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Explore Washington State

Destinations

Washington State Destinations

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.

Recent Destinations Articles

Showing 181 to 192 of 228 articles
Sammamish and Issaquah Nature Spots
Explore Washington State · September 24, 2018

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...

Fun ideas for a day in Seattle with kids
Explore Washington State · September 9, 2018

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...

Pit Stop in Ellensburg
MacKenzie Passegger · August 26, 2018

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...

Camille Takes Us to Long Beach
Explore Washington State · August 18, 2018

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...

The Obsession with the Palouse Falls 
MacKenzie Passegger · August 14, 2018

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...

The Brothers Greenhouses
MacKenzie Passegger · August 5, 2018

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 to see Signs of the Volcano’s Wrath
Todd Phillips · August 1, 2018

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....

A Detour to Westport
Explore Washington State · July 3, 2018

This was shared with us by Linh DePledge – Planning a trip to Westport? Start with our complete Westport Visitor Guide → 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...

Rebirth of a Forest
MacKenzie Passegger · June 19, 2018

Most folks who remember the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980 remember the monochrome photos of devastation; trees tossed like matchsticks and coated with gray ash, looking more like the surface of the Moon than the lush forests that lived on the mountain previously. Visiting The Mount Saint Helens Forest Learning Center  Forests have...

Museum of Un-Natural History
MacKenzie Passegger · June 16, 2018

*Note: there are some images that might not be suitable for children in this article, please use discretion.  If you’re in the Walla Walla area, chances are you’ve heard of Gerald Matthew’s Museum of Un-Natural History. And if you haven’t, well, you’re in for a treat.    Who is Gerald “Gerry” Matthews you ask? He is...

The Hisey Dinosaur Park
MacKenzie Passegger · June 13, 2018

In the Yakima Valley dinophiles can find an outdoor paradise filled with various dinosaur statues. Built back in the early ’90s, this dino-park went from a single sculpture to around thirty, thanks to the residents of Granger. Originally built as a way to “revitalize” the Main Street and downtown area, the Hisey Dinosaur Park has...