Rained Out? Explore the Great Indoors

BY RICHARD PORTER FOR SEATTLE NORTH COUNTRY

Fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest can truly bring the drizzle. Chill weather is great for the general vibe and atmosphere, makes for a memorable hike, and it’s a great incentive to cuddle up in a cozy coffee shop afterwards.

As we say around here, “the best time to visit is all the time.”

But if you’re not into roughing it in the misty pines, you can always become an explorer of the great indoors.

Here’s how to stay cozy, active, and socially connected during the cooler greyer days of the so-called “off season.”

MUSIC AND ART VENUES

Music and art venues are who we are – essential gathering spaces for Pacific Northwest craftsmanship.

The Lucky Dime and Black Lab Gallery, both on Hewitt Avenue in downtown Everett, offer top tier live music options. Both venues highlight and elevate local musical acts, as well as regional, and national bands on tour. Check out their websites or social media channels to see which upcoming shows are on the books before you visit.

The Cascadia Art Museum in Edmonds is a carefully-curated destination for visual art of the Northwest, 1860-1970. The museum prides itself on its collection of Northwest Arts and Crafts pieces, including screen prints, acrylic paintings, and sculpture. All of the art is housed in a modern facility with a craft distillery and bistro in the same building. Perfect.

The Schack Art Center in downtown Everett is an accessible museum.

It’s free to visit, though their rotating selection of special exhibits will cost you a minimal admission fee.

The state-of-the-art building offers viewers glimpses into a glassblowing hot shop, art exhibits, and a gift shop that sells well-crafted art pieces from local artists.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY INDOOR FUN

This time of year rain can spoil an outing. Time to head indoors with the fam. Check out these spots to entertain the kiddos.

The Imagine Children’s Museum in downtown Everett recently expanded into a whole new building of experiences. Picture three floors of interactive art, science, and play activities designed just for children. Your kids will gawk to see indoor tree houses, a replica of a scale-size whale, aquariums, an art studio, microscopes, conveyor belts, and wind tunnels. And more!

If you need a full morning or afternoon of edutainment, Imagine is the hands-on fun family jam.

Altitude in Marysville is more than a trampoline park. It offers full-on Olympic trampolines, dodgeball, ziplines, and rope courses. Flying Squirrel in South Everett also ups the ante on indoor fun. It’s the world’s largest indoor trampoline park – a neon-colored wonderland of obstacles and challenges sure to please the family. Flying Squirrel also wisely offers a chill-out zone for parents who would like to sit in comfortable chairs while their kids go bananas on the play sets.

INDOOR ATHLETES & TEAM BUILDING

You don’t need to be a rock-climbing expert to enjoy an afternoon of bouldering. You just need some chalk, rental shoes, and a can-do attitude. Vertical World in Lynnwood and Summit Everett both offer indoor climbing gym experiences that will elevate you and your teammates to new heights while working up a sweat.

Then there’s WhirlyBall in Edmonds: imagine a mix between bumper cars, basketball, and lacrosse and you’ll be somewhere in the right ballpark. This team spot is a nonstop retro thrill ride as you zip around an indoor arena, lobbing a ball back and forth, scooping, bumping, and having a great time. Oh yeah, and they have handmade, organic pizza!

SPAS & SELF CARE

There’s never a bad time for self care. In fact, the best thing to do sometimes is slow down and make space to take care of your basic needs.

Banya in downtown Everett is a Russian-style spa. It’s complete with not just saunas and a cool-off pool, but also billiards and a menu that offers everything from beer to borscht to braised trout.

Olympus Spain Lynnwood is a whole-health spa experience designed for women. It offers massage, skin and nail care, saunas, and pools. Walk in and feel the stress of winter blahs simply melt off.

LOCAL SHOPPING

Your best bet for local shopping is in downtown Everett. Up first, visit Petrikor on Grand Avenue. The store founders bill it as a “modern general store” and it offers plants, planters, gardening tools, and all manner of Instagram-worthy sustainable goods. Truly a beautiful store in a refurbished historic building. Another stop in your day should include Artisans PNW (all things local and handmade) and My My Toy Store (vintage/collectible toys and memorabilia} on Hewitt Avenue.

If you’re up for an adventure, travel out into rural communities just east of urban Snohomish County. There you’ll find some of the best boutiques, antique dealers, small­ town dining experiences, and artisan shops lining cute historic downtowns. Visit Olympic Avenue in Arlington or First Street in Snohomish for a full afternoon of dining, shopping, and sipping. You’re sure to find an up cycled treasure or bespoke outfit to complete your fall/winter wardrobe.

Downtown Edmonds is for art lovers, book lovers, beer lovers, stroll-by-the-sea lovers. Art boutiques abound. A cozy evening spent ducking in and out of shops and galleries will bring warmth and light to your wintertime disposition: the perfect pick-me-up. See the coastal communities right! Visit Seattle NorthCountry this spring to dip your toes in the salt water and experience the best of the maritime in the Pacific Northwest.

Looking for more great travel inspiration? Visit our blog at seattlenorthcountry.com to get seasonal, up-to-date ideas for travel in Snohomish County. You can also follow us on social media @seattlenorthcountry for fresh travel and local lifestyle content.