LANGLEY — Eat your way through Langley. That’s one of the ways to approach Langley’s Bed and Breakfast Tour and Taste.
The Langley Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 14th annual Bed and Breakfast Tour and Taste of South Whidbey Island on Dec. 2. Besides checking out the many charming bed-and-breakfasts all decorated for the holidays, guests can also sample house specialties.
“The tasty treats made by the lodging owners are always a highlight of the tour and the fact that all the recipes are provided in the souvenir cookbook means everyone will be able to recreate them at home for friends and families during the holidays and all year long,” said Nancy Rowan, executive director of the chamber. “It’s a big hit.”
Select lodging members of the Langley Chamber of Commerce will be opening their doors to the public for just one afternoon.
Their special accommodations will be decorated for the holidays and serving some of their favorite recipes. The recipes will be compiled in a souvenir 2007 Tour and Taste cookbook.
Susanne Paulson and husband Bill own the Carriage House, which will be featured on the tour this year. Paulson said the tour is a great way to let locals know that her bed-and-breakfast is here.
“It’s the third year we’re doing it,” she said. “Last year we had a lot of people come through. We’ve been here for 12 years and people usually aren’t really aware.”
The timing of the tour is also good. Many lodging owners still have some openings for the holidays and some South Enders still need accommodations for visitors, Paulson said, so the tour is a great way to check out what the greater Langley area has to offer.
Plus, it’s a lot of fun, she said. An important part of the tour is sampling the house specialties.
“This year, we’ll serve a Carriage House Chili-Bake. Also we’ll have an orange cranberry relish,” Paulson said.
Ruth Den Adel, owner of the Seabreeze Inn, said she participated in the past and the tour has been a welcome kick-off for the holidays.
Den Adel recalled decorating the Seabreeze last year and baking for the event.
“Being a sucker for Christmas, we liked decorating anyway,” Den Adel said.
“It’s a chance to get a jump start on the holidays and get into the spirit.”
The tour has grown over the years, said Sarah Primrose of Primrose Properties. She was part of the very first tour more than a decade ago.
“Every year, it has seen an increase in people,” she said.
Not even bad weather keeps the guests away. She recalled one year when the weather was cold and rainy, yet countless visitors came through.
“It’s tons of fun and tons of work. Basically, it’s like opening up your place to 200 people at the same time,” she said.
The tour is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2. Tickets are $20 per person and include the full listing of host lodgings, a driving map and a souvenir cookbook. Tickets are available now at the Langley Chamber of Commerce office and Langley Visitor Information Center, 208 Anthes St., Flowers by the Bay in Freeland and the Oak Harbor Visitor Information Center in Oak Harbor.
For reservations or additional information, call the Langley Chamber of Commerce at 221-6765. Be warned, though. Tickets are limited and the event usually sells out.
Michaela Marx Wheatley can be reached at 221-5300 or
mmarxwheatley@southwhidbeyrecord.com.
