Snohomish County, Washington · Puget Sound
Everett
Everett built the world's largest building to make commercial jets. Then it built a marina, a kiteboarding beach, and a music festival scene worth arriving at.
POPULATION
114,000
FOUNDED
1893
FROM SEATTLE
30 miles, ~45 min
COUNTY SEAT
Snohomish County
KNOWN FOR
Boeing factory, Funko HQ
REGION
Puget Sound
Everett sits 30 miles north of Seattle on Possession Sound as the county seat of Snohomish County, home to the Boeing Everett Factory, the largest building in the world by volume. The 777 and 777X assembly line runs inside a facility so enormous that, in its early years, moisture rising off the floor formed small clouds near the ceiling, until Boeing installed an air circulation system to clear the indoor weather. Guided tours run from the Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center nearby, making Everett one of the most accessible places on earth to watch a commercial jet being built.
The city was founded in 1893 and named after Everett Colby, the teenage son of an investor. What followed was a century of industry: logging, papermaking, and eventually aerospace. Today the Boeing footprint still defines the city’s economic identity, but Everett has built something alongside it. Port Gardner Bay and the Everett Marina, one of the largest on the West Coast, give the city a waterfront that earns a long afternoon. Jetty Island, a 15-minute passenger ferry ride from the marina, offers the kind of sandy beach and kiteboarding conditions that feel improbable this far north.
Downtown Everett has the Schack Art Center, an active glassblowing hot shop, and a wall-spanning mural tour. The Everett AquaSox play High A baseball as a Mariners affiliate in summer, and the Silvertips minor league hockey team fills Angel of the Winds Arena from fall through spring. Funko, the collectible pop culture toy brand, runs its flagship headquarters store here, guarded by giant vinyl Pops of Hagrid and Elsa.
Getting Here
From Seattle, drive north on I-5 approximately 30 miles to Everett, about 30 to 45 minutes without traffic. Sound Transit Sounder commuter rail runs from King Street Station in Seattle to Everett Station on weekdays, taking approximately 60 minutes. From Bellevue or the Eastside, take Highway 405 north to Highway 526 west into Everett. From Snohomish County communities, Highway 2 and Highway 9 both connect to the city center. The Paine Field Airport (Everett) handles some commercial service and is 10 minutes from downtown. Parking is available throughout downtown and at the Port of Everett marina.
Things to Do
Aviation
Boeing Future of Flight
The Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center offers guided tours of the Everett Factory, where the 777 and 777X are assembled in the largest building in the world by volume. Interactive exhibits cover aviation history and aerodynamics inside the center, and the Sky Deck provides prime plane-spotting positions. Advance booking is strongly recommended, especially in summer.
History
Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum
A museum with around two dozen aircraft and more than 30 ground vehicles spanning WWI through the Cold War, many kept in flying or operational condition. Knowledgeable docents guide visitors through a collection that includes rare German, Soviet, British, and American machines. Open Thursday through Saturday with free general admission. One of the most impressive military aviation collections open to the public anywhere in the country.
Outdoors
Jetty Island Beach
A two-mile barrier island accessible by 15-minute passenger ferry from the Everett Marina, open Memorial Day through Labor Day. The shallow, south-facing beach has relatively warm water by Puget Sound standards and is considered one of the best kiteboarding locations in the country. Urban Surf Kiteboarding offers lessons and transportation from the marina.
Arts
Schack Art Center
A free-admission arts center in downtown Everett with exhibition galleries featuring rotating local and regional work, classes, workshops, and a gallery store carrying work from over 200 local artists. A glass hot shop with large windows lets visitors watch glassblowing in action, and the center runs open studio sessions for hands-on participants.
Culture
Funko Headquarters and Flagship Store
Funko, the company behind Pop vinyl collectible figures, is headquartered in Everett with a flagship retail store guarded by giant Pop replicas of Harry Potter's Hagrid, Frozen's Elsa, and Luke Skywalker. The store carries the full Pop catalog and Everett-exclusive releases that are only available on-site.
