Lynnwood

East of Mukilteo, the strip-mall town of Lynnwood is barely worth a stop—unless you’re in a shopping mood. Enormous Alderwood Mall (3000 184th St. SW, www.alderwoodmall.com, 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Sun.) on the east side of Lynnwood hosts The Bon Marché, Nordstrom, JC Penney, Sears, Lamonts, and many smaller stores; the mall is surrounded by smaller shopping plazas. More cheesy developments, discount megamarts, car dealers, condos, fast-food joints, cheap motels, and strip malls line busy Highway 99.

Edmonds Antiques and Galleries

Edmonds has several large antique and collectibles stores, including the Waterfront Antique Mall (190 Sunset Ave. S, 425/670-0770, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–6 p.m. Sun.) inside an antique Safeway building, which offers a good mix of art deco, mid-century, and Victorian pieces.

Edmonds has a vibrant art scene, with numerous galleries popping up within downtown. One of the best is Gallery North (508 Main St., 425/779-0946, www.gallery-north.com) an artists’ cooperative that has been going strong for over 40 years.

Get a good overview of the local gallery scene each third Thursday of the month during the Edmonds Art Walk, which focuses on a rotating list of participants. For a list of activities and a map, visit the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce website.

Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Backdoor

Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Backdoor (130 4th Ave., 425/771-8303, www.ricksteves.com) is headquarters for this surprisingly large operation directed by the well-known travel author (and star of his own PBS television show). The staff sets up guided tours of Europe, and the center is a great stop for anyone planning a trip to the Continent.

In addition to a large travel library, the center puts on free travel workshops twice a week in the summer, along with free Saturday lectures.

For additional travel tips, drop by The Savvy Traveler (112 5th Ave. S, 425/744-6076 or 877/225-1994, www.savvytraveleredmonds.com, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun.). In addition to a wide choice of guidebooks, it sells all sorts of travel paraphernalia and offers free travel seminars once or twice a month.

© Ericka Chickowski from Moon Washington, 8th edition