Kick off your vacation just 25 miles north of Seattle in Mukilteo, a cozy waterfront community located on the shores of Puget Sound. Explore the town’s waterfront with restaurants, the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park — great for stretching your legs — and the ferry terminal that you’ll likely end your trip with as well. Next up, plan to spend some quality time visiting the various destinations that comprise the Paine Field Aviation District — history and aviation fans alike will find their bailiwick here! The Paine Field Aviation District is located in both Mukilteo and Everett, so plan to start out at the Mukilteo locations and then travel on to explore those in Everett. Plan a day around visiting all five unique aviation attractions. Explore the only publicly available opportunity to tour a commercial jet assembly plant in North America at the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour. Check out Paul G. Allen’s collection of vintage military aircraft and land vehicles at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum set within an expansive, working hangar. At the Museum of Flight Restoration Center, watch volunteers busily restoring engines, repainting bodies and fixing up other aviation treasures. The Historic Flight Foundation provides visitors an opportunity to get up close and personal to a collection of the most important aircraft produced between 1927 and 1957, the “Golden Age of Aviation,” all restored and airborne again. Add a little adrenaline into the mix with a stop at High Trek Adventures, also part of the Paine Field Aviation District. Take in a hair-raising obstacle course or zip line adventure! Paine Field Airport is now home to a brand spanking new passenger terminal. Alaska and United Airlines deliver travelers to and from multiple locations in California, plus Portland, Oregon; Denver, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Phoenix, Arizona. (When you’re planning your Cascade Loop vacation, be sure to check if you might be able to fly to Paine Field Airport and land pretty darned close to the byway)! Next up, travel north to visit the Cascade Loop’s largest metropolitan area – Everett.
Resting on the tranquil shores of Port Gardner Bay, Everett boasts brilliant westerly views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains, and easterly views of the Cascade Mountains. The Everett waterfront is home to the second-largest marina on the West Coast. Enjoy the scent of salt and sea, the sounds of lapping waves and ferries shuttling to and from Jetty Island in the summer. Wiggle your toes in the sandy beaches and warm shallow waters of Jetty Island while you watch dozens of kiteboarders race across the water. Everett is home to one of the nation’s best children’s museums, the Imagine Children’s Museum, a must-see for the kids!
Continuing your journey, head east toward Highway 2 and the historic town of Snohomish. Snohomish is listed on both the State and National Registries of Historic Places and is known as the “Antique Capital of the Northwest.” This fun little downtown is a bustling shopping treasure trove with hundreds of antique dealers and boutique shops all within a six-block area. The historic district is also surrounded by stately Victorian and Craftsman-style homes built around the turn of the 20th century.
Drive another 10 miles east and you come to the city of Monroe located near the junction of the Skykomish and Snohomish rivers. Monroe provides abundant opportunities for rafting, fishing, and other water sports. It is home to the Evergreen State Fair, an 11-day event in late August through Labor Day, that delivers serious thrills with everything from car races to exciting equestrian shows and carnival rides. The fairgrounds house the Evergreen Speedway and the Western Heritage Center. Don’t miss Monroe’s cute little downtown where locals gather for drinks, dinner and shopping, too. Speaking of shopping, Monroe is a great place to gas up and pick up picnic supplies if you are planning to hike along the next leg of your journey, the Stevens Pass Greenway.
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