Outdoors
Everett Marina and Port Gardner Bay
One of the largest marinas on the West Coast, Port Gardner Bay's waterfront has waterfront restaurants, Boxcar Park for picnicking and boat-watching, and KayakShare self-service paddleboard and kayak rentals year round. The waterfront is the city's social anchor in summer, with ferry service to Jetty Island departing from the marina.
Parks
Howarth Park and Mukilteo Lighthouse
Howarth Park is a 28-acre urban park south of downtown with beach access, wildlife, and views of Hat Island and both mountain ranges. A 15-minute drive south reaches Mukilteo's Lighthouse Park with a historic 1906 lighthouse, a wheelchair-accessible trail along the water, and the WSF ferry terminal to Whidbey Island.
Recreation
Everett AquaSox Baseball
The Everett AquaSox are the High A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, playing a full summer schedule at Funko Field from June through September. The ballpark experience is deliberately family-friendly and affordable, with the frog mascot Webbly a local institution. A summer evening at AquaSox is one of the most genuinely enjoyable things you can do in Everett.
“In its early days, the Boeing Everett Factory was so vast that clouds formed near the ceiling. Boeing engineered that away. You can still tour the largest building on earth.”
Explore Washington State
Where to Stay
Hotel Indigo Seattle Everett Waterfront
A waterfront hotel near the marina with indoor and outdoor pools, balcony rooms with Puget Sound views, and walking distance to restaurants and entertainment. The best-positioned hotel for visitors focused on the waterfront and Boeing tour experience.
Book on IHGSilver Cloud Hotel Mukilteo
Literally on the water at Mukilteo, 15 minutes south of downtown Everett, with panoramic views of Puget Sound and Whidbey Island from most rooms. Walking distance to Lighthouse Park and the Mukilteo WSF ferry terminal.
Visit websiteBest Western Cascadia Inn
A practical option conveniently located off Interstate 5 with a pool and hot tub. Good value base camp for visitors focused on the Boeing factory tour and Flying Heritage Museum, both of which are nearby.
Book on Best WesternFind a Cabin Near Everett
Find a Cabin Near Everett
Food & Drink
Muse Whiskey and Coffee occupies a historic waterfront building as a daytime coffee shop and nighttime speakeasy-inspired whiskey bar, moving from lattes in the morning to bourbon flights with Dungeness crab crostini by evening.
Fisherman Jack’s on the waterfront serves upscale Asian seafood fusion, including dumplings and coconut curry mussels, with marina and mountain views from the dining room.
Narrative Coffee serves well-sourced coffee in a living-room setting with skylights, exposed rafters, and brick walls. A reliable morning anchor downtown.
El Mariachi Birria Y Tacos earned a Seattle Times mention for some of the best tacos in Washington State, specializing in birria and braised meats. Unpretentious and worth the detour.
Southfork Baking Company has Adirondack chairs overlooking Possession Sound and baked goods worth the walk.
Festivals & Events
May
Fisherman's Village Music Festival
Three days of live music downtown with around 30 bands on three outdoor stages, food vendors, and artists selling original work. One of the most attended outdoor music events in Snohomish County and a genuine local institution.
June
Sorticulture Garden Arts Festival
A three-day festival at Legion Memorial Park celebrating Pacific Northwest garden culture with outdoor sculptures, live music, local plants, gardening clinics, and art vendors. A surprisingly robust event for green-thumb visitors and garden designers.
June
Everett Pride
Three days of events including a Diva Drag Brunch, block parties, and live music celebrating the LGBTQ community in Everett. Draws visitors from across Snohomish County and has grown significantly in recent years.
August
Fresh Paint Festival
A two-day arts event hosted by the Schack Art Center with live glassblowing demonstrations, open studio sessions, pottery, painting, food trucks, and work for sale directly from artists. One of the few events where you can buy art made on-site the same day.
June through September
Everett AquaSox Home Games
The Mariners' High-A affiliate plays a full summer home schedule at Funko Field in downtown Everett. Affordable tickets, family-friendly atmosphere, and the occasional standout prospect on their way to Seattle make it worth an evening.
