7 Best Sights in Everett, Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys

Housed within two enormous airport hangars, this spectacular gathering of unique vintage aircraft, combat armor, and tanks belongs to local tycoon Paul Allen, who began collecting and restoring rare planes in 1998. The historic aircraft represent all of 20th-century military history, including the two world wars and other international battles. A favorite plane is the P-51D Mustang from World War II. Tours are self-guided; interactive exhibits like the thoughtful multimedia presentation "Why War: The Causes of Conflict" helps visitors understand the complexities of military engagements. In summer, try to time your visit for one of the Free Fly Days, when pilots are on-site to fly some of the craft as part of monthly maintenance.

This impressive contemporary museum and cultural center with a stunning cedar longhouse, intricate wood carvings, hand-crafted canoes, and engaging interactive exhibits reveals the rich history of the several tribes—including Snohomish, Skykomish, and Snoqualmie—that have thrived in the Puget Sound region for centuries. The center adjoins a 50-acre nature preserve with stands of cedar and hemlock trees, salmon-rich streams, preserved estuarial wetlands, and nature trails. Just off Interstate 5 near the town of Marysville, the waterfront Tulalip Reservation has more than 2,500 tribal members and is also home to the 370-room Tulalip Resort Casino and an outlet shopping center, which are just a few miles north of the cultural center.

The vast 98-acre campus where the Boeing Everett line (767, 777, and 787 Dreamliner) is produced holds the world's largest building—so big that it often creates its own weather system inside. At the start of the pandemic, factory tours were halted, and as of this writing, there's no timeframe regarding their return. Visitors can still visit an enormous gallery with cutaways of airplane fuselages, up-close looks at the inner workings of navigation and hydraulic systems, and interactive exhibits on satellites, submarines, and space travel. You can even walk inside a space station module that was launched on an actual space shuttle mission. There's also a café, a kid-oriented family zone, and the Sky Deck atop the building, where you're treated to views of jets taking off and landing at adjacent Paine Field and impressive views of the surrounding mountains and Puget Sound.

This engaging spot for kids is on a pioneer homestead built in the 1800s. Interactive exhibits and crafts are part of the fun; wee ones love the magic school bus as well.

Open in summer only, this 2-mile-long, sand-fringed offshore haven is full of wildlife and outdoor opportunities. Seasonal programs include guided walks, bonfires, and midsummer Jetty Island Days festivities. A ferry provides round-trip transportation.

At this branch of Seattle's Museum of Flight, vintage planes are restored by a volunteer staff that simply loves bringing vintage aircraft back to life. You can wander among the mix of delicate and behemoth planes on a leisurely, self-guided tour at Paine Field.

A key part of downtown Everett's steady renaissance, this striking contemporary nonprofit art center has spacious, high-ceilinged galleries that mount diverse rotating exhibits throughout the year, and a gift shop carries works by nearly 200 regional artists. There's also a state-of-the-art hot shop where visitors can watch glass blowing. The center has a full program of classes in different mediums.