How to find plenty of free fun right in Snohomish County

Do you think you know all the fun spots around Snohomish County?

Let's see.

Have you seen the bronze origami crane statue at Centennial Park in Mukilteo?

Have you teetered across Jordan Bridge, a suspension span at a small riverfront park in Arlington?

Have you seen salmon in the Sultan River at Osprey Park? The fish return every two years.

But, gosh, how is someone supposed to know about all the wonderful free stuff to do around here?

Drop by a Snohomish County Visitor Information Center and talk to a volunteer travel adviser. Grab a sack of free brochures. There is information about hiking, how to ride the bus, camping, Canada, Oregon, Idaho, museums, fishing derbies, birding, outlet shopping and where to bungee jump.

Centers aren't just for folks passing through our area.

Jennifer Bravo, visitor services manager for the Snohomish County Tourism Bureau, said they've had some interesting visitors.

"An international couple came in and asked how to get to the White House," Bravo said. "The volunteer told them to turn right out of the parking lot and then keep going east a few thousand miles to the 'Other Washington.' "

Another time, a couple from New York City came in to the center and asked how to get to the bridge to Alaska and, by the way, could they visit Alaska and be back to this area tonight?

"It took some convincing and map reading until they realized their expectations were a bit beyond reason," Bravo said.

They've been asked where to find an Elvis impersonator, a tropical fish store and a tattoo parlor.

One volunteer talked to folks from Texas and discovered they were from the same small town. The visitors knew her brother, who frequented their restaurant. When the volunteer went home to Texas, everyone got together for a party.

Another volunteer discovered a customer was her long-lost cousin, Bravo said.

They have about 100 volunteers who met more than 15,000 walk-in customers last year. Tourists can also get information at www.snohomish.org -- the site got 290,000 hits in 2008.

Everett volunteer Sally Jo Sebring has plenty to chat about at the desk. She lived in Mongolia for six years.

Before volunteer Bette Van Ausdal retired, she traveled the world with the foreign service.

There is training time for potential volunteers, said Mary Jane Anderson, Everett Tourism & Visitor Services Manager. Volunteers get some dandy quarterly day trips to check out sights. And there is a Christmas party, a luncheon and a picnic.

For more information about giving your time, call 425-348-5802, ext. 13, or e-mail jennifer@snohomish.org.

They say you can volunteer to be a "know-it-all."

But be ready to learn much more about where we live.

Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.