15 Best Things to Do in Snohomish County, WA

Prepare for outdoor adventures if you’re eyeing what to do in Snohomish County, Washington.

This county is a favorite of nature lovers, with its superb location in the pristine U.S. Pacific Northwest region.

The 2,196-square-mile expanse of Snohomish County spreads over a diverse landscape of forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, and beaches.

Snohomish County comprises 18 incorporated cities, two towns, and several developed unincorporated communities.

Each place offers varying points of interest that molded the present-day county.

Check the list below of the best things to do in Snohomish County, Washington.

Camp Out at Wallace Falls State Park

Wallace Falls State Park is a campers’ haven worth an extended stay.

Explore and enjoy various outdoor activities at its 4,735-acre expanse.

This camping park, located off Wallace Lake Road in Gold Bar, features two walk-in tent sites available first come, first serve.

These campsites are very private, with campfire rings and picnic tables.

For a fee, campers have two showers to choose from.

Rentable furnished cabins are also available at the Wallace Falls State Park.

These cabins are within walking distance of the Woody Trail, a 4.9-mile out-and-back path to 265-foot Wallace Falls and Wallace Lake.

Likewise, Wallace Falls State Park visitors can access Jay Lake, Shaw Lake, and the Skykomish River.

Located on the west flank of the Cascade Mountains, the park nestles on a blanket of old-growth coniferous forests.

Wildlife sightings are common in the Wallace Falls State Park, where you can fish on lakes and rivers.

Explore the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

An unforgettable wilderness experience is in store for anyone visiting the expansive Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

This national forest extends over 140 miles along the western flanks of the Cascade Range.

It stretches from the US-Canada border to the Mount Rainier National Park.

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest features a recreation area in its Schriebers Meadow.

This mixed-recreation-use area is open to camping, hiking, horse riding, mountain climbing, and snowmobiling.

These outdoor activities will immerse you in an exciting environment of alpine meadows, old-growth forests, and glacial mountain peaks.

Join the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour

Take the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour for a fun learning experience about the aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

This tour will bring you to the Boeing factory on Paine Field Boulevard in Mukilteo.

In the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour, you’ll see gallery displays of over 150 current and future Boeing products.

Besides presenting Boeing’s innovative aircraft initiatives, these interactive displays include hypersonic and space travel, drones, robotics, sustainable fuels, and autonomous aerial systems.

The Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour also features a Kid Zone with hands-on activities like toying with Bernoulli's Principle and sharing the result.

Hike the Snohomish County Centennial Trail

The Snohomish County Centennial Trail stretches 30 miles and allows visitors to explore some of the county’s communities.

This trail is open to hiking, biking, and horse riding.

It is a careless path linking the cities of Snohomish, Lake Stevens, and Arlington.

The Snohomish County Centennial Trail traces the former Seattle, Lake Shore, and Eastern Railway train tracks, extending north to neighboring Skagit County.

The trail features a ten-foot-wide lane for hikers and bikers and a six-foot-wide lane for horse riders.

It is accessible from 12 trailheads: one on Virginia Street and another on South Machias Road in Snohomish.

Benches and picnic tables are set up on trail stretches, providing restrooms on some trailheads.

Float among the Clouds at the Snohomish Balloon Ride

Book a flight on the Snohomish Balloon Ride for a delightful bird's eye view of Snohomish County and beyond.

The balloon flights take off from Harvey Field on Airport Way in Snohomish.

You can go on a private ride or a shared experience with eight to ten other guests in the balloon.

Established in 1984, the Snohomish Balloon Ride has won several awards for the services its colorful, nine-story balloon provides.

Aboard this basket’s balloon, you’ll soar to the sky and marvel at the breathtaking panorama of waterways and the Northwest Mountains.

The sights of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker, the skylines of Seattle and Everett, Puget Sound, and beautiful valley farmlands heighten the Snohomish Balloon Ride experience.

Ride the Waves at the Snohomish Aquatic Center

Surfing indoors is one of the water-based fun activities at the Snohomish Aquatic Center.

The state-of-the-art facilities in this 52,000-square-foot aquatic center on Maple Avenue in Snohomish include a FlowRider.

It combines wakeboarding, snowboarding, and skateboarding into one ride on an indoor surf simulation machine.

You can use either a boogie board or a standup board for Snohomish Aquatic Center’s FlowRider.

The other facilities include a WIbit floating play structure, a lazy river, a spray-play area, a zero-entry area, a waterslide, a hot tub, a competition pool with a dive area, and a recreation pool.

Explore the Meadowdale Beach Park

A visit to Meadowdale Beach Park opens into a beautiful expanse of 108 acres facing Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west.

Designated as a "hike in" only park, it is accessible from 156th Street SW in Edmonds.

A one-mile nature trail in Meadowdale Beach Park will let you experience mearing the murmurs of a stream weaving its way through an old-growth forest.

This stream emptying into Puget Sound is a habitat for freshwater fish and a route for migrating salmon.

A walk around the park and its beach also offer opportunities for observing various bird species.

The facilities in Meadowdale Beach Park include picnic tables, shelters, restrooms, and parking with slots for persons with disabilities.

