Washington’s headline act is its natural environment.
This intricate jumble of deep inlets, high mountains, thick forest, and broad river valleys sprinkled with fruit trees is best enjoyed through some form of self-powered human propulsion, be it on foot, on skis, on two wheels, or with a paddle in your hand.
Playing a more than adequate supporting act are the culture-loaded cities. The region is famed for its glass art, farmers markets, brewpubs, indie music venues and viticulture. For an overarching view of the Lower 48’s most northwesterly state, balance your time between urban and rural. Here are the best things to do in Washington state.
1. Be awestruck by the beauty of Olympic National Park
A visit to Olympic National Park is a must for any Washington state bucket list. This vast and diverse park includes some of the most stunning natural landscapes in the Evergreen State. From the snow-capped peaks of Hurricane Ridge to the moss-draped trees of the Hoh Rainforest and the rugged Pacific coastline, Olympic National Park showcases the best of Washington’s wilderness.
There are several waterfalls throughout the park, including Sol Duc Falls at the end of a 1.6-mile round-trip hike through old-growth forest. The cascading falls plunge into a narrow gorge surrounded by lush greenery, making it a favorite spot for photographers. Or try Marymere Falls, which is an easy 1.8-mile hike near Lake Crescent.
Planning tip: Port Angeles is a convenient base for exploring the park and comes with its own attractions and charm. To fully experience the park’s diverse ecosystems, plan to explore for at least a few days.
2. Admire the surreal glass art of Dale Chihuly in Seattle
Eclipsed only by Venice for its innovative glass art, Seattle brings together the magnificent works of Tacoma-born master, Dale Chihuly, in the bright confines of Chihuly Garden and Glass, a beautifully curated museum that lies in the shadow of the iconic Space Needle. One of the largest galleries in the US devoted to one artist, the exhibition rooms present a dazzling kaleidoscope of orbs, sunbursts and delicate crystals and is one of the must-see attractions in Washington.
Planning tip: You can purchase a combination ticket that includes both Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Space Needle, offering savings if you plan to visit both attractions.
3. Hike the summer meadows of Paradise on Mt Rainier
Few have the time or tenacity to make it to the glaciated 14,411ft summit of Mt Rainier (the Lower 48’s fifth highest mountain) but substantially more people manage to travel by vehicle to the profuse flower meadows at the national park hub of Paradise. This vast natural playground in Mount Rainier National Park is anchored by the handsome Paradise Lodge. Built in 1916, the lodge marks the start of several paths, including the five-mile-long Skyline trail, which leads hikers through endless alpine blooms to a 7100ft viewpoint called Panorama Point.
Planning tip: The park is open year-round, but many trails at higher elevations are snow-covered until July. To experience the park’s colorful wildflower blooms, visit in mid-July through August.
Need more hiking inspiration? Here are Washington state’s best walking trails
4. Rent a bike and investigate the “Pig War” on San Juan Island
Largely rural and crisscrossed by a web of winding lanes demarcated by tangled hedgerows, the diminutive San Juan archipelago might have been designed with cycling in mind. Its second largest landfall, San Juan Island, has an unusual history showcased in a national historical park that explores the legacy of one of North America’s most peculiar “conflicts.” The 1859 “Pig War” is the name given to a protracted military standoff between the Americans and the British over the newly established international border where the only casualty was a local pig. You can find out more about how direct conflict was avoided and level heads prevailed at two historically themed “camps” located at opposite ends of the island.
Planning tip: Consider purchasing a walk-on ferry ticket, which allows you to bring your bike along and explore the island without a vehicle.
Excited by the idea of an adventure to San Juan Islands? Check out the first timer’s guide to plan your trip.
5. Visit one of the US’s finest Indigenous archaeological sites in Neah Bay
Of the many Native American tribes in Washington state, the Makah have an especially well-preserved history. This whaling community has inhabited the blustery northwestern tip of Washington for nearly 6,000 years. In 1970, a Pacific storm uncovered the remains of an ancient Makah village on the coast near Ozette, prompting the site to be comprehensively excavated by a group of American archaeologists working alongside tribal members. Rather than relocate the findings, which included whaling weapons, canoes, spears and longhouses, the 55,000+ artifacts have been kept on the Makah reservation where they are now displayed in a superb museum in the Makah village of Neah Bay.
Planning tip: Before visiting this Washington Indigenous site, be sure to obtain a Makah Recreation Pass, which is required for visiting both the museum and nearby sites. The pass is available at various local businesses in Neah Bay and supports the Makah community.
6. Wander off the grid in Stehekin
Refreshingly detached from Washington’s wider highway network by imposing mountains, Stehekin is an isolated community in the North Cascades that’s impossible to reach by road. To get there, visitors must either catch a boat or seaplane across Lake Chelan or hike in through the exhilarating wilderness of North Cascades National Park.
