As it reaches toward the Salish Sea from the North Cascades, the Skagit River has deposited a vast triangle of flood plain soil and nutrients to create some of the richest agricultural land in the Northwest. Dotted with farmhouses, heritage barns and more than 80,000 snow geese in the winter, the Skagit Valley is home to the largest commercial flower bulb industry outside of Holland. Beginning in March and continuing through May, the entire valley is one huge carpet of blooms backdropped by dramatic views of 10,775 ft. Mount Baker and the North Cascades.
The La Conner Daffodil Festival in March and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April brings thousands of visitors who come to see and photograph the blooms. Visitors love to drive past acres of produce throughout the rest of the year and tour farms during the Festival of Family Farms in October.
Sedro-Woolley is a logging community that celebrates its heritage each year in the Loggerrodeo. See logging and chainsaw carving contests, parades, a rodeo, bluegrass jubilee and fireworks at this week long Fourth of July celebration. For beautiful views of Mt. Baker and Baker Lake take a side trip up Baker Lake Road.
Mount Vernon features a historic downtown and a river front ideal for exploring on foot. Just to the north, Burlington is home to one of the largest discount shopping malls in the Northwest. Their Berry Dairy Days celebration in June recognizes the importance of agriculture within this rich valley.
Nestled between the Swinomish Channel, the Skagit River Delta and the Salish Sea, picturesque La Conner, with a new boardwalk, is an authentic combination of fishing village and artists’ colony. Excellent accommodations and first-class restaurants with views of the water and Mt. Baker mix with the eclectic group of shops, galleries and museums downtown. Be sure to visit the Museum of Northwest Art, the Skagit County Historical Museum, and the Gaches Mansion which is home to the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum, one of just 12 in the U.S.
Over the past 10 years, many young artists – from painters to chefs – have moved to the quirky, tiny, utopia of Edison. The beautiful scenery in and around Edison, including Chuckanut Drive, makes this a favorite drive for locals and visitors.
Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island, is a bustling port town with a pedestrian-friendly downtown which hosts the Anacortes Arts Festival in August. Washington State ferries connect Anacortes with four of the San Juan Islands – Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, San Juan – and provide service to Sidney, B.C. near Victoria. If you have limited time, take a short and quick ferry ride to Guemes Island. In Anacortes, enjoy lovely parks, beaches, community forestland, great gallery browsing and excellent antique shopping. Oh, and don’t forget to take a drive to incredibly scenic Mt. Erie and the Deception Pass bridge!
Skagit Valley Visitor Services
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