Take the Boeing tour and explore Mukilteo/ Meanderings by Mindy Stern
Published 10:30 am Friday, July 10, 2026
Steven Spielberg’s film, “Empire of the Sun,” stars a young boy living in Shanghai at the outset of WWII. His love of airplanes leads him to recognize and identify American and Japanese flyers just by their sounds and silhouettes. The movie was based on a book by JG Ballard, who lived in occupied Shanghai as a child and grew up to join the British Royal Air Force.
On a sunny June morning, I sat on the Sky Deck of the Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center in Mukilteo, WA, recalling the scene where that boy scans the sky on a rooftop as American fighter planes begin attacking his captors. The deck, which is available to ticketholders for general admission or the Boeing Everett Factory Tour, is a magnet for “plane spotters” who come with long camera lenses to identify and photograph aircraft for sport, especially when there are test flights.
My day began with a 10:30 tour of Boeing’s Everett factory, where 767, 777 and 777X planes are produced. First, all possessions, including cellphones and even small notebooks, must be stored in the lobby’s free lockers before entering the auditorium for a promotional movie. Then, groups are divided into those who can and those who cannot walk up and down stairs. Next, everyone is taken by bus to the facility where the magic happens — building Boeing’s planes. The enormous structure is the largest building in the world by volume — housing the front, middle and aft parts of planes for passengers (the ones with windows) and cargo. From a viewing platform high above the shop floor, we saw planes in various stages of assembly.
Imagine a big pile of Lego pieces. Now, try to fathom 3 million different parts — that’s what it takes to build an airplane. And Boeing planes, when well-maintained, last for decades. A staggering nine and half billion people flew somewhere in 2025, half of them on Boeing aircraft. Flying is actually safer than driving to the airport!
Greg Coe is one of Boeing’s experienced tour guides, with more than a decade of experience. Well versed on every aspect of the Everett factory and Boeing’s history, he has an extensive background in public radio. I spoke with Coe and another guide, Byron King, who formerly taught English and French. These multi-talented men make their tours come alive for visitors from all around the world. I learned that New Zealand was Boeing’s first customer in 1916, back when William Boeing had a partner named George Westervelt and they operated as B&W Seaplane. One year later, the company was renamed the Boeing Airplane Company and today, it has 1,500 customers in 150 countries.
Inside the plant, looking down at the 777X from the viewing platform, we got a bird’s eye view of the innovative “raked” wing tip that looks like a mom saying, “talk to the hand.” It greatly increases fuel efficiency, but at 235 feet, is too wide for standard airport gates. Solution? Fold the outer 12 feet of the wing when on the ground. How long does that take? Only 20 seconds. “I wish people knew how much work goes into a device we take for granted,” Coe said. King added, “A small town of people are involved in the production. The first aeronautical engineer was Chinese-born Wong Tsoo, and that diversity of people and skills continues through today.”
One unexpected connection to Boeing was revealed by Coe and King — University of Washington’s famous “Boys in the Boat” owed much of their success to George Pockock, the boatbuilder who formerly worked for Boeing. Pocock applied the skills he learned there to designing lightweight wooden components for the winning racing shell. These tour guides are full of interesting Boeing trivia — connections to Bill Nye the science guy, NASA and George Lucas. You’ll just have to go on the tour yourself to learn it all.
After a most satisfying visit, we were hungry. Only 2.4 miles away, lunch at the Little Prague Bakery and Café in Mukilteo was a genuine treat. From their outdoor patio, and inside the lovely café, you can watch the ferry to Whidbey Island glide past. With goulash, crepes, pastries and a killer view, this place is a little gem.
Our last stop was the 1905 Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. Another Boeing guide, Christopher Summitt, recommended this. I met him in the Future of Flight lobby, dressed in period costume as a lighthouse keeper, with mutton chop facial hair.
For a multi-faceted day trip, take a morning tour at Boeing, have lunch in Mukilteo, experience history at the lighthouse park, and enjoy the pretty beach. This combo offers a true Pacific Northwest experience.
Meanderings is an award-winning travel column by Mercer Island resident, Mindy Stern. For more essays, or to comment, visit her website www.mindysternauthor.com
