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Posted: 3/4/2026 11:08:55 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Tokamak][Edited]
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Was hoping to get some tips of things to do.. I am going to Lynwood area for training at the end of March. Can't rent dirt bikes there yet, so plan B. I will be have Sat, Sun, Mon free. I want to go see whales in Puget Sound, according to the interwebs, they are still hanging around the area before they head to Alaska.. Is there a better place to see whales or a recommended boat? Food is easy, except for BBQ and Mexican. I'm hitting up Jack in the Box, I miss it dearly.. Any really good TX style BBQ and Mexican places around? Prefer not to go into Seattle if at all possible. Breweries I like, but a fan of Belgian Tripels more than anything, IPA's not so much. Thinking about a short hike near Ranier.. Any other really cool non touristy locals type things to do? I was born and raised in Cali, so I been to all the touristy things before like PP, Space Needle etc. Thanks in advance! |
| Mt. Rainier is a pretty long drive from Lynnwood. Not sure what the entry process is like these days. If you're just looking for a short hike, there is a ton of stuff in closer proximity. Washington Trails Association is an excellent resource. |
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| Jeff's Texas style bbq in Marysville is usually decent, but a little drive. He uses real Texas Post Oak they get delivered a few times a year. There's other options closer but bbq is always hit or miss around that area. Lots of options for Mexican, if you just want quick taqueria style you're probably near the taqueria el rinconcito there which is always good and open late. |
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Originally Posted By Terrato: Mt. Rainier is a pretty long drive from Lynnwood. Not sure what the entry process is like these days. If you're just looking for a short hike, there is a ton of stuff in closer proximity. Washington Trails Association is an excellent resource. The main park should just be like any other National Park. Pay per car or show an America the Beautiful access pass. Driving up to Paradise is always a neat trip, but it's a decent drive from Lynnwood for sure and make sure to check their website for weather. You're probably supposed to have chains in your vehicle if you plan to make it all the way up to Paradise. https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/winter-travel.htm |
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Originally Posted By Tokamak: Was hoping to get some tips of things to do.. I am going to Lynwood area for training at the end of March. Can't rent dirt bikes there yet, so plan B. I will be have Sat, Sun, Mon free. I want to go see whales in Puget Sound, according to the interwebs, they are still hanging around the area before they head to Alaska.. Is there a better place to see whales or a recommended boat? Food is easy, except for BBQ and Mexican. I'm hitting up Jack in the Box, I miss it dearly.. Any really good TX style BBQ and Mexican places around? Prefer not to go into Seattle if at all possible. Breweries I like, but a fan of Belgian Tripels more than anything, IPA's not so much. Thinking about a short hike near Ranier.. Any other really cool non touristy locals type things to do? I was born and raised in Cali, so I been to all the touristy things before like PP, Space Needle etc. Thanks in advance! Rainier is still going to be pretty snowed in. If you have snowshoes and trekking poles, and have plenty of time, you could probably do a hike/trek, but I don’t know what’s a good trail to recommend. Others have already suggested resources to look at. Regarding “cool local things”, The Museum of Flight, located at Boeing Field, is a great place to visit. It’s a few miles South of downtown Seattle, off of Interstate 5. You can easily bypass downtown Seattle, and avoid having to step over the druggies on the streets. It sounds like you are already aware that downtown Seattle is currently “embarrassing”, similar to the Tenderloin District in San Francisco. Another “cool local thing” in Seattle in my opinion, FWIW, is the Ballard Locks, AKA the Hiram Chittenden Locks, but I usually don’t go there unless I have friends from out of town visiting, and I take them with me. A ferry ride from Mukilteo to Clinton, which is on Whidbey Island, is another option. Mukilteo is fairly close to Lynwood. There’s supposedly a great pizza place near Clinton, but I don’t remember the name. It’s been mentioned on this sub forum before. You can drive up Whidbey Island, and over Deception Pass, and return through Anacortes, through Skagit Valley, and then connect to Interstate 5 and then head south back to Lynwood. Skagit Valley has a lot of tulip fields and daffodil fields. You can search online to see when the tulips/daffodils will be blooming- they are spectacular, and IMO, worth a visit. IIRC, Skagit Valley claims to be the largest producer of tulips and daffodils outside of The Netherlands. Search online for “Skagit Valley Tulip Festival” to see if the flowers are blooming when you are here. It’s definitely another “cool local thing”; I’ve lived here since 1989, and have been several times. Well worth a trip, and the flowers might be in bloom when you are here. I’m pretty sure the flowers will be out when you are here; I saw a lot of daffodils in Bellevue and Seattle today. I don’t know about whale watching boats leaving from Seattle. Another option for whale watching are boats leaving from Anacortes, 1-2 hours North of Lynwood, and going to areas around the San Juan Islands. The San Juan Islands are another “cool local thing”. San Juan Island and Orcas Island are the two largest islands, and are both great, but the ferry ride to there takes a couple of hours IIRC. There are tons of things to do around here. Hope this helps. Have a great trip! ETA: Esstac has a factory store in Stanwood, North of Lynwood. Esstac |
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