Have you ever been inside a real working lighthouse? The Mukilteo Lighthouse built in 1906 will be open on Black Friday November 29 & also Saturday the 30th from 1pm-4pm. Find out more about this historic structure and climb up the stairs inside the 38-foot wood tower. You can see the working 4th order Fresnel lens that was built in France in 1852 and installed in the lighthouse in 1917. This light still shines its beacon guiding mariners across the waters and can be seen up to 12 miles away.
Step outside onto the Gallery deck and relish the same view across Possession Sound that lightkeepers witnessed as they serviced the original oil fueled lantern until was electrified in 1927 with a Thomas Edison bulb. Nowadays Washington State Ferries nearby Mukilteo-Clinton boats can be seen cruising across to Whidbey Island, salmon can be seen jumping off the point and if you’re lucky you might even catch a glimpse of a passing Orca pod. On clear days views extend from the Olympic Mountains to the southwest to Mt. Baker to the North.
The centerpiece of Mukilteo’s 14-acre Lighthouse Park, the historic light station has multiple buildings nestled along the waterfront. These include the Lighthouse tower, and two original keeper’s quarters, one of which now houses a gift shop that will also be open Black Friday weekend. Entrance to the lighthouse is free (Donations to the Mukilteo Historical Society that staffs the lighthouse using all volunteers are appreciated but not required.) Aside from this special Black Friday opening the Lighthouse tower and gift shop are typically open Saturdays, Sundays, and some holidays, 1 pm – 4 pm April through September.
If the weather permits, have a picnic lunch in one of the shelters in lighthouse park, walk along the beach logs on the shoreline, or warm up beside several firepits. There is playground equipment for children and a boat launch ramp in the summer.
Entrance to the park and the lighthouse is free and there is plenty of paid parking available in the Lighthouse Park lot. The Mukilteo-Clinton Ferry Terminal and Mukilteo Sounder train station are a short walk from the park.
Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, 609 Front St, Mukilteo, WA 98275
Nearby dining options include Diamond Knot Brewery and Alehouse which is next to the park and has a walk-up window for ice cream, a family friendly restaurant, and an adjacent tavern. Both sides serve pub fare like sandwiches, burgers and pizzas. For non-beer drinking folks they have an excellent homemade root beer. Ivar’s has a walk-up window across from the park with a small indoor dining area or the adjacent Ivar’s Mukilteo Landing is a full-service bar and restaurant with sweeping views of the water that features a wide variety of local Northwest seafood. In nearby old town a little further up the hill there are more dining options including fine dining at John’s Grill and Hook and Cleaver, Pizza and Calzones at Sound Pizza and Pub, or Thai Waterside Cuisine all a short walk/drive from Lighthouse Park.