Snohomish

Snohomish is a small town between Everett and Monroe on highway 2. Just shy of the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, there are two defining features of Snohomish: the Snohomish Valley farmland, and the historic downtown.

Farmland:
South of town, past the Snohomish River, the Snohomish Valley has been a center of agriculture and livestock for many decades. It’s one of the few areas nearby that is flat, which makes it prime area for farmland. Being low-lying, it does flood occasionally, which shuts down highway 2 between Snohomish and Monroe and makes the local farmers lose a lot of sleep about once or twice a year.

From a non-farmer point of view, the valley is known for pumpkin patches and corn mazes in the fall. This is the go-to place for miles around to slap on your rain boots and slosh around a muddy field each October picking out the perfect pumpkin. Stocker Farms, Craven Farm, and Bob’s Corn Maze (which has more than a corn maze) are the best known, though there are a few smaller ones as well. Each year it seems they add more attractions, from a giant sling shot where you can fling tiny pumpkins towards a target, to hot cider, to petting zoos. A couple of them do U-cut Christmas trees as well later in the year.

Historic downtown:
Unlike neighboring Monroe, where the historic downtown has been crowded out by new development, Snohomish has invested significantly in keeping it’s quaint, historic downtown area vibrant. It’s best known for antiques, being a destination town for those who love perusing old furniture and knick knacks.

Food:
There are also a few delicious restaurants downtown. My favorites are:
-Grilla Bites: This is almost a deli, where you order at the counter, but don’t be fooled—the food is the best in town. They do sandwiches, soups, and salads, and have veggie and gluten free options. Plus, they cater to diabetics, and much of their food is organic. Pretty cool to see an affordable, delicious place that is so dedicated to healthy food.
-Snohomish Pie Co: Once you’ve had your healthy lunch, head to Snohomish Pie Co to make up all the calories. The inside is decorated nicely, making it a cozy place to sit and catch up with a friend.
-Pilchuck Drive-In: This is a classic Snohomish local’s fave. Get the BLT for a treat.

North of 2nd street, you’ll find the newer downtown Snohomish. This is where a few big chain stores have set up shop, such as Kohl’s. It’s also where the large High School is, and where the residential part of town begins.

Commuting:
Though I’m sure some people do it, Snohomish is really too far away to commute to Seattle. More people either work nearby, or commute to Everett or Lynwood. In particular, there are quite a few Boeing employees who chose Snohomish as their home.

Since Snohomish is caught between Everett and Monroe on highway 2, traffic in both directions is slow during rush hour. This 2-lane highway is also notorious for car crashes, so stay alert and be careful. They even installed an electronic sign that tracks the number of days since the last serious accident, to remind people of the risk. You can also travel north or south on highway 9, another 2 lane highway, which is slower and has more lights.

Who lives here?
Snohomish is very much a family town, with single-family homes being basically the only option. Most homes come on at least a small piece of land, and some are on a hefty amount of acreage. Like much of western Washington, home values have steadily been on the increase.

I will say that the culture in Snohomish, like much of Washington as you begin to get into the rural areas, is more conservative than you would expect for the state. There are plenty of liberals here as well, but just a heads up if you’re moving from out of state!