Washington

Sure it can be rainy, but Washington State boasts beautiful and varied scenery, from rugged Pacific beaches like Copalis and Grenville Bay to the snowy, craggy peaks of the Cascade Mountains. Don’t driving the rugged coastline on the Olympic Peninsula, hiking in a temperate rain forest at Hoh Rain Forest, or whale watching in the San Juan Islands, either. The state’s culinary scene includes wine made from cabernet sauvignon and albariño varietals grown in Walla Walla and plenty of seafood, especially Dungeness crab, sea urchins, mussels, and Kumamoto and Olympia oysters.

Seattle Washington

Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to Washington.

Read Before You Go
Three times bigger than the original, Amex’s revamped Centurion Lounge at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport offers a full-service coffee bar—a first for the brand—and views of the Olympic Mountains.
Hotels
The wild beauty of Washington state and Canada’s British Columbia is luring in a fresh crop of outdoor-focused accommodations—from tented camps to Japanese onsen-inspired forest cabins.
How I became a Snow Peak fan-girl in one short weekend.
Live like a local in the Emerald City with these home-away-from-home Airbnbs in neighborhoods from Capitol Hill to Ballard.
These top-level properties are the places to stay.
Resources to help plan your trip
Whether your passion is for art, music, science, history, or aviation, Seattle has museums for you. Sometimes the museum itself is a landmark, like Seattle’s colorful Experience Music Project Museum building, designed by Frank Gehry. Add some educational value to your Seattle vacation when you spend an afternoon at one of these family-friendly destinations. If you plan to visit multiple museums, check out the Seattle CityPass to save on admission.
Amazon headquarters might be in Seattle, but the city still has—and proudly supports—many independent bookstores with enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff members. From general interest to children’s bookstores and even a cookbook store, you can feed your need to read at these bibliophile havens in Capitol Hill and beyond.
From lush Northwestern panoramas to bustling night markets and a pop culture museum shaped like Jimi Hendrix’s smashed guitar, The Emerald City offers some of the country’s best attractions and here’s our list of must-see attractions.
Seattle offers specialty and independent stores to suit every interest. Belltown has high-end salons and galleries, Ballard has stylish vintage apparel, Fremont has everything hippie-ish and New Agey, and West Seattle has local art with flair. And every neighborhood boasts its local bookstore, usually with resident cats.
Emerald City is known for its beverages: both Starbucks coffee and the craft beer movement count the city as ground zero. Find your favorite drinks, whether cocktail, latte, or lager, at one of Seattle’s best places for drinking.
Put away the guide book and check out some of Seattle’s best hidden gems with this list of things to do, restaurants, and more.
Seattle overflows with brilliant chefs and inspired fare from around the world, from umami-bomb Red Sea noodle soup to rhubarb-pistachio cheesecake. With influences from Europe, Hawaii, and further east, Seattle’s kitchens focus on the just-caught bounty of the Pacific, produce from nearby farms, and cuisines brought from far and wide by its diverse population.
Seattle’s hotels cater to all sorts of travelers, from budget-conscious families to couples seeking a romantic getaway. Which hotel is best for you? The Four Seasons combines luxury accommodations with a central location in downtown Seattle. The hip Ace Hotel is in the heart of Belltown’s nightlife. Or you can explore Ballard’s artsy shops and restaurants while staying at the small, cozy Ballard Inn, just steps away from one of Seattle’s weekend farmers markets.
One writer on Samish Island, the family retreat that taught her the art of paying attention.
There’s no bad time of year to visit a national park, but these spots are truly at their best in the springtime.
Bigger isn’t always better when it’s time to get away. Case in point: These smaller, off-the-radar enclaves across the United States are well worth the wander come wintertime.
Visitors have a chance to enter The Boathouse for the first Refract glass arts festival.
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