3 Best Sights in Vashon Island, The Puget Sound Islands

Vashon has many parks and protected areas. This park, on the lush Burton Peninsula overlooking Quartermaster Harbor, is home to 64 acres of secluded hiking and horseback-riding trails. The adjacent Jensen Point, a four-acre shoreline park, has picnic tables, a swimming beach, and kayak and paddleboard rentals (May through September).

You can stroll along the beach, which is very picturesque thanks to Point Robinson Lighthouse. The lighthouse is typically open to the public from noon to four on Sunday during the summer; call to arrange a tour or rent out one of the historic beachfront Keepers' Quarters (two multibedroom houses) by the week. If you're lucky, you might even see an orca swim surprisingly close to the shore.

The best representative of the island's diverse arts community presents monthly exhibits and events that span all mediums, including dance, chamber music, and art lectures. The VCA gallery's exhibits rotate monthly, featuring local and Northwest artists.