Get Cozy in The True PNW

We could be the birthplace of pumpkin spice, with our acres of pumpkin farms, corn mazes, and hot cider stands. Even as fall slides into winter and the brilliant colors give way to frosted hills and snow blanketed mountains, the beauty of this area is the one constant.

There’s something quietly luxurious about waking up in an impeccably kept, century-old home and sipping your morning coffee by a crackling fire. If you close your eyes, you can almost smell fresh scones baking in a kitchen you won’t have to clean. Stay close to big water, vast wilderness, or small town shopping.

Mukilteo

Nestled on the Salish Sea, Surrounded by Mountains

Mukilteo is a quaint waterfront town just 25 miles north of Seattle, with rocky beaches, amazing seafood, and a walk-on or drive-on ferry over to nearby Whidbey Island. If morning fog and water views float your boat, you’ll want to stay at the Hogland House (917 Webster), a historic building with breathtaking views of the Salish Sea and acres of wooded paths for tranquil walks.

Warm up with some hot drinks and breakfast goodies at the quirky Red Cup Café (619 4th St). If you plan to see the historic Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, and you definitely should, be sure to check out the Diamond Knot Brewery & Alehouse (621 Front St) for lunch, where you’ll find locally crafted beer and a unique pub menu featuring steaks served on a 750-degree rock.

Snohomish

Picturesque Farms and Vintage Charm

Travel inland just a few miles and you’ll find yourself in the heart of farmland, where glassy rivers reflect overcast skies as they carve between trees of every color. The historic town of Snohomish is an antique heaven dripping with vintage charm. In Snohomish, just 30 miles from Seattle and 45 from Vancouver, you can put your bags down and your feet up at the Countryman Bed and Breakfast (119 Cedar Ave). The Countryman is a landmark 22-room Queen Anne Victorian home dating back to the 1890’s. Innkeepers Larry and Sandy Countryman are perfect hosts, ready to arrange an adventure for your stay, or simply take you on a historic tour of this sweet town.

If the weather cooperates, you could find yourself taking a hot air balloon flight over the picturesque Snohomish River Valley. For quieter fun, nearby Ferguson Park (1200 Ferguson Park Rd, Snohomish) on Blackman Lake offers surprisingly good birdwatching, especially in the winter and spring. A little farther from town, the Heirman Wildlife Preserve (14913 Connelly Rd, Snohomish) serves as home to nearly 80 species. For those traveling with children, for whom birdwatching may sound a bit tame, The Outback Kangaroo Farm (10020 State Route 530 NE, Arlington) offers educational guided tours of their wildlife park filled with kangaroos, llamas, emus and more.

Or you could simply spend an afternoon ducking out of the rain and into the many antique shops lining First Street downtown. When you need to warm up, be sure to stop into Proper Joe (1101 1st St Ste 2) for some freshly roasted coffee, or splurge on a white chocolate mocha and a cinnamon roll.

Get Cozy

Whether you opt for bundled up fall walks along the Salish Sea, or bird watching just before the winter trees burst into blossom, there are plenty of cozy adventures awaiting you just north of Seattle.