and support the non-profit organization that hosts it all.

Farmers Market and Farm Stands

Sample fresh produce from Vashon Island farmers.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (253) 693-0262 | Website | Hours (Farmers Market): 10 am – 3 pm Saturdays in May-September

Visit Vashon on a Saturday morning from May through September to enjoy the Vashon Island farmers market (after all, farmers markets are some of the best things to do in the state!). Grab fresh produce, flowers, bread, meats, cheeses, and more at the market.

Can’t make it on a farmers market weekend? Hit up the farms directly! There are tons of farm stands on the island that you can easily find. Plan a visit by looking at the farm stand map. Or simply drive around the island and stop when you see something interesting.

Lavender Hill Farm

Relax and wander on a lavender farm.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (206) 463-2322 | Website | Hours: Farm visits in June and July

Lavender Hill is a gorgeous lavender farm on Vashon that’s open in June and through July when lavender is in full bloom. Harvest your own lavender to dry or to add to bouquets, and enjoy farm-fresh treats and drinks made from the fragrant plant. 

You can even learn how to make lavender wreaths and distill organic lavender essential oil. The farm has 20 different lavender varieties and the gardens are well-kept and beautiful, making it the perfect place to take a stroll and experience a moment of calm.

Strawberry Festival

Attend a sweet, small-town summer festival.

🌐 Website | Hours: Mid-July, Annually

Visit Vashon in mid-July if you want to attend the fun event that is the annual Vashon Strawberry Festival. This weekend-long event is one of the largest in Vashon. It’s been going on since the early 1900s when Vashon was covered in strawberry fields and was a major exporter of the fruit. 

These days, the festival involves a parade, beer gardens, and live music. Expect tons of vendors selling interesting goods and eateries with strawberry-infused snacks and meals. Come if you want to experience a long-running small-town festival event in an adorable place.

Sweet Alyssum Farm

Pick your own flowers or camp at an under-the-radar flower farm.

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (530) 521-3009 | Website | Hours: Camping open May-October; U-Pick Flowers typically open late June-September | Entrance: Campsites begin at ~$32/night; U-Pick begins at $10/10 stems

Sweet Alyssum is my favorite of all the wonderful farms and farm stands on Vashon. You’ll probably adore it as well if you’re a flower lover like me. 

Visit Sweet Alyssum in the spring and summer to grab a pre-made bouquet or create your own in the adjacent U-pick garden. When I went in July, there were rows upon rows of black-eyed Susans, colorful dahlias, and baby’s breath to choose from. Offerings change through the season and it’s a fun way to try your hand at floral design. 

Another thing I love about Sweet Alyssum is that you can camp here! Vashon doesn’t have many traditional hotels, and most lodging it does have is pricey. Camping here is a great way to stay on Vashon if you’re on a budget, while simultaneously supporting a local farm. 

There are only 3 campsites, so there’s no need to worry about overcrowding. The entire area is also easily walkable to downtown Vashon if you’re craving some of the action in the town.

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Now you’re all ready to visit Vashon Island! Though it’s small, this island is worthy of a weekend trip. Want more ideas for places to go? Check out my guide to the best places in Washington State next.