Washington is a great destination for adventurous and curious people. There are beaches, islands, rainforests, and mountain ranges in the west, as well as wineries and desert landscapes in the east.
Seattle
Seattle is a hub of Pacific Northwest culture. The Fremont neighborhood is Seattle grunge headquarters, Ballard is an old fishing district, and the University of Washington has a beautiful campus. Capitol Hill is a top notch gayborhood, and the waterfront just down the hill is home to world famous Pike Place Market.
The San Juans and the Peninsula
The San Juan islands are in between Washington and Vancouver Island (part of Canada). Some islands, like Whidbey, Camano, and Bainbridge are accessible by road, whereas other, like Shaw, San Juan, and Orcas, are accessible only by ferry.
The peninsula is home of the Olympic Mountains and the massive rainforest they create. There are tucked away oceanfront towns, and they are less trafficked than those in Oregon. If you remember the Twilight series, Port Angeles and Forks are on the peninsula, so watch out for vampires and werewolves. For real though, something about the atmosphere out there makes it feel a little bit possible.
Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington, on the other hand, sometimes feels like a totally different state. An unwavering love of Seattle sports teams does a good job of uniting east and west, even when the big Cascade mountains try to keep them apart.
In the east, the Okanagan Valley is home to some tasty wineries that stretch all the way up into British Columbia. There are awesome gorges, lakes, and rivers to explore, and a low population density to help you get away from it all. Spokane and Wenatchee are good home base cities for Eastern Washington.
Summary
I lived in Washington for over 15 years and I’m still not done exploring. The Evergreen State is beautiful, mysterious, and relaxing in so many ways. There is a laid back attitude across the state that is distinctly west coastal.
If you have a trip planned, don’t forget the state is very green because the weather can be very rainy. Pack accordingly, and don’t let a little drizzle get in the way of your adventures.