With its range of exciting city activities and vast natural adventures, Washington State accommodates all types of tourism. Only in Washington can your go from a dense tropical rainforest to untouched wide-open pastures that surround Seattle’s hub of cultural and natural landmarks.
Starting your trip in its most populated area will get you acquainted with local culture, check many destinations off your list, and give you insider tourist tips. The Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, lies in the middle of Seattle. Accommodations in any of the sound’s nearby neighborhoods will ensure easy access to the following activities.
City Landmarks:
Space Needle- Built as a futuristic concept for the 1962 world’s fair, this is one of Seattle’s most well-known milestones. The 605-foot structure contains the SkyCity Restaurant rotating at 500 feet and an observation deck at 520 feet offering views of the entire city and beyond.
Pike Place Market- Experience shopping like you never have before with this bustling seafood market, local farmer stands, craft shops, and independent vendors. This historically-maintained 9-acre marketplace can keep you busy exploring resident culture while you shop for hours.
Natural Landmarks:
Columbia River Gorge- Flowing through the Cascade Mountains, this river stretches 90-miles long, but length is not the impressive characteristic. This width, with an average of 3 miles, is what makes this canyon one of the seven wonders of Washington State.
Alki Beach- Relax in a local beach town that offers a 2.5-mile stretch of restaurants and shoreline. Located on the Puget Sound, it offers spectacular views of the distance mountain ranges and a wide variety of water and land sports.
Iconic Parks:
Mount Rainier National Park – Drive to the peak of this 14,410-foot active volcano that contains the most glaciers found in the continental United States. The mountain creates six major rivers that flow into the lowlands of a dense magical forest providing for perfect wilderness hikes and panoramic views of the snow-capped wonder.
Olympic National Park- The park is known for its diversity for like the state it resides in, the park offers visitors the chance to explore thick temperate rainforests, Pacific beaches, and mountainous forests that awe you with gigantic Douglas firs.
Museums and Educational Centers:
Seattle Art Museum- The main art museum is in the center of downtown that showcases an array of rotating modern art and an ancient permanent collect. About 1.5 miles from the museum is the Olympia Sculpture Garden, a free space filled with native plants on the coastline of Elliot Bay. Currently closed for renovation until 2019, the Asian Art Museum, adjoining libraries, and Garden Center provide lectures, films, and art of eastern origin.
Pacific Science Center- Explore the wonders of science through interactive exhibits that test your knowledge and imagination with an IMAX, planetarium, and over 20 galleries.