Explore Washington State
Explore Monthly
The best of Washington state. Every month. In your inbox.
Monthly
Frequency
Statewide
Coverage
May 2026
First Issue
Always Free
No Cost
Washington State. One Guide at a Time.
Washington is enormous and constantly changing. New trails open, festivals return, emerging towns come into their own. Keeping up is demanding work. Explore Monthly does it for you.
Once a month we put together the definitive guide to what is worth your time across the state and send it straight to your inbox. Events worth driving for, natural moments that only happen this time of year, small towns having a moment, and an editor’s pick from the EWS team.
What Is Inside Every Issue
📅
Events Worth the Drive
Festivals, markets, fairs, and singular moments happening across the state that month. Curated so you only hear about the ones worth your weekend.
🏔
Natural Moments
Wildflower blooms, salmon runs, fall color, the aurora, tidal pools. The natural phenomena that only show up at a specific time of year and the exact spots to see them.
☕
Small Town Picks
A coffee shop, a bakery, a bookstore, or a roadside spot that deserves more visitors. The kind of place locals know and visitors wish they had found sooner.
⭐
Editor’s Pick
One destination, trail, or experience the EWS team is personally excited about that month. Not sponsored. Not a ranked list. Just a genuine recommendation from people who explore Washington for a living.
Monthly Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Explore Monthly?
Explore Monthly is a free monthly email guide to the best things to see, do, and experience across Washington state. Each issue covers upcoming events worth the drive, natural phenomena happening that month, small town picks from the EWS team, and one editor recommendation.
When does it arrive?
Explore Monthly arrives in your inbox at the start of each month, timed so you can plan before the month gets going. The first issue goes out in May 2026.
Is it really free?
Yes. No paid tier, no trial period, no credit card required. Just your name and email and you are in.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Explore Washington State has been covering the real Washington for more than a decade. State parks, small towns, back roads, rest stops, and the people who make this place worth exploring. What started as a hyperlocal project covering individual communities grew into a full media project with more than 340 podcast episodes, a weekly newsletter with 3,800 subscribers, and coverage of all 146 Washington State Parks. The content here comes from people who have actually been to these places: locals, regulars, and lifelong Washington residents who care more about getting it right than getting clicks.