Discover Mountlake Terrace

Mountlake Terrace combines a distinctive waterscape with expansive parks, paved trails, and public art. For your travel planning, this means you can focus on the lake and active pursuits, explore natural areas, spend a day at the swimming pool, or get to know the town center on an art walk. Which vacation rental is right for you therefore depends primarily on which of these experiences you want to shape your days.

Lake Ballinger and trails for active days

Lake Ballinger is a 100-acre lake located within the cities of Mountlake Terrace and Edmonds. Ballinger Park, covering 55 acres, is located along its northern and eastern shores. It includes a multipurpose sports complex, a community center, a 42-acre natural park area, and a boat launch. The launch on the eastern shore is one of the few public access points on Lake Ballinger for boating, fishing, and swimming.

A specific option for walking, jogging, or cycling is the Lakeview Trail. This one-mile, paved, non-motorized multipurpose trail connects the regional Interurban Trail at 228th Street SW with the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center and the Freeway Station. At 12 feet wide, it separates pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists on Lakeview Drive from traffic. The Interurban Trail follows the route of the former Interurban Railway, which was used to transport lumber from Everett to Seattle. This makes it possible to combine exercise with a connection to the area's history.

Parks for different daily itineraries

Mountlake Terrace's park system encompasses more than 269 acres of recreational facilities. Terrace Creek Park is a versatile destination within it: The 60-acre park offers paved and natural-surface hiking trails, playground equipment, picnic areas, an open lawn, and an 18-hole disc golf course. A one-mile, partially wooded trail runs along Lyon Creek. Those traveling with a dog will also find the approximately three-quarter-acre, fully fenced off-leash dog park in the park's woods.

The volunteer-built trail in Matt Hirvela/Bicentennial Park loops around the entire park. It also features a pavilion, a lending library, paved walking paths, playground equipment, a memorial, picnic areas, and natural areas. For weather-independent activities, the Recreation Pavilion offers a 25-yard indoor pool with a leisure pool featuring zero-depth entry, water features, and a lazy river with a current.

Public art and local memorial sites

Cultural discoveries are also part of the Mountlake Terrace experience. Arts of the Terrace features paintings, prints, drawings, miniatures, photography, three-dimensional works, and crafts. The MLT Art Map supports a two-mile walking tour or a two-mile driving tour through the town center, where almost all public art installations can be seen. Mountlake Terrace has publicly accessible public art; the Arts Advisory Commission selects and maintains the inventory and documentation of this municipal art.

Another historical point of interest is Veterans Memorial Park. In 1969, a flagpole and a memorial plaque were installed in the park's active area as a memorial to all veterans of the U.S. armed forces. This site adds an explicitly commemorative cultural aspect to the natural and artistic experiences.

Choose the right base

When looking for a vacation rental in Mountlake Terrace, first decide whether Lake Ballinger, longer trails, park amenities, the Recreation Pavilion, or public art should account for the largest share of your trip. The Lakeview Trail may be particularly useful in your planning if you want to take the Transit Center or Freeway Station into account. For a vacation with varied interests, a flexible daily rhythm is a good option: an outing to the waterfront amenities, a walk along Lyon Creek, time in the park, or an art tour through the town center.

For more travel ideas, you can also explore Edmonds, Everett, Lynnwood, Lake Stevens, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Marysville, and Monroe.

To the overarching travel overview: Snohomish.