The unincorporated communities of Silvana, Florence, Warm Beach, Kayak Point and Seven Lakes offer a nice combined destination, whether you’re taking a Sunday drive or you have children who need an outing.
Bordered by Stanwood, Arlington, Marysville and the Tulalip reservation, the area has some great highlights, starting with a breakfast stop just off Pioneer Highway in Silvana.
Willow and Jim Payne opened their rebuilt restaurant, Willow &Jim’s Country Cafe, just 10 days ago and the place has been packed ever since.
The original cafe, which had five owners since it opened in 1951, was a landmark, but the Paynes were done dealing with Stillaguamish River flood water and have now rebuilt above flood level.
The Paynes rustle up delicious breakfasts and lunches Wednesday through Sunday and are open until 7 p.m. on Fridays.
“Can’t talk right now,” said the smiling Willow earlier this week as she loaded her hands and arms with plates of eggs and pancakes headed for customers in the new light-filled dining room.
The cafe’s old mismatched cafe chairs keep the place as charming as ever.
On the same side of the highway is the venerable Viking Hall, home base for the Silvana Community Fair, a 4-H extravaganza held the last Saturday of July.
Silvana also includes several small stores, including the mercantile, a fancy hair salon and the medical cannabis store in the old gas station.
The top shop, however, is Silvana Meats, a mecca for meat lovers who travel from as far away as Japan, California and Seattle to buy fresh hamburger, steaks, ribs, roasts and custom cuts, along with a variety of cured meats, such as bacon, ham and landjaeger.
Teresa Faulkner, daughter of the company’s owner, said the shop is open 7 or 8 a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. most days except Sundays, “but if the lights are on earlier in the morning, you can try knocking on the door.”
On the north side of Silvana is Peace Lutheran Church’s former home, the “Little White Church on the Hill.” You need permission to tour the grounds, but it’s a beautiful sight from the road, too. For more information, call 360-652-8739.
Now drive west from Silvana through the farmland on Norman Road to Marine Drive.
Cross Marine onto Boe Road. Drive west to the end of the road and you will find the Nature Conservancy’s preserve along Port Susan Bay. Port Susan has some of the best estuarine habitat in the region and is a great place to watch migratory shore birds.
You have to make a reservation to get onto the property, however. The best way to do this is to email or call Pat Hampton at phampton@tnc.org or 360-419-3140 Mondays through Thursdays at least a week in advance of your trip.
Before heading south on Marine Drive, take a tiny detour to pick up a coffee at S&T Espresso stand in the small neighborhood of Florence.
There, Teresa and Scott Miller live in a 116-year-old house, built up off the valley floor. She operates her coffee stand on weekdays right along Florence Road.
In December, Teresa moves her coffee cart up the hill to the Warm Beach Conference Center during the Lights of Christmas. The display is one of the best in the state.
This year, this enchanting lights are scheduled to glow Dec. 3-6, 10-13, 17-23 and 26-29.
Farther south on Marine Drive is Kayak Point Regional County Park. Stay in a yurt, launch your boat, picnic on the beach, put your kayak into the still waters of Port Susan. With its views north to Fidalgo Island and across to Camano Island, Kayak Point is one of Snohomish County’s best parks.
Now drive east on Kayak Point Road, which turns into 140th Street NW. Turn north onto 46th Avenue to Lake Goodwin. Head up the east side of the lake to Wenberg County Park.
On hot summer days this park is crazy with kids swimming in the lake, but on spring weekdays you can have the place nearly to yourself.
The park is very near Camp Killoqua, a great summer camp for kids.
Head back to I-5 at Smokey Point on Lakewood Road.
You can pick up a good burger and milkshake at Country Burger near Lake Ki, take in the view of the Cascades at Lakewood High School and stop by the Sassafras Antiques and Salvage store, where on May 2 the owners plan an outdoor vintage market. Check out the store’s Seahawks 12th Man gear corner.
Other roads in the area good for Sunday driving include Happy Hollow and Happy Valley, which are accessible from Ole Larson Road, which heads southeast out of Silvana.
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @galefiege.
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