Enjoy the Beach at Jetty Island

Located only about a quarter mile from the mainland, Jetty Island is a popular destination for beach lovers in Snohomish County.

This beach destination in the city and county seat Everett is artificial.

Built in 1895, it was a freshwater harbor meant to support the mills of the Everett Land Company.

Boat access to the Jetty Island is by canoe or kayak via a boat launch on 10th Street off West Marine View Drive.

The island is two miles long and now serves as a breakwater for the Everett Marina.

The beach of Jetty Island is famous because its waters are shallow and thus relatively warm, especially at low tide.

This island has no electricity or amenities except seasonal floating restrooms offshore.

Take the Family to the Outback Kangaroo Farm

The Outback Kangaroo Farm offers unique wildlife tours for your entire family.

This one-of-a-kind animal farm is off State Route 530 Northeast in Arlington, a city in northern Snohomish County.

The Outback Kangaroo Farm offers 40-minute wildlife tours that are both educational and entertaining.

While this farm mainly raises kangaroos, its tours also feature exotic animals you and your kids can interact with.

Go on a tour at the Outback Kangaroo Farm.

You’ll also have the chance to see wallabies, wallaroos, alpacas, llamas, Nigerian dwarf goats, and mini donkeys.

Other animal species like lemurs, tortoises, peacocks, emus, and parrots will keep you company during the tour.

The experts of the farm will assist you during the tour for a better understanding of their wards.

Visit the Stanwood Area Historical Society

Drop by the Stanwood Area Historical Society to see the Pacific Northwest during the late 1800s.

The society presents these historical vignettes on its featured historic house museum on 102nd Avenue in Stanwood.

This museum is based in the 1890s D. O. Pearson House, the residence of Stanwood’s first mayor.

This three-story Second Empire Victorian house is striking with its mansard roof and cresting.

This historic house shares its grounds with the Niggard Cultural Center and the Eldridge Center which features exhibits and a research library.

Both are also under the supervision of the Stanwood Area Historical Society.

Join a Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Snohomish

Guided walking tours of Historic Downtown Snohomish will familiarize you with this city founded in 1890.

The Historic Downtown Snohomish Association organizes these tours, which take about an hour and cover about a mile in distance.

An expert local guide leads these tours, which start from Cady Park on Maple Avenue.

On the tour, you’ll follow city-maintained sidewalks and climb some 21 steps of minimal inclines.

The guide will relate stories about Snohomish’s past, including the town’s early settlers and vintage local buildings.

Aside from the downtown walk, the Historic Downtown Snohomish Association hosts seasonal wine tours.

The tours’ participants go from shop to shop around downtown not only to taste a variety of Washington wines.

They’ll also enjoy a pleasant stroll on Snohomish’s 150-year-old streets.

Sharpen Your Swing at the Snohomish Valley Golf Center

The Snohomish Valley Golf Center is an excellent destination for golfers to improve their game.

All stalls in its driving range off Marsh Road in the city of Snohomish feature Toptracer Range, allowing you to track your shot's height, distance, and ball speed.

This cutting-edge technology enables you to enter online competitions like nearest to the pin or longest drive contests.

Golf course locations can also be tweaked such that you can play virtually in famed courses like Pebble Beach or St. Andrews.

A resident teaching pro, a mini-golf course, and a full-service restaurant are delightful offerings at Snohomish Valley Golf Center.

Tour the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum

Iconic WWII fighting machines and equipment draw visitors to the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum.

This museum occupies the southeast corner of Paine Field off 109th Street Southwest in Everett.

The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum displays aircraft and other military equipment like tanks and combat armor used in WWII.

The items in this rare private collection underwent painstaking restoration to their working condition.

The museum also features interactive multimedia displays like “Why War: The Causes of Conflict.”

Let the Kids Learn and Play at Imagine Children's Museum

Children and their families have plenty to enjoy while learning at Imagine Children's Museum.

Located on Wall Street in Everett, this museum offers three floors of creative spaces to have fun learning.

Imagine Children's Museum features interactive exhibits and activities encourage kids and their families to role-play, think, and create together.

In this museum, children sing, dance, and play musical instruments as they develop reading skills.

Kids and families joining the Imagine Children’s Museum programs also have the opportunity to apply basic art concepts to a masterpiece of their own.

Visit Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens

The 3.5-acre Evergreen Arboretum & Gardens on Alverson Boulevard spreads next to the green and fairways of the American Legion Memoria golf course.

This fantastic garden is a picturesque sight, with its 11 themed gardens, which include a Horizontal Rock Garden, Northwest Native Plant Trail, and a Japanese Maple Grove.

Moreover, the Evergreen Arboretum & Garden boasts a sculpture collection spread across its lush and verdant landscape.

ADA-compliant trails enable visitors to explore this green sanctuary, where docent-led tours are held regularly.

Events like an August Sculpture Walk and Wintertide Lights in December are also attractions for Evergreen Arboretum and Garden visitors.

Final Thoughts

The range and diversity of the attractions in Snohomish County put it among the leading travel destinations in Washington State.

This county's scenic beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities are sure winners in the travel trade derby.

Explore the best things to do in Snohomish County, Washington!