Physical isolation has helped foster Stehekin’s unique character. Home to a historic homestead, an organic garden, and a Seattle-quality wilderness bakery, this is a place to sidle up to nature unhindered by the distractions of the 21st century. Rent a bike, grab an oar, or mount a horse and enjoy the simple pleasures of life before the internet and cell phones.
Planning tip: The quickest and most popular hiking route to Stehekin starts on Hwy 20 and tracks 23 miles south across the spectacular 5392ft Cascade Pass. It’s mostly snow-free from late June to late September. See the national park website for more information.
Looking for more fantastic places to visit in Washington? Here’s our guide to the best
7. Watch nature rejuvenating at Mt St Helens
The hot-headed stratovolcano that blew its top here in May 1980 is a more peaceful place these days with nature slowly overtaking its post-apocalyptic blast zone. For anyone with a passing interest in volcanology, this is an obligatory geology lesson made infinitely more poignant (and fascinating) since the area was designated a National Volcanic Monument in 1982.
The mountain’s 52-mile approach road (Hwy 504) harbors four different information portals headed up by the Silver Lake Visitors Center at mile 5 and the Johnston Ridge Observatory at mile 52. Both offer an educational assortment of movies, scientific panels, and interpretive trails explaining the finer details of what happened on that fateful day. There’s nowhere else like it in America.
8. Feel the full force of the wild west on Ruby Beach
Battered by sporadic storms and lashed by churning Pacific breakers, Ruby Beach on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is a windswept swathe of sand and rocks guarded by eroded sea-stacks and littered with piles of tree-trunk-sized driftwood. Come here for bracing walks amid wild ocean scenery, looking out for bald eagles and colorful starfish. A short forest path descends from Hwy 101 to the beach at the mouth of Cedar Creek.
Planning tip: Arrive early to secure parking, as the small lot can fill up quickly, especially in the summer months.
Wondering when the best time to visit Washington state is? Check out our seasonal guide
9. Embrace spring tulips and daffodils in La Conner
Tiny La Conner (population 986) packs a sizable punch with its classy B&Bs, niche shops and vivid fields of daffodils, tulips and irises that reach their zenith in spring. Sitting pretty on the flat delta of the fertile Skagit River Valley with the snowy tip of Mt Baker winking in the distance, the town, whose small street grid is lined with salt-of-the-earth restaurants like La Conner Brewing Company and a trio of arts-oriented museums like the Museum of Northwestern Art, exudes the air of an upmarket rural retreat. Not surprisingly, it’s gained a reputation as a tranquil weekend getaway for stressed-out Seattleites. For full floral immersion visit the Roozengaarde Display Garden just outside town.
Planning tip: The highlight of La Conner’s cultural calendar is the annual Skagit County Tulip Festival in April, an orgy of garden-hopping and florally themed selfies.
10. Sip New World wine in Walla Walla
Washington currently has 20 geographically defined wine growing regions or AVAs, each with their own subtleties and nuances but, when it comes to overall tourist infrastructure, there’s only one contender: Walla Walla.
Sequestered in the state’s well-irrigated southeastern corner, the town and its environs produce what are widely regarded as being the best “new” vintages in the US. There are more than 100 wineries and enough vineyards and tasting rooms for a few days’ worth of exploration. Propping up the tourist economy are all the necessary ingredients of a vibrant viticulture: a handsome Main St, a warm, dry climate, and a clutch of fine restaurants that pair memorable vinos with well-nurtured local food.
11. Cross-country ski around Winthrop and the Methow Valley
Cross-country skiing is invariably confined to small parks and designated resorts but, in the Methow Valley, around the compact town of Winthrop, you can ski for days, from hut to hut and lodge to lodge, along 120 miles of interconnected trails run by a local nonprofit.
The best starting point is the Sun Mountain Lodge, a self-contained adventure haven with its own trail network perched atop a hill above Winthrop. From here, ski trails link down to the bucolic Methow Valley, where several more rustic-chic lodges can rehabilitate your fatigued legs at the end of an invigorating day on the tracks.
The lightly populated valley is bookended by the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it community of Mazama and charming Wild West-themed Winthrop.
Planning tip: Hwy 20, the main road across the North Cascades to Winthrop, is closed between late November and April due to snow blockage. To reach the valley from Seattle during the ski season, you’ll need to take US 2 over Stevens Pass to Wenatchee before switching to Hwys 97 and 15.
