Visit
Welcome!
Four miles of public trails are open to the public from dawn until dusk, 365 days a year.
Come for a walk! You are welcome here.
Welcome to the Whidbey Institute, a home for transformational learning since 1972.
Lasting change in the world begins when we renew our connection with ourselves, each other, and the living world.
Experience our Campus
Walk the much-loved land.
If you're staying for a gathering or a program, rest in our unique wood-built cabins and Farmhouse and savor Pacific Northwest Coast–inspired meals that nourish mind, body and spirit.
The Whidbey Institute is at 6449 Old Pietila Road, Clinton, WA 98236 on the south end of Whidbey Island. We are about 75 minutes north of Seattle, including a 15-minute ferry ride from Mukilteo to Clinton.
Scroll down to bottom of page to see Maps.
Interested in a Program?
Read our welcome packet before your arrival for FAQs, a packing list, and arrival instructions.
Bringing Your Retreat Here?
Please note: our lead time for booking programs is often 6-12+ months in advance, especially for recurring sessions.
Staying overnight for a mini Pop-Up personal retreat or a program?
Lodging
Our overnight accommodations for groups onsite include a cabin village in the forest, a historic Farmhouse in our heartland, and Granny’s, a woodland home. Together, these cabins and homes sleep 44, generally one or two per room. Space for campers with tents is available in the summer.
Our Common Spaces - come for a walk and explore
Heartland - The Chartres Labryinth
The Storyhouse Meadow & Storyhouse Stage
The Cretan Labryinth
Public Trails - 4 miles open dawn till dusk
MAPS & Getting Here
Chartres Labyrinth
Our outdoor stone labyrinth is built and maintained by volunteers, and modeled after the famous labyrinth at Chartres, France. It is a popular year-round site for reflection and walking meditation.
Storyhouse Stage
Storyhouse Theater sits in the woods close by Storyhouse. Storyhouse Stage has been host to plays, dances and gatherings of all kinds for years. Whidbey Institute’s youth summer house production collaboration with the Whidbey Island Centre for the Arts takes place here every August.
Storyhouse Meadow
Walking, small gatherings, meandering, sitting, meditating, sacred circles …. Storyhouse Meadow is always welcoming.
Cretan Labyrinth
The Whidbey Institute’s Cretan Labyrinth is a stone-defined earthern walking path on the east side of our 106 forested acres. It is located adjacent to a dirt and gravel access road enroute to Storyhouse Stage, Storyhouse Meadow and Storyhouse. It can also be reached via trails connecting to other Whidbey Institute meeting and lodging spaces. The Cretan Labyrinth, replicating an ancient labyrinth on the isle of Crete, was co-created through a beautiful community effort. Labyrinth-building was initiated by the Center for Knowing Home (a program of the Whidbey Institute), and strongly supported by the Whidbey Institute staff, the children and families of the Whidbey Island Waldorf School, and many community friends and neighbors.
The Heartland
Home to our Registered Programs
The Heartland is the main campus of Whidbey Institute and home to our registered programs. The Heartland houses Thomas Berry Hall, the Sanctuary, the Commons, Chartres Labyrinth, Cabin Village, the Farmhouse as well as AppleTree and WestGarden, our kitchen, culinary/herb garden, staff cabin, staff offices, Executive Director’s office and more.
More about AppleTree Garden
This flower garden was planted in a celtic knot pattern over 40 years ago and is tended by volunteer Mara Grey. It provides fruit, botanical flower extracts, pollinator habitat, and space for quiet conversation.
More about WestGarden
Plans are now underway to grow and provide vegetables to the WI Kitchen, and further into the wider community, as well as to serve as a year-round learning environment for students, program participants, volunteers, and visitors.
Public Trails
Our four miles of public trails are open to the public from dawn ’til dusk every day, all year. This land is protected by a comprehensive conservation easement with the Whidbey Camano Land Trust.
Trail Map
Four miles of public trails are open to the public from dawn until dusk, 365 days a year. We ask that dogs, bicycles, and horses be left home, please! ADA certified dogs are permitted on the trails.
Getting Here:
Flying Here
● Paine Field in Everett is the closest airport just four miles from the Mukiteo-Clinton ferry. Here’s a link to directions from Paine Field to the Mukilteo Ferry.
● Seattle-Tacoma International (SeaTac) is the largest regional airport.
● Whidbey SeaTac Shuttle & Charter takes guests either one way or round trip from the SeaTac Airport. Make advance reservations and choose the Langley/Clinton drop-off, about 1.5 miles from the Whidbey Institute.
Driving Here
● There are two close ferries: Mukilteo / Clinton and Port Townsend / Coupeville
○ Please carpool whenever possible! This will reduce your per-person ferry costs and minimizes the driving impact on the land.
The SOUNDER commuter rail Line N runs from King St Seattle to Mukilteo/Everett.
● GPS will take you straight to Thomas Berry Hall if you input our address, 6449 Old Pietila Road, Clinton, WA 98236
Parking Here
We have three parking lots: the Upper Lot, the Lower Lot, and the Entance Lot.
The Upper Lot is next to Thomas Berry Hall. It is reserved for loading, unloading, and for ADA parking only.
○ The Lower Lot is just below Thomas Berry Hall, for general parking.
○ The Entrance/Outer Lot is to the right of the entrance to Old Pietila Road, and is for overflow parking when necessary.
“Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.”
– Jane Goodall