Washington State packs more geographic variety into one state than almost anywhere else in the country. In a single weekend, you can wake up to ocean fog on the Pacific coast, drive through old growth rainforest, and fall asleep under the stars in the high desert east of the Cascades. That kind of range makes trip planning exciting, though it can occasionally feel overwhelming.
This section is where we have gathered every destination guide, weekend escape, day trip, and local find we have published across the state. Every post is written by someone who actually made the drive, not a sponsored itinerary or filler content. Real trips, real opinions, real Washington.
We cover all corners of the state: the wild beaches and rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula, the ferry accessible islands of Puget Sound, mountain towns like Leavenworth and Winthrop in the Cascades, the wine country and wide open spaces of Eastern Washington, and the day trip destinations within easy reach of Seattle. Whether you are planning a family vacation, a solo road trip, or a quick weekend getaway, you will find something worth bookmarking here.
Browse recent posts below, or use the county and city tags on any post to find more content from a specific area. Washington rewards the curious traveler and there is always another destination worth discovering.
Imagine: The forest floor sparkles with ice crystals and the brisk and crisp air reddens your nose as you cherish the smell of pine and wet moss on a winter stroll among old growth forest. A spectacular waterfall awaits your arrival just a mere 2 miles up the base of Mt. Index where you’ll find…
Port Angeles is tucked off in between the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, and the strait of Juan De Fuca in Callam County. Just a two-hour drive and a ferry boat ride from Seattle, with Olympic National Park towering overhead as its backyard, Port Angeles offers a true maritime small town feel. When driving…
Written by: Leanna Cushman – @leannacushman If the only thing you know about Grant County is the Gorge Amphitheatre, you may not know about the Grand Coulee laser light show, the healing waters of Soap Lake or the jam packed fun of the Grant County Fair. Let’s talk about that last thing. For someone who lived…
This guest post was written by Mercedes Benedict. A toddler mom and lover of the outdoors, you can find her & her toddlers adventures at: @maxwellandbeatrix When you have two high-energy toddlers getting outside to explore is a must. Luckily this is where the Sammamish/Issaquah excels. Located east of Seattle this busy suburb is situated near Cougar…
This guest post was written by Terumi Pong from “An Emerald City Life.” Follow her on Instagram. I don’t know about you, but I often find myself retracing my favorite steps in Seattle over and over again. Like every time I visit Pike Place Market at breakfast time, I eat at Lowell’s, I wave a hello to…
While Ellensburg is perhaps best known for the Ellensburg Rodeo (yee-haw) and for Central Washington University, this small town more to offer to visitors. Here are some place to check out next time you’re in Ellensburg. Visit the Kittitas County Historical Museum This free museum offers a hands-on learning approach to the county’s history. Walking through…
Hola, my name is Camille. Viewpoints are my ultimate weakness, oddities are my thing, street art/murals give me life and I am firm believer that nature is truly one of the best medicines when it comes to curing a stressed soul. I was raised in the beautiful state of Washington, lucky, I know! Being born on…
Seriously. The obsession that Washington residents, and visitors alike have for the Palouse Falls is ridiculous. But you know what? We get it, we do. It pretty much sums up why Washington state is #thebeststate and why you need to visit here. If you’ve never been to the Palouse Falls, or even heard of them…
You may have heard of The Brothers Greenhouses before. They have been featured on King 5 Evening, Kitsap Sun, Atlas Obsura, Insider Travel and another handful and a half journalistic outlets. But what is it about this seemingly ordinary retail garden center that attracts thousands of patrons from all over the country per year? Can…
Johnston Ridge Observatory-Mount Saint Helens We reached the top of SR 504 at Johnston Ridge Observatory and saw what seemed to be an alien landscape. In the previous entries in this series, I talked about the surrounding forests and how the trees had been replanted. When you reach Johnston Ridge there aren’t any replanted forests….
This post was originally posted here, but with permission from Valerie, we are sharing it here. * This post is in collaboration with Petite Retreats and Leavenworth Tiny House Village. I received a complimentary stay in exchange for a review. As always, all opinions are my own. I’ve always wanted to stay in a tiny…
This was shared with us by Linh DePledge – A funny thing happened on our way to the Hama Hama Oyster Rama. It’s a long story, in fact, it’s 2 hours 35 minutes long to be exact. Hubby and I have been looking forward to a relaxing drive from Astoria to Liliwaup, Washington, for the Oyster…