12. Go Bavarian in Leavenworth
Leavenworth, Washington’s meticulous recreation of a cute Bavarian village, sits in a spectacular pocket of the Cascade Mountains that eerily resembles the Alps. The former lumber town’s metamorphosis came about in the 1960s when the re-routing of the cross-continental railway threatened to put it unceremoniously out of business. Swapping tree-chopping for tourism, community authorities promptly reinvented Leavenworth with a picturesque German theme complete with gabled “fachwerk” houses, geranium-stuffed flower boxes and bars plying beer and bratwurst. Tourists pull over in their droves, not just for the kitschy and family-friendly nutcracker museum and lederhosen-wearing restaurant staff, but for the numerous hiking, rock-climbing and backpacking opportunities that await in the adjacent Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
13. Spend a night in Spokane’s historic Davenport hotel
Washington’s second-largest metropolis and capital of the so-called “Inland Empire” doesn’t get the same name recognition as Seattle or Tacoma. Yet urban underdog Spokane is home to one of the grandest hotels in the US, the opulent Davenport, a deluxe Renaissance-Revival five-star that’s been charming presidents and movie stars since 1914.
Even if you don’t plan on staying the night in one of its elegant rooms, it’s worth dropping by this venerable institution to admire the exquisite lobby or nurse a martini beneath the stained-glass ceiling of the in-house Peacock Lounge.
14. Experience the breathtaking landscape of Deception Pass State Park
Washington is more than Olympic, however, as evident by Deception Pass State Park, which is renowned for its dramatic coastal scenery. Spanning both Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands, this park features a mix of rugged cliffs, forested trails and pristine beaches. Its standout feature is the Deception Pass Bridge, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views of swirling waters, evergreen-covered islands and distant mountains.
The park features over 38 miles of hiking trails, including the Lighthouse Point Trail, which rewards hikers with sweeping views of Puget Sound and the surrounding area. For beachgoers, West Beach is a prime spot for sunset views, while Rosario Beach has tide pools and a chance to explore marine life.
Planning tip: Deception Pass makes for great camping. There are more than 300 sites within the park.
15. Dive into Seattle’s vibrant arts scene at the Museum of Pop Culture
Next door to Chihuly Garden and Glass and equally extravagant in design is the super-modern Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop), an obligatory stop in a city that blessed the world with Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix and Heart, among others. Housed in an eye-catching, futuristic building designed by architect Frank Gehry, MoPop celebrates contemporary culture and honors artists, musicians, creatives and even gamers who have shaped our world. In addition to the permanent exhibits, MoPop hosts rotating special exhibitions and events that delve into all aspects of pop culture, from fashion to comic books.
16. Discover Spokane’s World’s Fair legacy
Downtown Riverfront Park is one of Spokane’s premier attractions and the site of the 1974 World’s Fair, which transformed the area into the urban park it is today. One of the highlights of this 100-acre park, situated along the Spokane River, is the SkyRide Gondola, a thrilling experience that takes you over Spokane Falls. Riverfront Park is also home to the hand-carved Looff Carousel, a National Historic Landmark that has offered rides on intricately detailed horses since 1909.
And be sure to lace up your skates for the winding Numerica Skate Ribbon, a roller-skating path in the summer that converts to an ice-skating trail in the winter.
17. Find tranquility on Lopez Island
Often called the “Friendly Isle,” Lopez Island is the third-largest of the San Juan Islands and a serene escape for its peaceful atmosphere. This 30-square-mile island is a great place to unwind. It’s also home to a farmers market, vineyard and spring cycling race. One of the best ways to explore the island is by bike, with its relatively flat terrain and scenic winding roads passing along the waterfront and through picturesque farmland.
Planning tip: Be sure to wave at passing cars – it’s a local tradition!
18. Trace the footsteps of film across Washington
Washington state is the shooting location for numerous iconic films, providing a perfect backdrop for stories on the big screen. In Forks, dive into the world of The Twilight Saga, where the misty ambiance of the Olympic Peninsula sets a fitting stage for vampires and werewolves. Here, fans can explore the treaty line that divides the mythical creatures’ territories and visit landmarks from the series during the annual Stephenie Meyer Day festivities.
Seattle, forever immortalized in “Sleepless in Seattle,” offers fans a chance to wander through its bustling Pike Place Market or take a sentimental journey to Lake Union, where Tom Hanks’ houseboat still draws romantics at heart.
Film buffs can also relive scenes from “10 Things I Hate About You” by visiting Tacoma, where many of the movie’s high school scenes were shot, including the memorable paintball sequence at Gas Works Park.
For those enchanted by the eerie charm of “Twin Peaks,” a trip to North Bend is a must. With its lush forests and the iconic Snoqualmie Falls, fans can immerse themselves in the same moody atmosphere that David Lynch famously captured on film.
Keep planning your trip to Washington state:
Everything you need to know about visiting Washington state
Getting around Washington state
10 free things to do in Washington state
