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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Vashon Island
Go for one full day, or one night, from Seattle: the 20-min water taxi and a 15-min walk put you in the town core without a car.
Vashon-Maury is the largest Puget Sound island south of Admiralty Inlet and has no bridge to the mainland, which keeps it rural. Ferries run to West Seattle, Southworth and Tacoma, and a passenger-only water taxi links the north terminal to downtown Seattle. Most trips are a day or one night; a car opens the south end and Maury Island.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Sep; Jul–Aug warmest and driest
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (wet, short days, some seasonal businesses closed)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–110 excl. bed · Mid $110–200 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Restaurant main | $18–32 |
| Draught beer | $7–9 |
| King County Metro fare (2 hours) | $3 |
| Water taxi, downtown Seattle | $4 cash or ticket |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SEA · Seattle-Tacoma International
- Reach the island via West Seattle (Fauntleroy ferry) or downtown Seattle (water taxi); allow 1.5–2 h door to door.
- 2S1 · Vashon Municipal Airport
- Small field for private planes only; no scheduled service.
Typical fares
- Water taxi, Vashon → Pier 50
- $4 cash or ticket, about 20 min
- WSF, Fauntleroy → Vashon, car and driver
- about $28 one way (check)
- Metro bus in King County
- $3 for 2 hours
Get around
Vashon Hwy SW runs north–south; the town core sits at SW Bank Rd. King County Metro routes 118 and 119 serve the ferry terminal, Valley Center P&R, Burton, Tahlequah and Dockton. Bikes are popular but the hills and narrow shoulders are hard work; a car is the easy option for the south end.
See and do
Known for
- Bike in a Tree
- Point Robinson Lighthouse
- Island Center Forest
- Ferry-only access
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | King County Water Taxi from the north terminal to Pier 50, or WSF to Fauntleroy plus RapidRide C | About 45 min–1 h |
| Tacoma | WSF from Tahlequah to Point Defiance, then Pierce Transit 10 or 11 | About 1–1.25 h |
| Bellevue | Water taxi or ferry to Seattle, then bus or Link across the lake | About 1.5–2 h |
| Renton | Ferry to Fauntleroy, then RapidRide C and a transfer south | About 1.5–2 h |
| Federal Way | Ferry to Fauntleroy, then bus south via West Seattle | About 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Vashon town core (SW Bank Rd & Vashon Hwy SW)
- Walkable from the north ferry terminal; restaurants, shops, pharmacy. Best for a car-free night.
- North end near the ferry terminal
- Shortest transfer with bags; limited inventory, book weeks ahead in summer.
- Burton and the south end
- Quieter, near Tahlequah ferry and Maury Island; you need a car or bus 118.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Where is the ferry terminal? |
| One adult, walk-on, please | One adult, walk-on, please |
| How long is the crossing? | How long is the crossing? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there a bus to the south end? | Is there a bus to the south end? |
| What time is the last sailing? | What time is the last sailing? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferries sell out on summer weekends and holidays: arrive 30–60 min early with a car, or walk on.
- The water taxi is passenger-only and runs a limited schedule: check the last sailing before you plan dinner.
- Cell coverage is patchy on the south end and Maury Island.
- Most roads have no sidewalk and no lighting: wear something visible after dark.
- Many restaurants close early and on some weekdays: check hours the same day.
Very low crime; the real risks are dark, shoulderless roads, cold Puget Sound water and missing the last ferry or water taxi of the day.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Vashon Island yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Bike in a Tree
- Point Robinson Lighthouse
- Island Center Forest
- Ferry-only access
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Washington State Ferries: wsdot.wa.gov/travel/washington-state-ferries
- King County Water Taxi — Vashon: kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/water-taxi/vashon.aspx
- King County Metro: kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro
- Vashon Parks — Point Robinson: vashonparks.org/point-robinson
- King County Parks — Island Center Forest: www.kingcounty.gov/services/parks-recreation/parks/trails/backcountry-trails/island-center-forest.aspx
- Wikivoyage: Vashon Island, revision 5244141 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244141
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Vashon Island
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates on the island; national consulates are in Seattle, embassies in Washington, DC.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/vashon-island). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.