On the Water for a Tulalip Bay Tour

During my stay at Tulalip Resort my group was shuttled over to the Port of Everett where we boarded the Hat Island Ferry for a tour around Tulalip Bay.

When you’re driving down the I-5 toward Seattle, the Port of Everett would be on your left. It looks rather industrial and is home to a US navy station however it is becoming a destination for the community by hosting a farmers market, concert series, kite-boarding, and harbour tours.

The Jetty Island ferry carries beach-goers and kite-boarders across a small channel to the sandy spit where there are dozens of eagles nests resting precariously on top of pilings. The sandy beach is a draw for picnics and sunny afternoon recreation.

The Hat Island passenger ferry operates just a few days out of the week and the rest of the time it can be chartered for tours like ours.

We set out from the Port of Everett, past Hat Island, and into Tulalip Bay. From the water we could see some of the mountains in the Cascade Range (including the snow-capped Mount Baker) peeking up from behind the Tulalip on the shore.

We mimicked the Whidbey Island Ferry crossing as we headed from Whidbey back over to the coast, catching a glimpse of the Mukilteo lighthouse.

Heading south down the I-5 from Vancouver you end up missing quite a bit of the Washington state coastline. I recommend heading down Chuckanut Drive just after Bellingham then making your way to Everett or Mukilteo to see what you can get up to on the water. Disregarding border wait times, you’ll be down there in about 2 hours with plenty of time to explore. If you have your own boat, the Port of Everett has plenty of guest moorage available.