Day Trips
Mukilteo (10 minutes south): Home to Lighthouse Park and the historic Mukilteo Light Station on the water, with beach access, a wheelchair-accessible coastal trail, and Washington State Ferry service to Whidbey Island. A natural stop on any Everett visit.
Whidbey Island (via the Mukilteo to Clinton ferry, about a 20 minute crossing): Langley and South Whidbey’s strong local dining scene are an easy hour from Everett. Deception Pass State Park sits at the far north end of the island, closer to a 90 minute drive, so it is better saved for its own trip. New for summer 2026, the Harbor Hopper passenger ferry connects the Everett Marina directly to Langley on select Thursdays and Saturdays.
Snohomish (20 minutes east): Known as the antique capital of the Northwest, with a historic downtown and the Centennial Trail. Read the EWS Snohomish antiquing guide.
Monroe (25 minutes east): Gateway to the Cascade foothills with a charming downtown and access to the Skykomish River corridor. Read the EWS Monroe guide.
Planning Your Visit
Everett has something going year round but peaks in summer. Jetty Island runs a 15-minute passenger ferry from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is best visited on a sunny weekday when the beach is uncrowded. The Fisherman’s Village Music Festival fills downtown in May, Sorticulture comes in June, and Fresh Paint in August.
The Boeing Factory tour at Future of Flight requires advance booking, especially in summer and on weekends. The Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum is less crowded and equally impressive. Allow a full day if touring both. A car is useful for reaching outlying parks and Mukilteo, though downtown and the waterfront are walkable.
More Everett on EWS
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Everett, Washington known for?
Everett is known for the Boeing Everett Factory, the largest building in the world by volume, where the 777 and 777X are assembled. It is also the headquarters of Funko, the collectible Pop vinyl toy brand, and home to the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum. The city sits on Possession Sound with a large marina, Jetty Island beach, and a minor league baseball team, the Everett AquaSox, affiliated with the Seattle Mariners.
Is Everett worth visiting?
Yes, especially for aviation enthusiasts, families, and anyone who wants a waterfront day trip north of Seattle. The Boeing factory tour at Future of Flight is one of the most impressive industrial experiences open to the public in the Pacific Northwest. Jetty Island in summer, the Schack Art Center, and a waterfront dinner at Fisherman Jack’s can fill a full day. The city is also a practical base for ferry trips to Whidbey Island via Mukilteo.
How do you get to Everett from Seattle?
The most direct route is I-5 north for about 30 miles, typically 30 to 45 minutes without traffic. Sound Transit Sounder commuter rail connects King Street Station in Seattle to Everett Station on weekdays in approximately 60 minutes. Community Transit also runs express buses from the Seattle area. Paine Field Airport serves some commercial routes if flying from elsewhere.
Can you tour the Boeing factory in Everett?
Yes. The Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center offers guided tours of the Everett Factory, where you can watch the 777 and 777X being assembled on the production floor. Tours book up quickly, especially in summer and on weekends, so advance reservations are strongly recommended. The visitor center has interactive exhibits and a Sky Deck for plane spotting.
What is Jetty Island in Everett?
Jetty Island is a two-mile-long barrier island in Possession Sound, accessible by a 15-minute free passenger ferry from the Everett Marina. The island has a sandy beach with relatively warm and shallow water, no facilities, and is known as one of the best kiteboarding locations in the Pacific Northwest. The ferry runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day on a daily schedule.
When is the best time to visit Everett, Washington?
Late spring through early fall is the best window. The Fisherman’s Village Music Festival in May, Sorticulture in June, and Fresh Paint in August fill the events calendar. Jetty Island runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is the city’s signature summer experience. The Boeing factory tours and Flying Heritage Museum are open year round, making Everett a viable destination in any season.
How many people live in Everett, Washington?
Everett has a population of approximately 114,000 as of 2024, making it the largest city in Snohomish County and one of the larger cities in the greater Seattle metropolitan area. It has been one of the faster-growing cities in Western Washington over the past two decades, driven by Boeing employment and proximity to Seattle.