“This was the best day, ever!” 

Now, you might expect that from a 6-year-old at Disneyland. But Alexis Shrock felt just as elated as a kid at a carnival after a day in Edmonds. She took a whale watching trip where they ate Blueberry Buckle and saw a gray whale break through the surface of the Salish Sea. She enjoyed a hot cocoa and a pastry at Walnut Street Coffee. Alexis ate chicken tenders while her family enjoyed burgers at Hamburger Harry’s. And the whole crew topped it off with a family ferry ride to Kingston and back. 

What a great day, indeed!

If your family is looking to get outdoors and away from schooling at home, then join us in Edmonds where there are so many ways to take a much-needed break together.

True to form for the PNW, the weather for the Shrock family’s day in Edmonds oscillated between sideways rain and sunshine and rainbows. All of Mother Nature’s drama just added to the awe of the place we live, Alexis’ dad, Scott, says.

“We’re so lucky to live here. You can take a boat out and go from Camano to Whidbey to Edmonds and spend an entire day on the water.” 

It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place than the PNW. The winter-turn-to-spring moments are full of drama in the skies, saturating the earth and new greenery with colors like no other place. The day provided a massive double-rainbow over the Shrock family’s ferry ride. 

Follow their lead and take a ferry ride to Kingston. The Jumbo Class ferry includes an uncovered top deck. The Edmonds-Kingston run is part of the largest ferry system in the United States. The last regularly operated steam ferry on the West Coast of the U.S. made its final run on this route in 1969. The 30-minute ride to Kingston might catch you a glimpse of passing whales or even a submarine plying its way back to Bremerton. Walk-on fares are inexpensive and you only pay one-way — coming back from Kingston is free. 

A whale watching trip with Puget Sound Express is always an amazing experience. The three-generation, family-owned business guarantees you’ll see a whale or the next trip is free. (Yes, they’re following strict protocols to keep everybody safe.) Read more here about what kind of whales you’ll see.

If all this boating has you hankering for a boat of your own, go the easy route and join the Freedom Boat Club and have a boat of your own to take, cleaned and maintained by the club. Or take a fishing charter out of the Port of Edmonds Marina, where a half-dozen charter companies are ready to show you the Northwest in a way that can only be seen by boat. 

Already have a boat? Then float into the Port of Edmonds Marina. The marina includes ample guest moorage for overnight and short-term stays, showers, restroom, fuel, and boat launch. 

And while Edmonds is quickly gaining a reputation for its fine culinary scene, there are plenty of down-to-earth eateries for the kids, from downtown to the International District. Chinese food. Hamburgers. Wood-fired pizza. Tacos and food trucks. Gelato. And donuts. We hope your day in Edmonds with the family is filled with as many surprises and pleasures as the Shrock family’s.