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Major city · United States

ArlingtonArlington, Washington

Give Arlington one night as an I-5 stop between Seattle and Vancouver, or skip it: the Oso memorial and the casino are the only reasons to pause.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Arlington is a small Snohomish County town on the Stillaguamish River, 50 km north of Seattle on I-5. It is not a destination in itself: travellers stop for a bed on the Seattle–Vancouver run, for the Angel of the Winds casino, or to reach the Oso Landslide Memorial on SR 530. Two nights is the maximum anyone needs.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Nov–Mar (wet, grey, short days)
Airports
SEA · PAE
Nights
1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Arlington911 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Arlington, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, before tax and tip$20–40
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$12–20
  • BeerDraft beer$6–9
  • Budget bedBudget motel or chain room, a night, per roomUS$90
  • Mid-range bedBudget motel or chain room, a night, per roomUS$130
  • High-end bedBudget motel or chain room, a night, per roomUS$190

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$140 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Oso Landslide Memorial on SR 530Angel of the Winds Casino ResortI-5 stop between Seattle and VancouverGateway to Camano Island and the North Cascades foothills
Airports
SEA Seattle–Tacoma International (About 1 h 15 min by car north on I-5; no direct rail link to Arlington.) · PAE Paine Field, Everett (About 30–40 min south by car; limited airlines.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    10°C (50°F)

  3. Mar

    Avoid

    12°C (54°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    19°C (66°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    22°C (72°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    16°C (61°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    10°C (50°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    7°C (45°F)

Best: Jun–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Mar. Month by month →

Warmest Aug (25°C (77°F)), coolest Jan (1°C (34°F) low), wettest Nov (19 rain days), driest Jul (6). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Arlington: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C (46°F)

1°C (34°F)

18 rd

Feb

10°C (50°F)

1°C (34°F)

15 rd

Mar

12°C (54°F)

2°C (36°F)

17 rd

Apr

15°C (59°F)

4°C (39°F)

14 rd

May

19°C (66°F)

7°C (45°F)

12 rd

Jun

21°C (70°F)

9°C (48°F)

10 rd

Jul

24°C (75°F)

11°C (52°F)

6 rd

Aug

25°C (77°F)

11°C (52°F)

6 rd

Sep

22°C (72°F)

9°C (48°F)

9 rd

Oct

16°C (61°F)

6°C (43°F)

15 rd

Nov

10°C (50°F)

3°C (37°F)

19 rd

Dec

7°C (45°F)

1°C (34°F)

19 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: I-5 runs through town (Exits 206–210) and SR 530 heads east to Oso and Darrington. Community Transit routes 201 and 202 link Arlington with Marysville, Everett and Lynnwood, but buses are slow and infrequent for sightseeing. Downtown is walkable once you park.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Oso Landslide Memorial

go

Door to door: About 40 min each way

Drive SR 530 east about 30 km (19 mi) from Arlington

Memorial to the 2014 landslide that killed 43 people; a quiet, sober stop, not a spectacle. Free; check current access.

Camano Island

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive WA-532 west from I-5, no ferry needed

Beaches, state-park trails and slow island roads; a half-day if the weather is dry.

Everett

go

Door to door: 30–45 min by car

I-5 south, or Community Transit bus 201/202

Bigger city with a waterfront, museums and the Boeing factory tour at Paine Field.

Granite Falls and the Mountain Loop Highway

caution

Door to door: About 45 min to Granite Falls

Drive east on SR 92 then the Mountain Loop Highway

Trailheads and old mining country; the loop road is seasonal and rough in places — check conditions.

Darrington

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

SR 530 east, about 60 km (37 mi)

Base for North Cascades foothill hikes; a long haul for a same-day return.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Smokey Point (Exit 206)

The hotel cluster on the I-5 frontage: Best Western Plus and Medallion Inn and Suites sit here. Best for one night with a car.

Downtown Arlington

Small grid on Olympic Avenue with cafés and shops; a handful of independent motels, no big chains.

Angel of the Winds (Exit 210)

Casino resort with its own hotel; the reason to stop if gambling or a show is the plan.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–190 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel room (breakfast included)1 × 1 night × US$180US$180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140US$280
Rental car, one day1 × US$80 · checkUS$80
Fuel, Seattle–Arlington return1 × US$25 · checkUS$25
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$60
Trip total≈ US$328 per person per day, bed includedUS$655

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Diner breakfast$12–20
Casual lunch or burger$15–25
Sit-down dinner, before tax and tip$20–40
Draft beer$6–9
Gallon of gas$4–5 (check)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Arlington is a low-crime small town; the real risks are driving (I-5 traffic, dark rural roads, winter slides on SR 530) and wet-weather hiking. Standard US precautions apply.
  • Almost everything worth seeing outside downtown needs a car; rideshare coverage is thin after dark.
  • SR 530 east of Arlington is a two-lane rural road with logging trucks and winter slide risk: check road conditions before driving to Oso or Darrington.
  • Winter brings rain, early darkness and occasional lowland snow; summer is the only reliably dry season.
  • Casino floors are 21+; keep ID on you.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Arlington Police non-emergency
425-407-3999
Washington State Patrol
360-654-1204

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ArlingtonArlington, Washington

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Arlington Police non-emergency425-407-3999

Embassy

No embassies in Arlington; consulates are in Seattle (many countries) and Vancouver, BC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Community Transit local fare: $2.50 flat, day pass available (check)
  • Drive SEA → Arlington: about 1 h 15 min, 75 km (47 mi) on I-5
  • Drive Arlington → Vancouver, BC: about 2 h 30 min, 200 km (124 mi), border wait extra (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the I-5 on-ramp? — Where is the highway entrance?
  • Do you take card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is the mountain pass open? — Is the pass open?

US tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Arlington. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Mar (wet, grey, short days) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SEA and PAE: last-mile drive times, taxi and rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking cluster for downtown Olympic Avenue with verified opening hours and last orders.
  3. Place pages for the Oso Landslide Memorial and Angel of the Winds with access rules and age limits.
  4. Winter and slide-closure fixtures for SR 530 so the day-trip verdicts can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources