Whether visiting Skagit Valley for the first time or the hundredth, it’s easy to forget just how many things there are to see and do! Even those that live here may forget about the hidden gems waiting to be discovered any day of the week. The Skagit Tourism Bureau wants to make sure all who live in or visit Skagit County know about the cool things to do and tasty treats to eat with their free Passport Program.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to get visitors out to explore all of the different experiences and businesses in our valley and hopefully give them opportunities to stay a day or for a few days in our communities and just experience Skagit Valley,” shares Kristen Keltz, CEO of Skagit Tourism Bureau.
Free Passport Program in Skagit County
The Skagit Tourism Bureau, established in 2022, partnered with Bandwango to create their first Passport that year for Skagit County’s Tulip Festival and season, which is one of the peak tourist times. But they are hoping people will come and explore more during other times of the year because Skagit County has so much to offer in addition to tulips.
“While folks know about our fabulous spring tulip festival, we offer amazing activities during all four seasons. Think snowshoeing and Christmas tree farms in the winter, bike rides and tulip fields in the spring, kayaking and farmstands in the summer, and hiking and pumpkin patches in the fall,” Keltz shared in a press release. “Our Valley caters to everyone – from outdoor skiing, hiking, and whale-watching enthusiasts to those who’d rather curl up fireside at a lakefront lodge or experience live community theatre in the town center.”
After the success of the first passport, they added the Skagit Farm to Pint Ale Trail and just this past March added the Skagit Food Trail. “Our hope is to continue adding passports. Whatcom County has several passports that they do up in their area,” shares Keltz. “So I’m hoping to do like an arts and culture passport. Maybe a tea trail and some other ideas for our area.”
While the Tulip Passport is only available during the month of April, when tulips are blooming, the other two are available anytime.
The free passports are easy to download onto your mobile device, making them the perfect tour guide for your next Skagit adventure! Let the Passport show you where to eat lunch, have a romantic date night, find the best place to eat with the kids and more. It’s a must for the hectic tulip season, as you won’t want to miss any of the spectacular blooms that each farm has to offer. With the free Passport Program, you can spend more time enjoying your vacation or day excursion and less time researching.
Each Passport lists participating businesses and organizations with important information that makes it easy for you to plan, choose and then visit these places. For example, the Skagit Food Trail has over 60 restaurants to pick from! The Passport also has things like deals and discounts, so you can make the most of your trip.
Once you choose a destination in Skagit County to visit from the Passport, just check in while you are there to earn points. The points can then be redeemed for prizes that you can pick up at any Chamber of Commerce office. “Each of the passports has different prizes,” shares Keltz. “So the Ale Trail has a really cool pint glass with the Skagit Farm-to-Pint logo etched on it. The Food Trail has a really cute beanie with a Magic Skagit Patch on it. And the Tulip Festival did their own this year.”
For more information, visit the Skagit Tourism Bureau website.
