Vashon, WA, is an island without any bridges. Great news for ferry boat lovers!
Referred to primarily as Vashon Island to Washingtonians, and Vashon to local Vashonians, the "Heart of the Sound" also carries the more formal name of Vashon-Maury Island
Vashon, WA, is an island without any bridges. Great news for ferry boat lovers!
Referred to primarily as Vashon Island to Washingtonians, and Vashon to local Vashonians, the "Heart of the Sound" also carries the more formal name of Vashon-Maury Island. So, basically, get a "Vashon" in there somewhere, and people will know the place you're talking about. In the year 1792, when the region was originally mapped and named by Captain George Vancouver (then explorer with the British Royal Navy) the largest island was named Vashon after James Vashon, a superior and friend of Vancouver's in the Navy.
Western Washington is known for its mild climate and cloudy and rainy weather. However, the natural beauty of the rugged terrain is often overlooked, since visitors like to focus on the city-scape of Seattle or the average rainfall. Vashon is a relatively small community found on Vashon-Maury Island that last totaled just over 10,000 people in 2010.
For those who want their homes to be in a peaceful setting, Vashon is an ideal location. Get ready to hunt for your personal oasis of a one-bedroom apartment for rent in Vashon; while you can find one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom apartments, rental apts are in high demand and quality options are usually leased quickly. When searching for rental homes in the area, be sure to consider the ferry as the only ground transportation option and your accessibility to it.
The islands of Vashon and Maury are split into two neighborhood designations by the census tract: Town Center to the north, and Burton / Maury to the south. Burton is the general area located on the southern half of Vashon Island proper, while Maury refers to the entirety of Maury Island attached by the part-man, part-naturally made isthmus.
Town Center: This area is located on the northern half of Vashon Island proper, with the northern tip contributing the main ferry terminal area. The Washington state ferry system serves three separate routes from this departure point including Vashon-Seattle, Southworth, and Fauntleroy. The municipal airport and the downtown of Vashon are located further inland.
Burton/Maury: Here you'll find the more rural side of the Vashon-Maury islands. A single ferry route is served at the southernmost tip to Point Defiance Park, which allows excellent access for those looking for a two- or one-bedroom apartment for rent in Vashon, but still need access to this end of town. Also, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium are must-sees for anyone living in the region.
If living anywhere in Western Washington, consider the typical weather for nine months of each year: rain. July, August, and the ends and beginnings of June and September are the summer months with the warmest temperatures and least precipitation. Temperatures rarely break into the 90s, but they usually do at some point each year, although in Eastern Washington temperatures over 100 degrees are common during these summer months.
Also, be sure to pack your gear for hiking, camping, biking, climbing, kayaking and just about any other way you recreate, because the Vashon region is in the heart of some of the northwest's premier excursion options.
Another thing to consider before looking into rental apts or rental homes in the Vashon-Maury area is the history and oddities that are apart of what defines the islands. A common landmark that is frequented by tourists and locals alike is a red children's bicycle stuck in a tree. Legend tells how a young boy lost his house and father in a fire, but the local community rallied support and made donations to put the family back on its feet. At the time, the boy had received the bike as a donation, thought it looked like a girls bike with training wheels, and left it out in the woods next to a sapling. Today, the tree is over a yard in diameter, and the bike is engulfed to the wheels nearly 10 feet off the ground. That little bit of local lore, plus a UFO sighting and a story about Men In Black back in the '40s, make Vashon an interesting -- albeit unique -- place to call home.
