Washington State
Washington State delights visitors with its diverse geography and culture. Come here to enjoy mountains and coastline and appreciate art and spectator sports.
Visit Seattle for iconic experiences. Ride to the top of the 605-foot- (184-meter-) tall Space Needle to view the city and Puget Sound. At the tower’s base is the Experience Music Project Museum (EMP), with an eclectic collection of music, sci-fi and pop culture memorabilia ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Star Trek. Note the museum’s rounded, colorful architecture, designed by Frank Gehry.
Have coffee at the Original Starbucks at Pike Place Market. Here, find many restaurants and souvenir and produce shopping. Order fresh fish to take home or have shipped. Watch workers at the fish market toss fish to each other, entertaining shoppers. Be sure to walk behind the market to view Puget Sound with Mount Rainier in the distance.
Seattle has varied neighborhoods. Find high-end shopping downtown, seek bargains at consignment stores in Queen Anne and Ballard and enjoy a delicious meal in Chinatown. Near the Asian restaurants is CenturyLink Field, the stadium for the Seattle football team. Join Seahawk fans and become part of the “Twelfth Man,” cheering on the Super Bowl XLVIII champions.
Tacoma’s great golf courses include the site of the 2015 U.S. Open, Chambers Bay Golf Course. Play several rounds of golf or take a ferry to the picturesque San Juan Islands. Nearby, see blown-glass art at the Dale Chihuly Glass Museum.
In the center of Washington are the Cascade Mountains, a volcanic range that includes Mount St. Helens, which erupted in 1980. Farther south is Mount Rainier National Park, 14,410 feet (4,392 meters) tall and covered with snow year-round. Drive to Paradise to view wildflowers against a glacier backdrop. Walk on mountain trails or pack skis for the long hike up to the snow and thrilling ride down.
Yakima Valley provides much of North America’s hops production. Sample flavorful finished product at a local craft brewery. Visit fruit stands for U-pick or just-picked apples and dark red bing cherries.